The Impact of Games on EFL Iranian Learner’s Vocabulary Proficiency in Second Grade of High School

Subject Areas : Journal of Teaching English Language Studies

Mohammad Taghi Hassani ¹ , Bahador Sadeghi ² , Mahdi Mohammadi ³

1 - PhD. Department of English, Islamic Azad University, Takestan Branch, Takestan, Iran
2 - PhD. Department of English, Islamic Azad University, Takestan Branch, Takestan, Iran
3 - MA. Department of English, Islamic Azad University, Takestan Branch, Takestan, Iran

Received: 2017-06-10 Accepted : 2017-07-18 Published : 2017-09-01

Keywords: vocabulary learning, t-test, game, pre and post-test, proficiency test (Nelson),

Abstract :

The present research sought to investigate the effects of different games on IranianEFL learners in second grade high school's vocabulary improvement. Seventy eight malesecond grade students of Emam ali high school in Avaj participated in this research. Theresearch was conducted in five sessions in near two months, each session lasted aboutforty five minutes. The subjects were randomly assigned to two groups; thirty sevensubjects in the control group and thirty nine in the experimental group. The participantswere administered two tests; a multiple choice test for English language proficiency test(Nelson) to determine the level of the participants and a post-test of their textbook tomeasure the possible effect of games technique on subjects' vocabulary improvement. Ttestprocedures were applied to analyze the obtained data. The findings showed that theexperimental group performed better on post-test vocabulary proficiency test. There was asignificant dependency between the vocabulary proficiency level and games techniques.Therefore, we can claim that applying motivating and entertaining games affects IranianEFL learners' vocabulary proficiency and such games also influence Iranian EFL learners'language learning motivation to speak better. The findings of the present research mayhave implications for L2 learners and teachers.

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