Using cooperative games to improve young efl learners vocanulary retention at seameo retrac m a

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY-HO CHI MINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES FACULTY OF ENGLISH LINGUISTICS & LITERATURE USING COOPERATIVE GAMES TO IMPROVE YOUNG EFL LEAR

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY-HO CHI MINH CITY

UNIVERSITY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES

FACULTY OF ENGLISH LINGUISTICS & LITERATURE

USING COOPERATIVE GAMES TO IMPROVE

YOUNG EFL LEARNERS’ VOCABULARY

RETENTION AT SEAMEO RETRAC

A minor thesis submitted to the Faculty of English Linguistics & Literature

in partial fulfillment of the Master’s degree in TESOL

By PHAN THUY LINH

Supervised by

LE THI THANH, Ph.D

HO CHI MINH CITY, AUGUST 2022

Next, I would like to extent my appreciation to SEAMEO RETRAC Kiddy Programs for authorizing me to conduct my experiment at the center

In addition, I am also thankful to my beloved colleagues at SEAMEO RETRAC for their valuable suggestions and feedback for the questionnaire

I would like to send my thanks to all of my students for their enthusiastic participation during the thesis

Last but not least, I would like to send my thanks to my family who always supported and motivated me to finish this research

STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY

I hereby certify my authorship of the thesis entitled “USING COOPERATIVE GAMES TO IMPROVE YOUNG EFL LEARNERS’ VOCABULARY RETENTION AT SEAMEO RETRAC”

I declare that this thesis has not been submitted for the award of any degree

or diploma in any other institutions

Ho Chi Minh City, August 2022

PHAN THUY LINH

RETENTION AND USE OF MY THESIS

I hereby state that I, Phan Thuy Linh, being the candidate of the degree of Master in TESOL, accept the requirements of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities regarding the retention and use of my thesis deposited in the library

In terms of these conditions, I agree that the original of my thesis should be made accessible to individuals for the purpose of research and study in accordance with the conditions established by the University’s library for the care, loan or reproduction of the thesis

Ho Chi Minh City, August 2022

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDMENT i

STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY ii

RETENTION AND USE OF MY THESIS iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS iv

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ix

LIST OF FIGURES x

LIST OF TABLES xi

1 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1

1.1 Background to the study 1

1.2 Aims of the study 3

1.3 Research questions 3

1.4 Significance of the study 4

1.5 Scope of the study 4

1.6 Organization of the study 4

2 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 6

2.1 Vocabulary learning 6

2.1.1 Definition of vocabulary 6

2.1.2 Types of vocabulary 7

2.1.3 Aspects of knowing a word 8

2.1.4 The importance of vocabulary in learning a foreign language 9

2.2 Vocabulary teaching 10

2.2.1 Principles of teaching vocabulary 10

2.2.2 Techniques in teaching vocabulary 11

2.3 The use of games in teaching English 12

2.3.1 Definition of games 12

2.3.2 Types of games in teaching language 14

2.3.3 Benefits of language teaching games 15

2.4 Cooperative games in language teaching 17

2.4.1 The nature Cooperative learning classroom 17

2.4.2 Definition of cooperative games 18

2.4.3 Types of cooperative games 19

2.5 Vocabulary retention 21

2.5.1 Definition of vocabulary retention 21

2.5.2 Vocabulary retention span 21

2.6 Young learners 23

2.6.1 Definition of young learners 23

2.6.2 Characteristics of young learners 23

2.7 Previous studies 24

2.7.1 International studies 24

2.7.2 Vietnamese studies 25

2.7.3 Studies gap 27

2.8 Conceptual framework 27

2.9 Chapter summary 29

3 CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY 30

3.1 Research questions 30

3.2 Research design 30

3.3 Research site 32

3.4 Participants 32

3.5 Research instruments 33

3.5.1 Vocabulary tests 33

3.5.1.1 Pre-test 34

3.5.1.2 Post-test 34

3.5.1.3 Delayed-test 34

3.5.2 Questionnaire 35

3.6 Data collection procedure 37

3.7 Data analysis procedure 38

3.8 Validity and Reliability of the data 38

3.8.1 Validity and Reliability in Questionnaire 38

3.8.2 Validity and Reliability in Tests 40

3.9 The experimental teaching 41

3.10 Chapter summary 43

4 CHAPTER 4: RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS 44

4.1 Results of Vocabulary Tests 44

4.1.1 Comparison of the pretest scores of between two groups 44

4.1.2 Comparison between the pretest and posttest scores of each group and posttest scores of the two groups 45

4.1.2.1 The result of the pre-test and post-test within EG 45

4.1.2.2 The result of the pre-test and post-test within CG 45

4.1.2.3 Comparison between the post-test scores of the two groups 46

4.1.3 Comparison between the post-test and delayed test scores of each group and delayed test scores of the two groups 47

4.1.3.1 The result of the post-test and delayed test within EG 47

4.1.3.2 The result of the post-test and delayed test within CG 47

4.1.3.3 Comparison between the delayed test scores of the two groups 48

4.1.4 Comparison of component scores between two groups 49

4.1.4.1 Comparison of pre-test component scores between two groups 49

4.1.4.2 Comparison of post-test component scores between two groups 50

4.1.4.3 Comparison of delayed-test component scores between two groups 51

4.1.5 Comparison of component scores within groups 52

4.1.5.1 Comparison of test component scores of EG 52

4.1.5.2 Comparison of test component scores of CG 53

4.1.6 Summary of the test results 55

4.2 Results of the questionnaire 56

4.2.1 Students’ attitudes towards using cooperative games in vocabulary lessons 56

4.2.2 Students’ attitudes towards students’ preference for cooperative games and the frequency of applying cooperative games in vocabulary lessons 64

4.2.3 Summary of the questionnaires 65

4.3 Chapter summary 65

5 CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSIONS 67

5.1 Conclusions 67

5.2 Implications 68

5.2.1 Implications for young EFL learners 68

5.2.2 Implications for teachers 69

5.3 Limitations 70

5.4 Recommendations 70

5.5 Summary 71

REFERENCES 72

APPENDIX A 80

APPENDIX B 86

APPENDIX C 91

APPENDIX D 96

APPENDIX D 100

APPENDIX E 103

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

EFL English as a Foreign Language

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 2.1 What is involved in knowing a word (Nation, 2001: 27) 9

Figure 2.2 Conceptual framework 28

Figure 4.1 The effect of cooperative games on class’s cheerful atmosphere 60

Figure 4.2 The effect of cooperative games on learners’ cooperation 60

Figure 4.3 The effect of cooperative games on learners’ active participation 61

Figure 4.4 The effect of cooperative games on vocabulary practice 61

Figure 4.5 The effect of cooperative games on learners’ spelling memorization 62

Figure 4.6 The effect of cooperative games on learners’ pronunciation 62

Figure 4.7 The effect of cooperative games on learners’ 63

Figure 4.8 Students’ preference for cooperative games 64

Figure 4.9 Frequency of students’ wish to play cooperative games 64

LIST OF TABLES

Table 2.1 Summary of recent studies related to Games and Vocabulary Retention

26

Table 3.1 Methodology of the study 31

Table 3.2 A brief summary of questionnaire 37

Table 3.3 Reliability of the questionnaire 40

Table 3.4 Teaching procedure 41

Table 4.1 Comparsion of pre-test score between two groups 44

Table 4.2 Paired Samples Statistics 45

Table 4.3 Comparison of pre-test and post-test of EG 45

Table 4.4 Paired Samples Statistics 45

Table 4.5 Comparison of the pre-test and post-test of CG 46

Table 4.6 Comparison of post-test between two groups 46

Table 4.7 Paired Samples Statistics 47

Table 4.8 Comparison of pre-test and delayed-test scores of EG 47

Table 4.9 Paired Samples Statistics 48

Table 4.10 Comparison of the pre-test and delayed-test scores of CG 48

Table 4.11 Comparison of delayed test scores between two groups 48

Table 4.12 Result of Pre-test scores regarding form 49

Table 4.13 Result of Pre-test scores regarding meaning 49

Table 4.14 Result of Post-test scores regarding form 50

Table 4.15 Result of Post-test scores regarding meaning 50

Table 4.16 Result of Delayed-test scores regarding form 51

Table 4.17 Result of Delayed-test scores regarding meaning 51

Table 4.18 Paired Samples Statistics 52

Table 4.19 Comparison of the post-test and delayed-test form cores of EG 52

Table 4.20 Paired Samples Statistics 53

Table 4.21 Comparison of the post-test and delayed-test meaning cores of EG 53

Table 4.22 Paired Samples Statistics 53

Table 4.23 Comparison of the post-test and delayed-test form cores of CG 54

Table 4.24 Paired Samples Statistics 54

Table 4.25 Comparison of the post-test and delayed-test meaning cores of CG 54

Table 4.26 Students’ attitudes about the use of cooperative games 56

Table 4.27 Students’ attitudes about the benefits of cooperative games 58

ABSTRACT

Increasing one's vocabulary remains one of the most crucial steps in the process of learning English, particularly for students of a younger age group Students are supported and motivated in their pursuit of vocabulary mastery through the utilization of a wide variety of games This study focuses solely on cooperative games that are played with the intention of improving vocabulary retention in young learners The research investigates the effects of cooperative games on young EFL learners’ vocabulary retention The quasi-experimental study was employed in two classes with 34 students in 12 weeks

In order to collect data from both the experimental group and the control group, the researcher used several instruments such as tests and questionnaires which were designed with the aim of answering two research questions The results of the tests were examined with the help of the Independent t-test as well as the Paired sample t-test The information obtained from the questionnaire was examined by calculating the mean, the frequency, and the percentage

The results indicated that students enjoyed cooperative games during vocabulary lessons More Importantly, the cooperative activities had a positive impact on vocabulary retention of the experiment's participants They grew in confidence and demonstrated an expansion of their vocabulary knowledge As demonstrated by the findings of this study, cooperative games can be recommended as an effective technique for enhancing the vocabulary retention of young students Due to time constraints, however, a number of recommendations for future research have been provided

Keywords: Cooperative games, Vocabulary retention, EFL young learners

1 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

This chapter provides an introduction to the study, including (1) background to the study, (2) aim of the study, (3) research questions, (4) significance of the study, and (5) scope of the study and (6) organization of the study

1.1 Background to the study

The significance of English cannot be disputed because it is the most widely spoken language in the world It has become a required subject in schools, colleges, and universities in Vietnam In addition, English proficiency is a requirement for student graduation When English becomes the most widely used foreign language, vocabulary learning becomes the first fundamental step, as it is regarded as one of the most important aspects of second language acquisition and crucial to all levels

of English education (Gardner, 2013; Thornbury, 2002) Consequently, one of the most crucial components of learning a foreign language is expanding one's vocabulary

Numerous prior research has highlighted the significance of vocabulary in the teaching and learning of English In discussions regarding language acquisition, vocabulary holds a crucial and indispensable position (Shen, 2003) Lauffer (1997) stated that vocabulary acquisition is the foundation of language learning and use (as cited in Carter & Nunan, 2001) Developing one's vocabulary is a vital aspect of second language acquisition Acquiring new vocabulary is a crucial component of English study Because it teaches students how language forms, operates, and how individuals communicate Cameron suggests that when learning a new language, one area to emphasize is vocabulary development (2001) Harmer (2001:246) also confirmed, "If language structures are the skeleton of the language, then the vocabulary is its vital organs and flesh." In other words, the expansion of language learners' vocabularies is crucial to their language acquisition (Harmon, Wood & Keser, 2009)

According to Wilkin (1972), students can communicate even if they don't know grammatical structures In contrast, they can't communicate without words (as cited

in Kittiya & Metas, 2016) It's well-known that learners’ English comprehension and intellectual growth depend greatly on their vocabulary In addition, Bualuang.C, Sinprjakphol.S, and Chanphrom.K (2012) show the importance of vocabulary in English This field of information is one of the biggest challenges for learners trying

to acquire a wide vocabulary, especially young learners According to Kleiginna (1981), Covingtion (1998), and Deci (2000), establishing drive in pupils determines their level of accomplishment (as cited in Nguyen, 2007) According to this school

of thought, teachers must create a classroom environment that motivates students The process of learning new language will be more engaging if teachers use incentives to engage their students Andrew (1984) suggests that teachers can utilize games to teach vocabulary effectively

According to the findings of a number of studies, the acquisition of vocabulary has been proven to have a crucial role in the process of teaching and learning English, and this holds true for students of all ages, including adults and younger students The learners' vocabulary needs to be expanded, and this is a must for all of them Because learning vocabulary contributes to the development of many aspects and skills of language, it is especially important for young learners who are at the beginning level to pay more attention to mastering vocabulary Specifically, young learners who are at the beginning level should pay more attention to mastering vocabulary

Young students can acquire words extremely quickly, but they can forget them if they do not practice them The younger the students, the more engaging activities they require There are a range of approaches used in vocabulary courses to improve the vocabulary knowledge of students and enhance educational outcomes It is claimed that games are one of the most effective methods for capturing students' attention and creating an engaging environment during sessions The importance of teaching young students’ vocabulary through the use of games has risen dramatically, as games maintain students' enthusiasm and interest in learning According to Antonaros and Couri (2003:6), games are utilized to promote vocabulary acquisition and cooperative learning among students

The current study, which was primarily focused on competitive games in which players cooperate to attain a common goal, was conducted at SEAMEO RETRAC with the assistance of the textbook Family and Friends 3 Young pupils at this language learning institution are required to devote a portion of their time each week

to extending their vocabulary They will be examined not just orally and in writing, but also in regular conversation to demonstrate their vocabulary knowledge As a result, it is critical for both teachers and students to concentrate their efforts on this component of knowledge

Numerous research in Vietnam focus on the impacts of games These studies concentrate mostly on games as a motivator (Huynh, 2007) or games in general to demonstrate the efficacy of utilizing games to teach language to university students (Nguyen, 2006) The current investigation employs a distinct population and methodology The purpose of this thesis is to examine the usage of cooperative games to improve vocabulary retention in order to assist students in assimilating new concepts and putting them into practice in an efficient and effective manner

1.2 Aims of the study

Despite the fact that a number of researchers have shown interest in the problem of how to best teach vocabulary, not a great number of studies have focused on a particular category of games In addition, the majority of researchers focus their attention more on the elements that motivate college students than they do on the factors that motivate young people learning English As a result, the endeavor to fill

in the gap in the literature review on games for teaching vocabulary is what is considered to be of the utmost relevance The current study aims to (1) investigate the effect of cooperative games on increasing learners' vocabulary recall and (2) investigate students' attitudes on the usage of these games in learning vocabulary

2 What are students’ attitudes toward the use of cooperative games to learn vocabulary?

1.4 Significance of the study

Being aware of students’ difficulties when learning vocabulary can help teachers adjust their teaching methodology Thus, the researcher hopes to make a contribution to the teaching vocabulary at SEAMEO RETRAC To accomplish the

above-mentioned aims, the study endeavors to investigate a technique to teach

vocabulary by using cooperative games, especially for young learners The findings

of this study may help English teachers to make decisions to select appropriate kinds

of cooperative games that can facilitate students’ vocabulary learning and retention

1.5 Scope of the study

This study investigated the effects of cooperative games on the vocabulary retention

of young EFL learners at SEAMEO RETRAC In 2021, a group of younger EFL students participated in the research at the Kiddy Program The vast majority of students have been attending this English language school for a number of years and are obligated to complete earlier classes at more fundamental levels If they are new students, they must all complete the SEAMEO RETRAC placement exam to establish their current level of English comprehension In addition to examining the test scores of the students, the researchers also administered questionnaires to elicit their perspectives on the use of cooperative games On the basis of the data on test scores and questionnaires, recommendations were given to English teachers

1.6 Organization of the study

The thesis consists of the following chapters The first chapter, the Introduction,

provides the background of the study, the reasons that convince the researcher to conduct the study In addition, aims of the study, research questions, significance of the study as well as scope of the study are also addressed in this chapter The second chapter, entitled Literature review, presents the relevant literature to the issue of the use of games in teaching vocabulary The theoretical background and the definitions

of the major terms are discussed in this part Then comes the next part which emphasizes the roles of games in English language teaching The third chapter is Methodology It describes the methodology employed in the study Research

questions, research design, the procedure of data collection and data analysis are also included in this chapter Chapter 4 deals with the research findings and presents the results of both qualitative and quantitative data that answer the two research questions Finally, the final chapter summarizes the findings of the study and concludes the study with some recommendations for teachers of English The limitations and suggestions for further studies are also mentioned in the same chapter

2 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW

This chapter presents the review of literature relevant to the topic under investigation

in the current study It starts with the theoretical issues of vocabulary learning and vocabulary teaching Next, the use of cooperative games is given Then, the study discusses cooperative games in language teaching Vocabulary retention and factors influencing are also mentioned in this chapter It reviews the previous studies and presents a conceptual framework Finally, the chapter summary is given

"vocabulary" can also refer to a specific set of terms in the subject of linguistics (Nation, 2001:27) According to his claims, there are four ways to count the number

of tokens, types, lemmas, and word families He contends that phrases, in addition

to single words, are considered to constitute a component of vocabulary Schmitt (2000) also notes a problem with word vocabulary He feels the term lexeme should

be used to refer to multiword units He defines a lexeme as an entity that performs

a specified function

A collection of words used to name or describe things within a language or knowledge base, according to Lang (1995) Furthermore, Hatch and Brown (1995:1) describe vocabulary as "a set of terms for a certain language or a list or set of words that an individual speaker may employ." Hornby (1995) adds to the definition of the term lexicon According to him, vocabulary is made up of a collection of terms and their definitions Laufer (1997) supports this position, claiming that expanding one's vocabulary is at the heart of both language learning and usage Vocabulary,

according to Ur (1996:60), is "one of the most crucial factors of language teaching."

He claims that a single notion can be communicated by a piece of vocabulary with one, two, or three words

The definitions of vocabulary words can be found in a number of well-known dictionaries "All the words a person knows or uses in a certain language," according

to Oxford's definition, is what people mean by vocabulary To put it another way, the Cambridge Dictionary describes vocabulary as "a group of terms included in a single language or subject.” This person frequently uses these words in his or her speech Macmillan Dictionary defines vocabulary as the amount of words in a language and the total number of words known by an individual Because of this, students of any language who want to be able to communicate effectively with others need to have a diverse set of vocabulary

Because of the importance of vocabulary in language learning, a wide range of authors and dictionaries have provided varying definitions of the term This study's major goal is to help students retain more vocabulary Thus, vocabulary is the total quantity of words used by speakers to communicate and express themselves After looking at the definitions listed above, Ur's (1996) is the best fit for this analysis As with many words taught in a foreign language, it serves as an excellent example of

a helpful vocabulary norm

2.1.2 Types of vocabulary

According to Judy (2007), vocabulary can be segmented into the following four categories: listening vocabulary, speaking vocabulary, reading vocabulary, and writing vocabulary Children first improve their ability to understand and express themselves through listening and speaking, and then go on to reading and writing vocabularies A person's listening vocabulary is comprised of words that they are able to hear and comprehend, whereas a person's speaking vocabulary is comprised

of terms that they use when they speak Reading vocabulary is a term that refers to the words that a person comprehends when reading a piece of written material The

final kind of vocabulary is writing vocabulary, and it is recovered when people write anything to transmit their thoughts to others

Doff's contributions broaden classifications (1988:19) "Passive vocabulary" are words we want children to grasp but not use, whereas "active vocabulary" are words they must understand and utilize He distinguishes Active and Passive Vocabulary First, students must comprehend and use certain concepts in oral and written communication Active Vocabulary is tough to implement Teachers should present examples, explanations, and questions in the classroom to improve students' vocabulary and understanding of word usage Passive vocabulary is used for reading and listening These sentences are usually found in a book's text or dialogue Students must understand the language, but they're not required to use it

Young students of English as a foreign language concentrate most of their efforts on extending their vocabulary in the areas of listening and speaking; however, expanding their vocabulary in the areas of reading and writing is also very essential

to them Due to the fact that students speak, listen, read, and write when playing CGs, a great amount of attention is placed on four forms of language They are also tested on their retention by passing written paper tests

2.1.3 Aspects of knowing a word

Knowing a word is evaluated on a number of different criteria at once According to Hamer (1991), there are five parts of knowing a word: the word's form, its use, its grammar, its formation, and its meaning According to Nation (2001), vocabulary knowledge may be divided into three main categories: form (pronunciation, spelling, and the word parts), meaning (structure, meaning, concepts and preferences, combination of words), and usage (using words in context) (syntax, collocation, constraints in use) This study is primarily predicated on his categorization

Form is the primary factor to consider when learning a word, both in terms of its Form is the primary factor to consider when learning a word, both in terms of its spelling and its pronunciation, as demonstrated by the figure that was just presented Especially for younger students, knowing how to write and pronounce a word correctly is the very first step in the process of expanding one's vocabulary In this current study, the research paid much attention to meaning and written form of the vocabulary

2.1.4 The importance of vocabulary in learning a foreign language

The vocabulary of a language is one of its most important characteristics Without a suitable vocabulary, students cannot express themselves or comprehend others; hence, vocabulary is crucial to English language instruction According to Wilkins (1972:111), "little can be communicated without grammar, and nothing can be said without vocabulary." Indeed, a lack of vocabulary might inhibit students' ability to communicate successfully According to Rivers and Nunan (1991), gaining a substantial vocabulary is crucial to second-language proficiency Nation (1990) concurs with Rivers and Nunan that a deficiency in receptive and productive vocabulary is an impediment to effectively using a foreign language Therefore, it

is essential that students develop their own specific ways for learning language

Figure 2.1 What is involved in knowing a word (Nation, 2001: 27)

In aiding students to achieve their learning objectives, the teacher plays an essential part in the learning process In fact, a teacher's vocabulary-teaching strategy has a considerable effect on the vocabulary development of their students If the teacher employs the appropriate method when teaching vocabulary, students will be able to memorize and use words more easily and efficiently

2.2 Vocabulary teaching

2.2.1 Principles of teaching vocabulary

Teachers hold an immense responsibility in ensuring the development and success

of vocabulary acquisition among learners In order to make this viewpoint more specific, Barcroft (2004) states that learners have particular interest in receiving vocabulary instruction For this reason, vocabulary acquisition depends not only on learners’ strategies but also on teachers’ techniques On the other hand, teachers make a substantial contribution to learners’ vocabulary size and retention

Several authors have come out with principles of effective teaching vocabulary Wallace (1998) suggests four principles of teaching vocabulary which are aim, need, frequent exposure & repetition and meaningful presentation (as cited in Tran, 2012)

He clarifies that teachers should pay attention to the aim that is to be taught in terms

of parts of speech and the number of words Additionally, target vocabulary should meet students’ needs and interests He also emphasizes the importance of repetition and multiple exposures to vocabulary items This means that students learn new words better when they encounter these words often in different contexts Stahl (2005) shares the same point of view that students should be given opportunities to encounter words repeatedly and in a variety of situations

In general, teaching and learning vocabulary is an ongoing process The teacher is one of the contributing factors influencing students’ vocabulary learning process The aim of the teacher is to stimulate the development of students’ vocabulary retention with the hope of helping them recall and recognize vocabulary items in both spoken and written form

2.2.2 Techniques in teaching vocabulary

The teacher has utilized a wide variety of strategies in order to teach learners vocabulary, particularly young learners These strategies are similar to those utilized

in the instruction of other aspects of English language knowledge and skills Many students have difficulty learning and remembering the words in their vocabulary; as

a result, they require the assistance of the teachers in the role of facilitators who are knowledgeable about successful strategies for teaching vocabulary In point of fact, the concept of addressing the problem of teaching vocabulary is one that is being explored by a large number of researchers They came to the conclusion that visual approaches, verbal techniques, and translation techniques may all be used in the process of teaching vocabulary

The visual technique is the first one that needs to be discussed in detail According

to Gairns and Redman (1986), visual tactics can be broken down into three distinct categories: realia, pictures, and mine or gestures They believe that by exposing students to a variety of real-world things in the classroom, it will be easier for them

to learn and recall the vocabulary being covered In addition, Richards and Dolati (2010) demonstrate that the use of visual resources is a method that can be viewed

as a way for motivating students when they are acquiring new vocabulary items It would appear to provide support for the concept that the teacher is able to make use

of the tangible items in the classroom to illustrate the concepts being covered As a consequence of this, the utilization of visual aids in the form of postcards, posters, realia, pictures, and the like can assist young students in comprehending and learning to remember the information that they have acquired in the classroom

Verbal instruction is one of the most successful techniques to teaching vocabulary This strategy applies to oral or written illustration To explain the meaning of specific terms, the teacher may employ synonyms or antonyms According to Lewis and Hills (1992), this strategy not only helps children enhance their vocabulary, but

it also helps them comprehend that words don't mean the same In addition, explanation might be used to present the words This means the teacher talks with

the students in the target language while explaining the meaning and application of

a word from the target language This strategy requires the teacher to break down the meaning of the word into simpler equivalents, yet it helps students understand the issues being presented Younger language learners often struggle to pick up new vocabulary in a foreign language

The final method of imparting new vocabulary items to the learner is translation The teacher will explain a term to the pupils in their target language before having them repeat it back to them Despite the common misconception that translation is boring and uninteresting, teachers can profit from the process of using translation in the classroom by explaining the meaning of the word in an appropriate manner This

is true even if it contradicts the popular belief that translation is tedious and archaic Indeed, words, particularly medical or technical language, are not always easy to explain Despite this, translation is not the ideal approach for teaching new vocabulary Students will be less motivated to learn and contribute less to class discussion if they are just taught the definitions of words in their original language without participating in any form of guessing exercises

2.3 The use of games in teaching English

2.3.1 Definition of games

Games continue to play an important part in the instruction of foreign languages, and the instruction of vocabulary is not an exception to this rule Among the many different teaching methods that can attract the attention of students, games have remained a significant function Young students of English as a foreign language have a greater interest in taking part in games because these activities allow them to demonstrate greater levels of passion and desire than any other classroom activity

It is possible to say that games give students with a useful learning environment in which they are able to not only practice but also review the material that they have learned in the classroom For this reason, it is extremely important for the teacher to take into consideration the students' interests, requirements, and preferred modes of education

In their own investigations, a number of researchers have debated various aspects of the definition of games Hadfield (1987:3) defines games as "an activity with rules,

a goal and an element of fun." From his point of view, games must to be seen as an essential component of the curriculum for learning a language Games can be utilized at all stages of the learning process, from regulated to unrestricted practice, serving as a memory aid and repetition drill at one end of the spectrum and a chance

to use the language freely at the other Bryne (1986:100) suggests that "games may

be described as a form regulated by specific rules or conventions." When participating in the games that are being supervised by the teachers, the students are expected to play by the rules

Allen (1983:41) agrees with the author in defining games in the same way, namely

as “a category of activities that are carried out by teachers in the classroom” In a similar vein, Mei and Yujing state that games are a form of activity that is utilized

in a classroom setting with the purpose of motivating students to engage in conversation and collaboration with their fellow classmates (as cited in Vo, 2008)

In addition, games are regarded as competitive activities based on predetermined rules, which may include a time limit or a visual display element, and in which the player is required to acquire and use information in order to achieve success According to Richards et al (1992:153), "A game is an organized activity" which often consists of the following elements: a specific mission or goal, a set of rules, a competitive dynamic between the participants, and communication between players through the use of either spoken or written language

The use of games in the context of vocabulary instruction is still met with opposition from a number of scholars and educators, despite the widespread acceptance of the positive effects that such activities have on English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms For a variety of reasons, they frequently rely on time-honored methods

of instruction rather than games for imparting language knowledge To begin, these activities take a significant amount of time, which means that the teachers might not have enough time to cover the other components of the course Second, using games

in one class may disrupt the learning of the learners in the other class because they may become distracted by the noise that the other class is making while playing the game

In conclusion, despite its downsides, games can be considered a useful type of tool that can be utilized in the classroom to inspire and motivate pupils The importance that teachers place on games in transmitting vocabulary knowledge is not going away anytime soon Games, according to Uberman (1998), are used as an effective tool in all stages of the vocabulary lesson, including presentation, practice, and revision Teachers can easily create a comfortable learning atmosphere by using game-based activities This environment allows teachers to boost students' motivation, which reduces stress and allows pupils to communicate with one another The result is that playing games not only helps students learn and recall words more effectively, but also places them in a learning environment, which promotes the students' conversational skills

2.3.2 Types of games in teaching language

The field of language education makes extensive use of a wide variety of games because playing games has a wide range of positive effects, not only on students but also on their teachers According to the opinions of a variety of authors, these games can be placed into a few distinct classifications

According to Cruickshank (1997), there are two categories of games: academic games and non-academic games He asserts that the former is largely taught in the classroom, whereas the latter is primarily utilized in other competitions that take place beyond the classroom Hadfield (1998) claims that it is extremely difficult to classify games into distinctive categories According to her, games are divided into two groups in terms of communicative games and linguistic games The first category includes all of the games where the primary objective is to effectively communicate one's thoughts and facts to other players One example of a common type of communicative game is one in which players compare and contrast two images to find out what distinguishes one from the other In the meantime, linguistic

games place a significant emphasis on accuracy, with providing the appropriate antonym serving as one example

In an additional attempt to differentiate games, Fluegelman (1981) and Hadfield (1998) propose a precise separation between competitive and cooperative games

On one hand, competitive games require learners to compete and attain the goal first It's occasionally useful to utilize competition to engage pupils in the class, but it can have a detrimental influence on kids who typically lose Students lose motivation and interest in other games In contrast, cooperative games promote team success Cooperative games differ from competitive ones that emphasize winning or losing Everyone will play the game together to solve the problem These types of games encourage students to make decisions in concert with their peers It signifies the value of cooperation, group work, or pair work that can be developed via the contributions of each individual

As can be seen from the classification of games presented above, the researcher places a strong emphasis on the role that cooperative games play in the process of acquiring a second language The usage of games like these in the classroom is a helpful tool that teachers can use to urge students to cooperate with one another in order to achieve their ultimate goals

2.3.3 Benefits of language teaching games

When it comes to learning skill in a second language, playing a game can be really advantageous Students benefit from an environment that is conducive to study while also allowing for relaxation and enjoyment According to Huyen and Nga, students love the relaxed atmosphere that playing games creates (2003) In addition, they assume that pupils would learn more successfully and retain the material they are taught in an environment devoid of worry and suffering According to Hadfield (1990), the utilization of games is one of the most important aspects of an EFL classroom His concept of a game includes a set of rules, a goal, and an element of fun The benefits of gaming are the same for everyone, according to additional researcher Lee (1995) He believes that students may benefit from games not just

because they allow them to break from their regular routine, but also because they provide them with opportunities to be motivated and to confront difficult challenges

Learners frequently receive the motivation and inspiration they need to connect and communicate with others in an efficient manner, as well as the perseverance to carry

on with their learning activities As a consequence of this, learners have the opportunity to learn in an atmosphere that is both comfortable and fun, as well as the context in which they can use the language in a meaningful way The roles of both the professors and the students are transferred when games are used, which suggests that teachers motivate students to take an active role in their own education Students are able to take responsibility for their own education when they play games

Numerous scholars recognize the benefits of adding games into English as a foreign language (EFL) schools, as games facilitate the process of acquiring the target language The reduction in total student anxiety is an advantage that should be highlighted According to Wharton (2000), games seem to be effective in helping the learners to decrease this negative effect Students who commit errors and are then scolded and punished by their teachers undergo a stressful experience as a result

of the uncomfortable repercussions of their conduct Playing games helps youngsters overcome their worries, create positive emotions, and build self-confidence since, when learning a language in an unstructured environment, they do not dread being reprimanded or judged (Crookal 1990) When individuals learn a language through play, they transfer their attention from the language itself to the meaning of the words Multiple competitors will do their best effort to win, regardless of the validity of the linguistic forms The biggest obstacles preventing language learners from using the target language in public are the fear of receiving harsh judgment and the worry of being incorrectly judged in front of others

Motivating students is another crucial component of good language instruction Films, songs, and games are some of the various approaches used to motivate

students Students who learn English with a positive perspective are more likely to put in significant effort and remain steadfast in the face of difficulty This cannot be denied Constantinescu (2012) says gaming boosts a person's motivation and drive

to improve When students are motivated, they are more likely to actively participate

in and appreciate lessons Increasing students' enthusiasm in learning English has been the topic of research Tran (2011) underlines the importance of encouragement

in vocabulary learning by using games He studies how learners are inspired and how games can help motivate them

2.4 Cooperative games in language teaching

2.4.1 The nature Cooperative learning classroom

Cooperative learning allows students to interact and learn more from their classmates Cooperative activities show the fun and productivity of working together to achieve a goal Woolfolk (2001:340) defines “cooperative learning as a system in which students cooperate in groups of varied academic skills to achieve mutual success.” The teacher can create cooperative games to promote student cooperation In these games, students must work together to complete activities Both David and Roger (1998) believe that every student in the class must fulfill the goal for a cooperative classroom They don't need to eliminate opponents to win; they can focus on camaraderie and game complexity Students fear failure less in cooperative games since no one is eliminated Mitchell (2008) contends that grouping students would lead to fewer classes and more teachers More pupils could help those who struggle to understand In a cooperative group, everyone must contribute to learning To eliminate the potential of children taking advantage of the efforts of others, as can occur in a traditional classroom setting, it is also critical that students in a cooperative group contribute equally to the learning process (Johnson

& Johnson, 1989) The students in a shared learning environment must all contribute equally for the group to be more than the sum of its parts and for the students to achieve higher academic success than if they had worked alone To be effective, the pupils must all contribute equally

Others are concerned that competition can demotivate students, impede critical thinking, and prevent peer assistance Some people say that competition stimulates initiative, invention, and teamwork (Hughes, 2010) Other others argue that competition does not encourage these things (Baloche, 1998; Kohn, 1992) Both cooperation and competitiveness are valid educational approaches that can coexist

in the same learning environment For instance, students can compete against other teams by working with teammates, and teammates can compete against each other

at times, such as when two teammates compete to be the team's star player Students can also work with teammates to compete against other individuals

2.4.2 Definition of cooperative games

Learners can be encouraged to work together in a caring and cooperative manner through the use of cooperative games, which are considered to be an effective teaching tool Learners can not only enhance the level of cooperative consciousness but also learn from each other if they work together Students get the chance to hone their teamwork abilities and develop into productive members of groups through the use of these activities Learners are able to enjoy a less tense environment in the classroom when they take part in group activities such as playing cooperative games

Orlick (1982:4) explains that “the concept of cooperative games is simple” According to him, “people play with one another rather than against one another in order to overcome the challenges instead overcoming other people.” In cooperative games, participants either win or lose collectively, as stated by Suzzane (2002) In addition, people enjoy the pleasure of having fun and being challenged without the worry of failing and being eliminated from the competition Cooperative games, as defined by Sedano et al (2013), are games in which players take separate actions but are working together to accomplish a shared objective Another definition of what a cooperative vocabulary game is comes from Jones (1993), which states that

it is an activity for teaching and reviewing vocabulary It offers practical experience

in the application of language in communication Students work together with their classmates to review and improve the vocabulary that they have acquired

When players work together toward a common goal in a cooperative game, the point

of the game is to accomplish that goal Cooperative games place a significant emphasis on the joy and productivity that come from working together to achieve a common objective In addition to this, these games place less of an emphasis on individual competitiveness and more of a focus on the social aspects of players working together in groups and teams Learners are able to participate in cooperative activities without the anxiety associated with the prospect of failure, and as a consequence, they are more engaged in the instructional material

2.4.3 Types of cooperative games

Students are given a shared aim to strive toward in order to reach a common goal when participating in cooperative games, rather than competing against one another

In point of fact, a wide variety of cooperative games are utilized in language teaching, particularly in the area of vocabulary instruction Students have the opportunity to practice and improve their social skills by playing a game together, such as sharing, supporting, participating, and giving and receiving

According to Hadfield (1998), the five most common types of cooperative vocabulary games are guessing games, games that involve searching, games that involve matching, games that involve problem solving, and games that involve grouping

The objective of a matching game is to locate an expression, image, or card that is similar to another one When playing these games, students are required to link comparable components, such as a pair of words or images, or a word with an illustrated visual Turning over two cards at a time forces them to rely on their memories as they search for a pair of cards that are compatible with one another In addition, the teacher should impose a time limit on the students when they participate in these kinds of games in order to encourage cooperation and hasten the process of finishing the game as quickly as possible

Searching games are a forum for the exchange and pursuit of knowledge During these games, every participant will receive a piece of knowledge at random They have to move around the room, question people, and respond to those questions in order to finish their table or map, and they have to help their teammates collect enough information

Students might find that playing guessing games motivates them to acquire vocabulary more effectively These games are modeled around the concepts of knowledge gap games, in which students raise questions in an effort to unearth clues that will assist them in determining the correct answer to a key word Students not only enhance their vocabulary by playing guessing games, but they also develop their speaking skills by striving to ask questions in order to find responses This helps students become more articulate

Students might play games that involve grouping words to help them remember them more quickly The students will need to categorize the words into several groups in order to succeed in these games In addition, in order for students to have

a firm grip on the many categories of terms, they need to have a solid understanding

of the connections between words

Task-based games that focus on finding solutions to problems are currently the most common kind of communicative practice These activities put an emphasis on the learners' capabilities in addition to their previous achievements The objective of this game is to determine the solution to a mystery or a problem by pooling the players' respective areas of expertise Students are given either a genuine or made-

up scenario in these types of games, and they are compelled to find answers to a wide range of questions, which then leads to a discussion of the various answers The linguistic goals of various problem-solving games are what guide the selection

of the necessary terminology for players

2.5 Vocabulary retention

2.5.1 Definition of vocabulary retention

The term "vocabulary retention" refers to “one's capacity to retain or recall information after an interval of time.” It is possible to retain more of what has been learnt in language classes if the quality of the instruction, the level of interest shown

by the students, or the topicality of the contents is higher (Richards & Schmidt, 2002:457)

Studies have been conducted on a number of different aspects related to vocabulary retention In point of fact, they carry out a wide variety of studies in this subject making use of a wide variety of methodologies According to Bežilová (2019), the act of sharing stories can also help improve language memory Herusatoto is an additional linguist and researcher who is interested in vocabulary (2011) His research focuses on the consequences of two distinct methods of learning vocabulary, namely learning words in isolation and learning words from context Specifically, he is interested in the implications that these methods have on vocabulary retention

2.5.2 Vocabulary retention span

A variety of techniques have been employed to make the learning process become more memorable for learners, particularly memorizing vocabulary It is essential that the difference between short-term memory and long-term memory should be mentioned in terms of duration and capacity On one hand, short-term memory is defined as the primary element of language processing and of learning language It deals with information that has limited duration and capacity In other words, short-term memory allows students to keep the words in a short time On the other hand, long-term memory has no capacity which consists of a huge amount of knowledge Therefore, students can remember the words when a piece of information is transferred to long-term memory

In point of fact, several authors make use of a variety of terms when classifying vocabulary memory James (1890) distinguishes between primary memory, which

encompasses short-term memory, and secondary memory, which includes long-term memory According to him, primary memory is a piece of knowledge that is currently present in one's awareness, whereas secondary memory is not present in one's consciousness but nevertheless plays a role in one's psychological history One more difference can be seen when compared to Atkinson and Shiffrin (1968) Memory is broken up into two sections: the short-term and the long-term stores In particular, the burden for transitory operations, which are directed by the control processes of working memory, falls on the shoulders of the short-term store On the other hand, Long-term store is thought of as a permanent storage system that gets data from Short-term store

Short-term memory refers to memory over a brief period of time, typically 30 seconds or less (Healy, 2001) According to Riva (2018), short-term memory refers

to systems that allow limited material retention for a limited time period (seconds) The majority of the information stored in short-term memory will be retained for only 20 to 30 seconds Some information can be stored in short-term memory for up

to a minute, but most information decays rapidly Long-term memory, on the other hand, refers to the long-term storage of information Short-term memory lasts seconds to hours, while long-term memory lasts days to weeks, according to Bernard (2013) Short-term memory, according to Cowan (2008), survive only seconds when they are not practiced or actively maintained He claims that long-term memory lasts for days, months, and years

In this particular investigation, the researcher focused a great deal of emphasis on the learners' long-term memory in accordance with Cowan (2008)'s theory Consequently, in order for students to evaluate how well they remembered previously learned language, a post-test and a delayed exam were administered to them after eight and twelve weeks of study, respectively

2.6 Young learners

2.6.1 Definition of young learners

There are numerous ways to define young learners Young learners, according to Scott and Ytregerg (1990:1-3), are students between the ages of five and ten Children under the age of seven who have not yet begun to read and who have not yet begun compulsory schooling are also considered young learners (Relly & Ward, 1997) Rixon (1999) noted that beyond 12 or 13 years of age, a person is no longer considered a young learner Young learners, as defined by Ellis (2014), are those younger than 11 or 12 years old Briefly, these definitions of young learners are primarily based on the number of years they spent in primary or elementary school before entering secondary school

2.6.2 Characteristics of young learners

Even though the starting age of elementary school varies quite a little from one nation to the next, students in their early years of education share a number of similarities

Learners as early as four to seven years old "go through a process of learning skills such as writing, drawing, and also literacy in their native language" (Wilson, 2008:127) When kids first start writing, they struggle with both the formation of letters and the spelling of the words, as well as the stringing together of meaningful word combinations Young students are said to have an extremely short attention span, according to Reilly and Ward's (1997) research As a direct consequence of this, individuals are unable to focus on anything for longer than a few minutes at a time As a result, instructors should experiment with a variety of strategies, such as handwriting, songs, and games, in order to break up the boredom

Thornbury (2006) also expressed thoughts on the characteristics of young learners For starters, youngsters lack self-consciousness about expressing themselves incorrectly or through insignificant means, and they require encouragement and support They are more likely to be driven by intrinsic reasons (a desire to participate

in enjoyable tasks or games) than extrinsic factors (the need to pass a test)

According to Moon (2005:3), young learners prefer to acquire a new language by being motivated and "interacting with each other in an atmosphere of trust and acceptance through a variety of interesting and fun activities." Second, Thornbury (2006:250) revealed that children lack social skills, particularly in situations requiring peer collaboration As a result, students rely heavily on their teachers for guidance and assistance

All in all, studying young learners’ characteristics should be taken into account because it will help teachers understand how activities carried out in the classroom can contribute to the language and social development of their students

2.7 Previous studies

2.7.1 International studies

Research on the relation between games and vocabulary has attracted many researchers all over the world Therefore, it can be said that teaching and learning vocabulary play an extremely vital role in fostering learners’ vocabulary

Marireh (2014) conducted a study on 32 children to investigate the impact of language games on primary students’ vocabulary retention The experimental group took part in the treatment for four weeks Both groups took post-test 1, post-test 2, and post-test 3 on the fourth, sixth, and tenth weeks, respectively, to see if language games contributed to their increased vocabulary retention The data analysis demonstrated that the games had a greater influence in the delayed period than in the immediate moment

Shabaned and Farah (2019) investigated the effects of games on vocabulary retention They conducted a descriptive study with the participation of 20 students The data was collected through pre-tests; post-tests and class observations The findings of the research revealed the efficiency of utilizing games in the educational process Accordingly, games help students to retain unfamiliar vocabulary, to associate new information with their surroundings and to develop their language and communicative skills However, this research did not focus on specific games to teach vocabulary

Indraif et.al (2022) also paid attention to the use of games for teaching young learners in Bangledeshi The purpose of this research was to evaluate the impact of playing digital games on EFL learners’ ability to remember and retain the language An experimental was conducted with the help of 50 primary students After nine sessions, both groups took a vocabulary posttest to assess the treatment's impact on vocabulary recall Three weeks later, participants were distributed a delayed posttest to measure vocabulary retention The immediate and delayed posttests of the EG and CG differed significantly in favor of the EG, according to paired and independent sample tests On immediate and delayed posttests, EG outperformed CG

2.7.2 Vietnamese studies

Many studies in Viet Nam have found that the topic of utilizing games in the classroom to teach vocabulary to be an interesting one They place a significant amount of emphasis on the ways in which learners can improve their vocabulary learning through the use of games

Nguyen (2015) conducted a study to examine the efficiency of games on learners' vocabulary development This study included 60 students divided into two groups However, only the EG was taught through cooperative games, while the CG was taught using the traditional method The pre-test, post-test, and questionnaire were used to collect data The findings of an eight-week treatment demonstrated that games are efficient in acquiring vocabulary When students learn language through games, they have a better attitude and score higher They were more engaged in the session and motivated to learn

Nguyen et al (2021) sought to investigate the effect of word games on vocabulary retention The study enlisted the help of 64 students Data for this study were acquired by pre-tests, post-tests, questionnaires, and interviews After eight weeks

of treatment, the experimental group's increase in vocabulary retention was statistically greater than the other group Moreover, from qualitative data showed that participants in the experimental group thought word games were motivating,

amusing, and beneficial The research confirms that using games to teach vocabulary

is an effective method of teaching and learning English in middle school EFL programs Students have more chances to be exposed to the target language in an enjoyable and relaxed learning setting by playing word games, which helped them learn and recall more words

Ngo & Tran (2022) investigated the effects of Quizziz games on students' vocabulary retention in a study of non-major university students This quasi-experimental study included 82 students separated into two groups: EG and CG Data were obtained using two instruments, a pretest and a posttest, as well as questionnaires delivered following the research period The data analysis revealed that the use of Quizizz games was advantageous to students It improved the effectiveness of vocabulary acquisition, boosted vocabulary retention, and made learning more motivating for students As a result, it is proposed that Quizizz games

be implemented in EFL lessons

Table 2.1 Summary of recent studies related to Games and Vocabulary

Research tools

vocabulary retention

32 primary students

20 students

Quantitative Pre-test

Post-test Class observations

50 students

Quantitative Pre-test

Post-test Delayed post-test