遊戲教學對英語單字學習的影響：以屏東地區國小為例

全文

(1)國立屏東大學應用英語學系碩士班碩士論文指導教授：潘怡靜博士. 遊戲教學對英語單字學習的影響: 以屏東地區國小為例 A Study of the Effects of Using Games on English Vocabulary Learning at Elementary Schools in Pingtung. 研究生：許瑜珊撰中華民國一 ○九年一月.

(2)

(3) Acknowledgements I am very grateful to the many people who have helped and contributed to this master thesis. Without their support, my thesis would have never been possible. First of all, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to my dearest advisor, Dr. Yi-Ching Pan (潘怡靜博士), for her constant encouragement, patient instruction and valuable suggestions, and attention assisting me with my thesis. Without her insightful guidance, it would have been a much tougher task for me to complete this thesis. Next, I would like to express my deepest appreciation to my committee members, Dr. Feng-Hung Tsai ( 蔡峯宏博士 ) and Dr. Hui-Zhen Duan ( 段惠珍博士 ), for their professional comments, suggestions, and careful reviewing to improve my thesis.. Many. thanks as well to National Pingtung University and the Department of Applied English for offering the best location. Furthermore, I would like to thank the department assistant, JiaZhen Chen, for her assistance and encouragement. In addition, I am also grateful to all of my classmates and friends, who always keep me company. Furthermore, I am thankful to of all the elementary school students who participated in this research. Last but not least, I would like to express my deepest appreciation to my beloved family for all they have done for me. Without their support and care, it would have been impossible for me to successfully achieve this new milestone in my academic career.. I.

(4) 摘要此研究探討遊戲教學對於學生英語字彙學習態度的影響與其表現之成效。研究參與者為來自屏東縣兩間國民小學的四位英語教師與 120 位四年級學生。本研究中使用的三項研究工具為:(1)字彙前測與後測 (2)課堂遊戲教學實施前後之動機與學習態度問卷調查 (3)與計畫實行教師進行訪談。受測學生之單字學習狀況會於為期十五週的遊戲教學中，藉由施行字彙前測與後測的方式進行學習歷程的追蹤，此外，這些學生也會於前、後測的問卷調查中回答對於英語遊戲教學的看法。本研究有三項重大的發現: (1)學生於字彙前、後測驗的分數進步約 15 分，達到統計上的顯著指標。(2)學生對於英語遊戲教學，在動機、態度及課堂氛圍的學習方面給予正向回饋。(3)有經驗與較無經驗教師們分享對於執行英語遊戲教學的利弊與觀點，例如英語遊戲教學增強學生學習動機和自信、但也提出英語遊戲教學對課堂時間掌握與教室管理所帶來的挑戰等議題。最後，本研究提出相關教學建議與後續研究之參考。. 關鍵字:態度、動機、單字學習、遊戲教學. II.

(5) Abstract This study examined the effects of game instruction on students' attitude towards, as well as their performance in, learning English vocabulary. The participants were four elementary English teachers and 120 fourth grade students from two elementary schools in Pingtung County, Taiwan. Three instruments were utilized herein: (1) pre- and-post vocabulary tests, (2) pre-and-post questionnaires on students' perceptions of motivations and attitudes towards game use in class, (3) oral interviews with the involved teachers. The progress in participating students' vocabulary learning was tracked by conducting vocabulary tests at the beginning of the study, prior to experiencing game based instruction, as well as at the end of the study, after fifteen weeks of game instruction. These students also answered pre-and-post questionnaires for their perceptions in regard to the effects of game instruction on English learning. Three major findings indicated: (1) a statistically significant score gain of 15-points on the pre and post vocabulary tests, (2) students’ positive perceptions of game instructions for their English learning, especially in the aspects of their motivations, attitudes, classroom atmosphere, and (3) both experienced and inexperienced teachers’ perceptions of advantages and disadvantages on the issue of game instruction, such as the enhancement of student motivation and confidence, and the challenges of time and classroom management. Pedagogical implications and suggestions were further provided to conclude the study.. Key words: attitude, motivation, vocabulary learning, game instruction. III.

(6) Table of Contents Acknowledgements ·················································································Ⅰ Abstract (Chinese) ··················································································Ⅱ Abstract (English) ···················································································Ⅲ CHAPTER 1 Introduction·····················································································1 Problem Statement ·····································································5 Purpose of the Study···································································8 Research Questions ····································································8 Significant of Study····································································9 Definitions of Terms ·································································10 CHAPTER 2 Literature Review············································································12 Attitudes, Motivation and Language Learning ··································12 The Relationship between Attitudes and Language Learning ·················13 The Relationship between Motivation and Language Learning···············13 Vocabulary Learning in Relation To Game Use ································16 The Relationship Between Teachers’ Experiences and Language Learning 18 The Empirical Studies of the Effects of Using Games on English Teaching 19 Summary ··············································································24 CHAPTER 3 Methodology ·················································································29 Research Design ·····································································29 Participants ············································································31 Instruments ············································································32 Questionnaires ·······························································32 IV.

(7) Validity ·································································34 Reliability ······························································34 Vocabulary Test ·····························································35 Validity ·································································36 Structured Interview ·························································36 Procedures ············································································37 Before the experiment ·······················································37 During the experiment ·······················································38 After the experiment ·························································39 Data Analyses ········································································40 CHAPTER 4 Results ·······················································································41 Demographic Data ·········································································42 Results of Research Question One ······················································43 Results of Research Question Two ······················································46 Results of Research Question Three ····················································61 CHAPTER 5 Conclusions ·················································································69 Summary of the Major Findings ················································69 Pedagogical Implications ························································77 Limitations of the Study ·························································80 Suggestions for Future Research ···············································80 References ·························································································82 Appendix A Questionnaire (Chinese) ·······················································90 Appendix B Questionnaire (English) ·······················································92 Appendix C. Pre-test of Vocabulary ·························································94 V.

(8) Appendix D Post-test of Vocabulary ························································96 Appendix E. Interview Questions (Chinese and English) ································98. Appendix F A Sample Lesson plan ·························································99. VI.

(9) Tables. Table 1 The Results of the Empirical Studies of the Effects of Using Games on English Teaching ··················································································24 Table 2 Demographic Data of Students ·······················································31 Table 3 Demographic Data of Teachers ·······················································32 Table 4 Students’ Demographic Data of Questionnaire ····································43 Table 5 Paired Sample t-test of Vocabulary Test Scores Before and After Game Instruction ················································································44 Table 6 Descriptive Statistic of Students’ Attitude Before Game Instruction Intervention ··············································································47 Table 7 Descriptive Statistic of Students’ Attitude After Game Instruction Intervention ··············································································48 Table 8 The Differences of Students’ Attitude Prior and After English Vocabulary Teaching Instruction ····································································49 Table 9 Descriptive Statistic of Students’ Perceptions of the Classroom Atmosphere Before Game Instruction Intervention ···············································52 Table 10 Descriptive Statistic of Students’ Perceptions of the Classroom Atmosphere After Game Instruction Intervention ·················································53 Table 11 The Differences of Students’ Perceptions of the Classroom Atmosphere Prior and After English Vocabulary Teaching Instruction ·························54 Table 12 Descriptive Statistics of Students’ Perceptions of Advantages and Disadvantages on the Practice of Game Use Before Game Instruction Intervention ··············································································56 Table 13 Descriptive Statistics of Students’ Perceptions of Advantages and Disadvantages on the Practice of Game Use After Game Instruction Intervention ···········57 VII.

(10) Table 14 The Differences of Students’ Perceptions of Advantages and Disadvantages on the Practice of Game Use Prior to and After Game Intervention ···········································································58 Table 15 The Advantages, the Disadvantages and the Differences of Using Games in Class ....................................................................................................................... 67. VIII.

(11) Figure Figure 1 The Flowchart of the Research Design ············································30. IX.

(12) CHAPTER ONE Introduction Background of the Study Learning English through playing games has become popular in the EFL classroom in recent years. According to Gulin & Arikan (2011), “Games have become crucially important for English language learners and teachers not only because they provide enjoyment and relaxation, but also encourage students to use their language in a creative and communicative manner.” (p. 219). That is, game playing gives students a more relaxing and comfortable environment to learn and practice English. It gives learners an opportunity to learn without worrying being constantly concerned for mistakes. Staines (1990) claimed that games give young learners a real and clear purpose for using language and provide them with opportunities to use language more freely. There is no mystery to learning through playing. When children play, it certainly helps but to learn and develop their skills unconsciously. Researchers believes that teachers who provide games for children through games will ultimately help learning. 1.

(13) to be interesting and successful. Playing is a major component of a young student’s behavior and language learning (Brown, 1994). There is no doubt that playing games is a real motivator most of the time in learning and has its own rewards. Games enhance and strengthen students’ motivation to learn; games also affect students’ perception and attitude of learning English. Since game playing has a positive and great impact on language learning, if teachers can create a more fluid and relaxed atmosphere, students will have a more comfortable, free and unrestrained environment to learn. This may help students to be more willing to learn English and help them learn more efficiently. It is likely learners would absorb more information and also use it in their daily life. The study of Rixon (2001) revealed that games seemed to provide young learners with the element of fun and enjoyment, which is important for adequate learning. In such a way, without fearing failure or constant correction, students will feel emotionally secure and more confident to explore and take risks with new languages. Affective Filter, proposed by Stephen Krashen in 1982, is a theoretical construct in second language acquisition that attempts to explain the emotional variables. 2.

(14) associated with the success or failure of acquiring a second language. These factors include anxiety, self-consciousness, boredom, annoyance and alienation. Learners’ attitudes and perceptions can be factors influencing their learning. According to Brown (2001), children are often innovative in language forms but still have a great deal of inhibitions. If their affective filter is low, there will be more learning. On the contrary, if their affective filter is high, learning will decrease. With a low affective filter, game-like activities are not only meaningful but also fun. As a result, the whole learning process should be enjoyable and successful (Cohen, 1993). According to Yolageldili & Arikan (2011), “It is important that teachers should not see games as time fillers or tools designed for fun only, but integrate them into their foreign language teaching programs.” (p. 219) When it comes to learning a language in the beginning, vocabulary plays an essential role. Vocabulary is the basic component in learning a new language. As Barcoft (2004) pointed out, the ability to use language fluently is directly related to knowledge of vocabulary that is built up over time and depends on exposure to a great deal of language. That is to say, those who want to master a new language must have. 3.

(15) a sufficient and abundant amount of vocabulary. Wilkins (1972) claimed that “Without vocabulary nothing can be conveyed”(p.111). Also, vocabulary is an essential and indispensable part of language learning beginning in elementary school. Considering that students like to play, especially young learners, if they can learn English vocabulary through playing, learning is more likely to occur. As Huyen & Nga (2003) stated, in order to communicate well in a foreign language, students need enough amount of vocabulary. In other words, vocabulary knowledge is also considered a prerequisite for successful communication (Nation, 2001). That is, vocabulary is a vital part of learning English. Attitude and motivation are definitely keys to successful learning. Students’ attitudes and perception toward learning will affect students’ interpretations and learning outcomes. That is to say, attitude toward learning is essential and can affect directly how students learned. Also, according to Phillips (1997), there are many factors that affect learners: “The atmosphere of the classroom, the attitude of the teacher, and the organization of the lesson all affect children’s learning”(p.141). In addition to learning atmosphere and vocabulary in learning, teachers also play. 4.

(16) an important role within teaching learning progress. Teachers’ beliefs about language learning and teaching are an important concept to research as they account for the teachers’ decisions when teaching (Johnson, 1994; Richards, 1998). As Brown (2007) mentioned, students are highly dependent on the teacher for language models. Teachers directly influence students’ learning and their attitudes are crucial to get students relaxed in the learning environment. One factor has to do with is the experiences of the teachers. Prior studies have mainly targeted the beliefs of inexperienced teachers and the effects of pre-service training on their beliefs (Joram & Gabrielle, 1998). Teachers’ teaching is a prime factor in the way in which they choose to teach, and this will directly affect their students. There are also studies that compared the beliefs held by experienced and inexperienced teachers (Mok, 1994; Peacock, 2001). These studies should be further explored when discussing the issue regarding promoting young learners’ language learning. Problem Statement As Meara (1982) pointed out, “vocabulary competency contributes greatly to second language proficiency” (p.118). Vocabulary is one of the important parts of the. 5.

(17) EFL learning system for learners to be proficient in English. In the current English learning situation, it seems that in Taiwan, students have insufficient vocabulary size which results in their reading difficulties. Huang (1997) pointed out the lack of appropriate English vocabulary size created a handicap in reading English textbooks. This would affect or delay and English student’s growth in learning. Insufficient vocabulary and the high demand for it could cause stress. Besides, many Chinese EFL learners often feel frustrated with remembering English words, and they have inadequate vocabulary learning game use in teaching. When the students are frustrated, it will definitely scales down their motivation to learn, it’s important for teachers to introduce more innovative ideas, like games, to strengthen their vocabulary learning especially in the elementary level. Inadequate vocabulary knowledge often creates communication problems for language learners. Aebersold and Field (1997) indicated that readers frequently reported that they needed a huge amount of lexis to understand the meaning of the sentences. According to Oxford (1990), memorizing a large amount of vocabulary is a serious obstacle for language learners to achieving fluency.. 6.

(18) A case study in 2014 (Education First) comparing the proficiency of English in Korea, Japan and Taiwan revealed that the students in Taiwan had low proficiency of English ability. Between 2010 and 2013, Taiwan was ranked 30th in the 70 countries worldwide that were listed in the Education First English Proficiency Index (EF, EPI). However, Taiwan fell to 31st globally in 2014, with a score of 53.18, and was ranked seventh in the 16 Asian countries listed in the index. The global ranking put Taiwan in the rank between 22nd and 34th, which indicates moderate proficiency, according to the report. Other Asian countries in the category were South Korea, Vietnam, Japan, Indonesia and Hong Kong, while Singapore, Malaysia and India were ranked as high proficiency (EF, EPI, 2014). In viewing of these problems, more and more teachers intent to improve this situation by strengthening students’ vocabulary ability. As Rixon (1992) pointed out, “Games help students revise vocabulary and recalling something that happened in a game may help a student remember the language connected with it” (p.82). This would indicate that games create a healthy and useful use of memory to help enhance the students’ learning retention.. 7.

(19) Purpose of the Study As English becomes an even more International language, learning English is the trend of the world, and it is quickly becoming a globally necessary language in order to progress and have more opportunities. It goes without saying that learning English in Taiwan is important, especially when it comes to learning vocabulary. Due to the amount of vocabulary needed in order to thrive, the current study focus on exploring game teaching to enhance vocabulary learning. Another aim of the study was to explore the extent how perceptions affect teachers’ teaching and students’ language learning, particularly in vocabulary development. Furthermore, whether game-teaching affect students’ attitude or not. Last but not the least, exploring teachers’ beliefs and the experience of teachers toward game use are also the aims of the study. Research Questions To address the issues already mentioned earlier and to provide another insight to the previous research, the present study is designed to examine the following research questions:. 8.

(20) 1. Did the vocabulary test score of elementary school students exhibit improvement to any significant degree after game instruction intervention? 2. To what extent did the use of games in teaching influence students’ vocabulary learning? 3. To what extent did experienced and inexperienced teachers differ in their perceptions of integrating games into teaching English? Significance of the Study First, it is hoped that this study will contribute to English teachers to understand the effects of teaching English through games. Second, this study is done with the hope to decrease anxiety of young learners and enhance students’ motivation in English learning. Third, due to our students’ lower proficiency of English, it is hoped that the results of this study could not only be useful to students in learning English, but also help teachers in teaching English. Last but not the least, it goes without say that teachers affect students directly, and few people explore the differences between experienced and inexperienced teachers.. 9.

(21) Definitions of Terms The following terms are defined in the present study: 1. Games According to the definition from Longman Dictionary of Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics, a game is an activity or sport people compete with each other based on game rules. In this study, some particular educational games were used to help students practice English more and help student memorize vocabulary more easily, which include gains words spelling, words recognition, and words definition. And the main two games are use flash cards to let students compete with one another through speaking out the vocabulary, asking students to write down the vocabulary on the blackboard. It is a game of questions and response. 2. Attitude According to the definition from Longman Dictionary of Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics, attitudes are the opinions and feelings that people usually hold about something, in their behavior. In addition, motivation is also considered as learners’ individual performance to receive some extrinsic rewards or avoid. 10.

(22) punishment and intrinsically motivated behaviors’ rewards are internal (Dornyei, 1994). 3. Experienced/inexperienced teachers The number of years of teaching is counted in terms of teaching experience; the differences between experienced and inexperienced teachers are one of a main factor during students’ learning process. Experienced teachers refer to teachers who are teaching for more than six years; inexperienced teacher signifies those who are teaching less than six years (Griffey, 1991).. 11.

(23) CHAPTER TWO. Literature Review. In the chapter, the related literature of the effects of games in English teaching is reviewed from three aspects. The first section begins with presenting students’. perceptions and motivation in relation to game use. The second section explores the. game use in vocabulary learning. The third section reviews experienced and inexperienced teachers’ perceptions of integrating games into teaching. In addition,. empirical studies will be discussed in the following section. At last, a summary of the. literature review is provided to conclude this chapter.. Attitudes, Motivation and Language Learning In this section, students’ attitudes and motivation in relation to English. language learning through games are further explored. As Al Bassam (1987) sumed up that the achievement in the English language learning is related to the students’. attitude, motivation and satisfaction with the current course. As a result, attitudes. and motivation will be discussed in the following section.. 12.

(24) The Relationship Between Attitudes and Language Learning. Shie (1991) pointed out that the educational value of using EFL games from four. aspects to explain why teachers should regard such activities as an effective ways for. language learning, rather than a diversion used to fill the class period. Firstly, EFL. games required students to follow the game rules strictly, which was beneficial for. development-desired behaviors, in particular, law-abiding habits and sportsmanship.. Secondly, EFL games were flexible and could be integrated into different. instructional stages to suit different teaching contents and goals. Such activities were meant to promote interaction in the class and maintain students’ interests. Thirdly,. lowering learning anxiety and receiving immediate enjoyment or rewarding were two merits from playing such games, which might in turn stimulate students’ motivation. of language learning. Lastly, EFL games created a natural and meaningful learning. environment where students could acquire rather than learn the target language.. The Relationship Between Motivation and Language Learning Motivation is the critical element for success in improving of students’. engagement in the classroom (Wachob, 2006). According to the definition from. 13.

(25) Longman Dictionary of Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics (2007), motivation is regarded as “The factors that determine a person desire to do something” (p. 298). For Brown (2007), motivation means “goal to pursue and the effort you will devote to that pursuit” (p. 85). Willis (1996) said that satisfaction is. one of the essential elements in sustaining motivation. She further stated that if. students can feel the course easier with their own effort, they are more likely to join. and learn the course next time. Therefore, when teachers design courses, they need to consider setting achievable aims and emphasizing learners’ successes to promote their. motivation on learning English in the classroom. Different types of motivation likely. affect language learning.. Motivation is generally divided into instrumental/integrative motivation or. extrinsic/intrinsic motivation (Brown, 2007). Instrumental motivation refers to. learners intend to learn language because it will be useful for certain goals, for. instance, get a job, read foreign newspaper, pass exams and so on. Integrative. motivation means that learners intend to learn a language in order to communication. with people with another culture who speak it (Longman Dictionary of Language. 14.

(26) Teaching & Applied Linguistics, 2007). On another classifications, motivation can be. divided into extrinsic and intrinsic motivation. According to Dornyei (1994), extrinsic. motivation is learners intend to receive some extrinsic reward (such as good grades). or avoid punishment. On the other hand, intrinsic motivation is learners receive. rewards which are internal (such as the enjoyment of participating particular activity or satisfying one’s curiosity). Sanguanngarm (2011) mentioned extrinsic motivation. was associated with the aim of obtaining something in the outside world like. receiving a prize, by contrast, intrinsic motivation was directly related to inner factors. and learning the language just for itself.. As Adam concluded that since games are stimulating and intriguing for learners, it. is advantageous for learners to play with the language during the beginning phase of. their language studies. Anchoring upon the significance of motivation, Lightbown and. Spada (1991) highlights that the "principal way that teachers can influence learners'. motivation is by making the classroom a supportive environment in which students. are stimulated, engaged in the activities" (p.163). Greater motivation generates better. performance at acquiring new vocabulary while the lack of motivation is detrimental. 15.

(27) to the learner's ability to absorb the fresh knowledge. Consequently, students may be. more enticed to learn vocabulary during entertaining and captivating activities.. Vocabulary Learning in Relation To Game Use. Vocabulary is the core of the language. Vocabulary learning plays a main role in English language learner’s success. Concerning the process of knowledge acquisition,. Gee (2005) claimed that games are seemed as the formal or informal models in. English teaching. As Sørensen and Meyer (2007) assert, games are frequently. employed in language education to boost motivation and generate genuine. communication opportunities for learners to have an enjoyable experience during. language usage because games inserts an element of pleasure and recreation into what. is traditionally considered tedious and dull labor. They push the learning experience. beyond a conventionally boring and mundane setting, into a refreshing and lively. realm where both learner and teachers are more intrigued and eager to engage in the. learning and teaching process.. However, vocabulary learning is considered for many learners as boring in. learning English as a foreign language (Nguyen & Khuat, 2003) and is typically asked. 16.

(28) to complete lots of exercises. This situation makes the students get a difficulty. memorizing the vocabulary being taught. As a result, one of the popular ways to. engage learners in language learning is game playing. According to Brown (1994),. play is a major part of young children's lives and an important context for language. learning.. Therefore, when playing the game students will concentrate and will try to. remember the vocabulary in order to win the game, and this may help students learn. words because vocabulary is introduced and used in an enjoyable and challenging. way, instead of forcing students to memorize the words directly. According to Rixon. (1992), vocabulary games provide a good opportunity for students to learn something. from one another. That is to say, using games to learn vocabulary may be a good way. to let students memorize the words easier. Learning vocabulary is not an easy work,. and games can assist and urge many learners to learn target language easier. In. addition, games also aid teachers to create contexts that the target vocabulary are. meaningful and useful, games also bring fun to students, so they can learn and retain. new words more quickly. That is to say, learning through games can make a language. 17.

(29) learning process meaningful. Students have the opportunity to use language in a no. stressful way by playing and practicing new vocabulary through games (Uberman,. 1998). However, not a lot of teachers think games are effective ways to teach English,. some teachers only worry about finishing the current curriculum of the class. The Relationship Between Teachers’ Experiences And Language Teaching. In language teaching, according to Sørensen & Meyer (2007), games are considered to g increase motivation and make class more enjoyable, so it’s a good. part and factor in language learning. They make the environment fun and interesting,. where the learners love and enjoy the learning and teaching process. Besides, teachers’ attitude toward EFL games would be a main consideration of. integrating activities into regular English courses (Chang, 1999; Hsieh, 1999). Shie. (1991) stated that the educational value of using games from four perspectives to. justify why teachers should regard such activities as an effective means for language. learning, rather than a diversion used to fill the class period. Hsieh (1999) executed a survey study, which explored 64 in-service elementary teachers’ needs, attitudes, and. expectations toward the teacher training programs they had attended, and the findings. 18.

(30) showed that most of the participants liked and learned most from the idea of applying. games into regular English courses.. The Empirical Studies of the Effects of Using Games on English Teaching. There are some previous research results on the effects of learning through. games: first of all, Chien (2005) conducted a qualitative study to evaluate the. effectiveness of EFL games in line with the five components of EFL games, which. were goals, explicit rules, competition, EFL (the quality and quantity of the use of. target language), and engagingness, proposed by Shie (1991). After observing two classes (3rd and 4th graders) from a elementary school in I-Lan City, the researcher. found that the use of EFL games in the classes was not as good as expected because. of inappropriate implementation. The study concluded that an effective EFL game. should be run under some constraints. First, besides the achievement of behavioral. and pedagogical goals explicit game rules should be announced at the outset of the. class and followed strictly. Second, teachers had the responsibility to make the. competitive atmosphere. Third, the quality and quantity of the use of target language. 19.

(31) should be maximized in the class. Finally, teachers might partly alter EFL games to. make them more challengeable and diverse so as to promote student engagingness.. There was another research did by Huyen and Nga (2003) in Vietnam, which. examined the effectiveness of learning English vocabulary through games in the EFL. setting. Although the study did not produce direct evidence on the effectiveness of. such games in vocabulary learning because the training was only conducted for two. weeks, it provided crucial information of implementing games in real classroom. practices. The activities actively involved most of the students in the target language. learning, however, the instructors still found some difficulties during the study, such. as explicitly explaining the games rules to the students, encouraging them to work. with each other, and minimizing the use of the native language in the middle of the. game. At last, the effectiveness of the EFL games stayed uncertain in the study due to the time limit on training and the insufficient assessment of the students’ vocabulary. performance.. Regarding the educational potential of games, Richard-Amato (1996) remarks. that even though games are usually connected with fun, we should not lose the main. 20.

(32) point of their pedagogical values, especially in second language teaching. The merits. of game use in language education are evident from the higher productivity in the. language acquisition process produced by the boost in student motivation coupled. with the reduction in student anxiety during game play. Games increase motivation. and students enjoy in the competitive aspects of the game, moreover, they try harder. at games than in other course asserts Avedon (1971), proving that games are excellent. teaching tools. Students are innately competitive when participating in games,. whether solo or team based. This competitive nature incites the desire to win and. therefore, the desire to participate in the class activity as well. As a result, knowledge. could be imparted to the students during the process of game play, which captivates. their interest and attention, hence, producing higher efficacy in knowledge. acquisition.. In a study about the impact of games on the efficacy of Iranian EFL vocabulary. acquisition in kindergarteners, Aslanabadi and Rasouli (2013) explored methods to. boost memory retention of new vocabulary in the minds of the kindergarten learners.. Coordinated across two kindergartens, the learners were divided into two groups,. 21.

(33) control and experimental respectively. The control group received Iranian language. lesson in the form of normal classroom teaching while the experimental group. received the lesson in the form of a computer-based language game hosted on the. Internet. It was evident from the outcome of the study that, game-based lessons enable. learners to be more motivated and confident, in addition to being an enjoyable. experience for the learners.. Furthermore, as emphasized by Janina (2016), the impact of games on English. vocabulary acquisition is definitely positive since the study findings disclosed. significant improvement in vocabulary test scores by both the control and. experimental groups after receiving game-based vocabulary instruction.. The impact of game-based instruction on students' vocabulary acquisition in. EFL, was also investigated by Iran Dolati and Mikaili (2011), who conducted a study. to evaluate the role played by game-based instruction in the teaching of new. vocabulary. Seventy female six graders were recruited from a Iranian primary school. to participate in the study where they were subjected to pre-test and post-test, before. and after receiving game-based instruction respectively. Analysis of the pre-test and. 22.

(34) post-test results indicated that indeed "game has its potential as an educational tool for. literary training; and can motivate and engage learners especially the quiet and. passive ones in the whole learning process" (p.1218). The game-based instruction has. played a key role in improving the test scores of the participating students during the. study.. In the study by Kalaycioglu (2011), the thirty-three four-year-old preschoolers,. of whom seventeen were girls while sixteen were boys, were shown cards with. twenty-four images based on new vocabulary over a period of four weeks. The. experimental group played image based vocabulary games while the control group did. not participate in such activity. The findings of this study exhibited that the. experimental group fared significantly better than the control group in their. vocabulary learning, as an evidently direct result of the image based vocabulary. games experienced by the students.. 23.

(35) Table 1 The Results of the Empirical Studies of the Effects of Using Games on English Teaching Author. Year. Subjects. Results. Chien. 2005 Elementary school. The use of EFL games in class is not. students. as good as expected because of inappropriate implementation.. Huyen and Nga. 2003 Elementary school. The activities are beneficial for most. students. of the students for the target language learning.. Aslanabadi and Rasouli. 2013 Kindergarten. Games bring fun for learners to learn,. learners.. motivate them and improve their confidence.. Janina. 2016 Young learners. Using board games has positive effects on learning vocabulary.. Dolati and. 2011 Six grader students. Mikaili. Applying games has the important role in instructing vocabularies to language learners.. Kalaycioglu 2011 Four year-old. There’s a significant difference in. children.. making progress in their vocabulary bank. Summary. A student's command of vocabulary affects his level of foreign language comprehension directly as meaning is communicated through the selective use of vocabulary.. 24.

(36) Unfortunately, the learning of new vocabulary is often considered dull and monotonous by students, since traditional learning methods require students to complete repetitive exercises. Such laborious efforts are uninteresting and unattractive to students who often lack motivation to persist since they do not gain any intrinsic enjoyment in the process. The instrumental motivation of passing examinations or extrinsic motivation of avoiding punishment related to poor grades is insufficient to sustain long time interest and enthusiasm. As a solution to this low level of student engagement and enjoyment in traditional learning methods, game playing has been brought into the classroom as a tool for effective teaching of foreign language. Game playing is built upon a child's intrinsic desire to play. The use of EFL games creates a stimulating and fun environment that engages the students and promotes classroom interaction, creating authentic communication and learning opportunities, even for the quiet and passive students in class (Iran Dolati & Mikaili, 2011). The informal nature of EFL games also reduces learning anxiety, thereby. 25.

(37) creating a safe and supportive environment for students to feel comfortable in the process of acquiring new vocabulary. Furthermore, the competitive nature of team based EFL games spurs students to be more participative and pay keener attention in order to earn points for their team. Consequently, this increased level of effort and enthusiasm improves the memory retention of new vocabulary, building students for success, enabling them to derive satisfaction from their own achievements. This overall positive experience alters the students' perception of the learning process - they begin to view learning new vocabulary as an exciting and attractive experience as opposed to a tedious and off-putting task. Such improved efficiency in language learning as well as increased intrinsic motivation in students indicate that the potential of games in the teaching and learning vocabulary cannot be overlooked. While many teachers do recognize the merits and potential benefits of utilizing EFL games as a teaching tool for effective learning, there are teachers who are too preoccupied with completing the allocated curriculum for the semester to experiment with incorporating games into lesson plans. Other teachers with one-dimensional view of games as having the sole value of entertaining, might only turn to games as filler. 26.

(38) activities to occupy class periods. Indeed, even though extensive literature proclaims the potential effectiveness of using EFL games as a teaching tool, the actual effectiveness of such implementation in real life practice remain yet unclear. Till date, relevant empirical studies are rare and far in between. In addition, the experience level of the teacher involved is a dominant factor affecting the success of the implementation. The insufficiency of EFL games implementation training and the lack of pedagogical experience obstructed the success of empirical studies. The success of an EFL game implementation hinges heavily upon the teacher's classroom management skills, evident from the classroom management obstacles encountered by instructors in the research by Huyen and Nga (2003). Consequently, while EFL games appear to have great potential as an effective classroom tool for the vocabulary learning, more research and development as well as extensive studies have to be made before EFL games could be considered a mature tool ready for nationwide implementation.. 27.

(39) Although an amount of literature has suggested that EFL games may promote. English learning, the actual practice and effectiveness of such activities in the real. classroom setting have remained unclear. To date, very few empirical studies. concerning this issue have been documented in the literature. In addition, the factor of. the experienced and inexperienced teachers in the practice of games has not been. explored in the EFL context. Hence, more exploration is needed.. 28.

(40) CHAPTER THREE Methodology This study examined the effects of game instructions on students' attitude towards, as well as their performance in, learning English vocabulary. To this end, this chapter includes research design, participants, instruments, procedures, and data analyses in the present study. Research Design This study is a quasi-experiment to explore the effects of game instruction on students’ attitude and vocabulary learning. The research design of the study included one group of learners instructed by experienced teachers, while the other was instructed by inexperienced teachers. The independent variables are game instruction and experience of the teacher, and the dependent variables were students’ attitude toward English learning as well as vocabulary performance through games. The study recruited 120 students to participate. Before the game instruction, all. 29.

(41) participants took a pre-test and then were asked to fill out a pre-questionnaire. In the following week, the game instruction experiment began. After the instruction, all participants filled out the post-questionnaire and took a post-test. Finally, the Recruit 120 participants researcher conducted data analyses. The flowchart of the research is presented in Divide participants into two groups Figure 1.. Instructed by. Instructed by. experienced teacher. inexperienced teacher. Game playing instruction. Game playing instruction. 1. Take the pre-test 2. Fill out pre-questionnaire. Games instruction begins. 1. Fill out post-questionnaire 2. Take post-test. Data Analyses 1. Paired-Sample t-tests 30. 2. Interview results.

(42) Figure 1. The Flowchart of the Research Design Participants A total of 120 fourth-grade students in Pingtung County, Taiwan, from two elementary schools, Yi Li Elementary School and Sing Hua Elementary School. Both schools are in suburban Pingtung County. Fifty-two percent of the subjects, 62 people, are males, and forty-eight percent of the subjects, 58 people, are females, as shown in Table 2.. Table 2. Demographic Data of Students (N = 120) School A B. Class. Male. Female. A1 A2 B1 B2. 13 17 15 17 62. 13 16 14 15 58. Total. In addition, four English teachers including two experienced (teaching more than six years) and two inexperienced (teaching less than six years) teachers took part in this study. All of the teachers had similar game instructions in class. Besides, the four. 31.

(43) English teachers will be interviewed after 15-weeks of game instruction, and they will be called E1, E2, I1, and I2 in the interview results. All of the teachers were currently teaching in the fourth grade, as shown in Table 3. Table 3. Demographic Data of Teachers (N = 4) School A. B Total. Experienced Teacher. Inexperienced Teacher. 1 (8 years teaching experience) 1 (12 years teaching experience) 2. 1 (3 years teaching experience) 1 (1 years teaching experience) 2. Instruments As for instruments utilized in this study, tests along with questionnaires are used to probe the attitude toward game use in teaching and learning in elementary school students as well as oral interviews to investigate teachers’ opinions. Qualitative and quantitative data analyses were adopted in this study. Instruments in the research include pre- and post-questionnaires, pre- and post-tests, and oral interviews for experienced and inexperienced teachers. Questionnaires 32.

(44) The pre- and post-questionnaires are the same that were distributed to students at the beginning and the end of instruction. All of the students were asked to fill out questionnaires to explore their perceptions and attitudes toward game use in class. The questionnaire was composed of four sections. The first section was related to demographic data, which included questions of gender, English experience, grade level, and the length of English learning. The second section explored the practice of games in class. There were 28 questions in this section including three parts: Part One included items regarding the attitude and perception of students toward learning English through games (Item 1 to Item 11). Part Two included students’ perceptions of the classroom atmosphere when using games in class (Item 12 to Item 20). Part Three included students’ perceptions of the advantages and disadvantages of the practice of game use in and out of class (Item 21 to Item 28). The responses to these items are calculated by the 5-point Likert Scale ranging from strongly agree (5) to strongly disagree (1). The third section was an open-ended question related to whether games in class improve students’ English abilities or not, including listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The Chinese-. 33.

(45) version questionnaire is shown in Appendix A, and the English version is shown in Appendix B.. Validity. In order to ascertain the content validity of the questionnaires, the Chinese version of the questionnaire was derived from Huang’s (2007) study, which also explored students’ vocabulary learning in the middle grades of elementary school.. Some of the questions (1, 2, 4, 5, 6,10, 16, 25, 26, 27, and 28) were revised. by the researcher in order to appropriately explore the information for this study; 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6 were added into the questionnaires, and the order of 16, 25, 26, and 27 were changed. In addition, the revised question items were distributed to 20 fourthgrade elementary students, similar to the current participants, for expressions, and was also reviewed and checked by one professor with English teaching experience at a college.. Hence, the content validity was checked.. Reliability. In order to examine the reliability, the researcher carried out a pilot study in which the questionnaire was administered to 20 fourth-grade elementary students who had similar educational backgrounds to those students in the current. 34.