The Effect of Using Language Games on Vocabulary Retention of Iranian Elementary EFL Learners

Abstract

The present study aimed at investigating the effect of using language games on elementary students' vocabulary retention. Thirty two numbers of students were chosen. They were at the same level of proficiency and were assigned into two groups of 16. The control group received traditional method of teaching vocabulary such as: drills, definitions, etc. and the experimental group was exposed to language games as a treatment. The treatment of the study took four weeks, one session every week. After the treatment, posttest 1 was administered to both groups in order to investigate the students' immediate vocabulary learning in two different conditions, with and without language games. After two weeks posttest 2 was administered to both groups to determine the delayed effect of learning again with and without the treatment. Four weeks after the second posttest -six weeks after the completion of the course-the third posttest was administered to determine the participants' ability of retention in both groups. Analyzing the data revealed that the effect of the gamelike activities was more significant in the delayed time than the immediate one.