COMPARING TRADITIONAL AND GAMIFIED VOCABULARY INSTRUCTION METHODS

Аннотация

Vocabulary knowledge plays a crucial role in second language acquisition and communicative competence. This study compares traditional vocabulary instruction methods with gamified vocabulary instruction to determine their effectiveness in improving vocabulary acquisition, retention, and learner motivation. A quasi-experimental design was employed involving 60 EFL students divided into experimental and control groups. The experimental group received gamified vocabulary instruction through digital platforms and game-based activities, while the control group was taught using traditional methods such as memorization, translation, and repetition. The findings revealed that students exposed to gamified instruction demonstrated significantly higher vocabulary gains, better retention rates, and increased motivation. The study concludes that gamification offers substantial advantages over traditional vocabulary teaching approaches and can effectively enhance lexical development in EFL contexts.