The Effectiveness of Using Puzzles in Developing Palestinian Tenth Graders′ Vocabulary Achievement and Retention

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of using puzzles in developing tenth graders vocabulary achievement. It also examined the long-term effect of the puzzles on the retention of the vocabulary. The researchers purposively chose 80 tenth graders from Abdul Kareem Al-Aklook secondary School for boys in Dair Al Balah for the experiment and randomly chose two classes from the tenth grade classes. The sample of the study was 80 students, (40) students in each one. Educational Puzzles were used in teaching the experimental group, while the traditional method was used with the control one in the second term of the school year (2012-2013). The experiment lasted for six weeks. After two weeks, a delayed test was administrated to the experimental group to measure retention. The results of the study revealed that there were significant differences in mean scores of vocabulary test in favor of the experimental group in the post application. It also showed that there were no significant differences in mean scores between the post-test and delayed test of the experimental group. And this was due to the method of using puzzles in teaching vocabulary. In the light of those findings, the study recommended the necessity of implementing puzzles in teaching English language to make better outcomes in students' achievement and to shed light on techniques that emphasize organizing information for long learning (retention).