Implementing interactive educational computer games in an EFL classroom to foster vocabulary acquisition in sixth graders at “Víctor Gerardo Aguilar” school

Abstract

Broad vocabulary knowledge is the foundation to establish an effective communication in English. However, the students, who have grown up in the digital era, experience boredom and frustration to learn English vocabulary through conventional strategies. This study emphasizes the incorporation of virtual games into an EFL classroom, as an innovative strategy, to help students overcome rote learning and increase motivation. The main objective of this research was to find out the effectiveness that educational computer games represent for students’ English vocabulary acquisition. To achieve this goal, a pre- and a post-test were conducted to measure the participants’ English vocabulary knowledge. The sample of this study consisted of 56 sixth graders who studied at “Victor Gerardo Aguilar” public school in Cuenca, Ecuador, during the second semester of 2018-2019 academic year. This population was divided into two groups: experimental and control. The first group acquired English vocabulary through computer games and the second one performing lesson-based activities. The outcomes affirmed that there were statistical significant differences in the post-test of both groups, but the experimental group accomplished a vocabulary knowledge superior in 19 points than the control group. Also, the results of the 5-point Likert scale questionnaire revealed that children were motivated and found amusement to learn English through computer games. After discussing the results of this study and other related ones, it is concluded that educational computer games are more effective for learning English vocabulary than usual methods.