This study examines the diminishing skill in English among Malaysian learners, concentrating on vocabulary growth, a crucial component of language mastery. Traditional vocabulary teaching methods have proven to be less entertaining and successful, prompting this study to look at innovative approaches. The study aims to explore ESL undergraduates' reflections on their vocabulary development through student-designed vocabulary games that emphasize morphology and syntax. Conducted at Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA), the research involved 89 ESL students enrolled in the Introduction to Language and Linguistics course. In collaboration with researchers, students designed their own vocabulary games under the guidance of researchers. After the devising of the vocabulary games, a semi-structured interview adopting Kolb’s experiential learning style was carried out with students’ representatives to assess the effectiveness of using vocabulary games in learning morphology and syntax. The effectiveness of these games was evaluated through a semi-structured interview using Kolb's experiential learning theory. Results indicated that vocabulary games significantly improved students' performance and achievement in learning morphology and syntax. The study concludes that vocabulary games are an effective tool for enhancing vocabulary mastery. To its contribution, this study highlights the effectiveness of implementing vocabulary games in enhancing mastery in vocabulary. There is a need for further research to examine the applicability of this approach across different educational levels using various instruments to gain a more in-depth understanding of its applicability to English language classrooms.
Al Natour, A. S., & Hijazi, D. (2018). The impact of using electronic games on teaching English vocabulary. US-China Foreign Language, 16(4), 193-205.
Al qahtani, M. (2015). The importance of vocabulary in language learning and how to be taught. International Journal of Teaching and Education, 3(3), 21–34.
Ashrafzadeh, A., & Nimehchisalem, V. (2015). Vocabulary knowledge: Malaysian tertiary level learners’ major problem in summary writing. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 6(2), 286.
Bakhsh, S. A. (2016). Using games as a tool in teaching vocabulary to young learners. English Language Teaching, 9(7), 120-128.
Bailey, N., Madden, C., & Krashen, S. D. (1974). Is there a ‘natural sequence’ in adult second language learning? Language Learning, 24, 235–243.
Carlisle, J., Hiebert, E., & Kearns, D. M. (2015). Characteristics of complex words in early elementary texts. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Society for the Scientific Study of Reading, Kona, HI, United States.
Chapman, J. R., & Rich, P. J. (2018). Does educational gamification improve learners’ motivation? Journal of Education for Business, 93(7), 314–321.
Chen, C. M., Liu, H., & Huang, H. B. (2019). Effects of a mobile game-based English vocabulary learning app on learners’ perceptions and learning performance: A case study of Taiwanese EFL learners. European Association for Computer Assisted Language Learning, 31(2), 170–188.
Ellis, N. (1997). Vocabulary acquisition: Word structure, collocation, word-class, and meaning. In N. Schmitt & M. McCarthy (Eds.), Vocabulary: Description, acquisition and pedagogy (pp. 122-139). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
EnglishMatic. (2023). Strategies to master English vocabulary.
Ersoz, A. (2000). Six games for the EFL/ESL classroom. The Internet TESL Journal, 6(6).
Gao, Y., & Pan, L. (2023). Learning English vocabulary through playing games: The gamification design of vocabulary learning applications and learner evaluations. Language Learning Journal, 51(4), 451-471.
Hadfield, J. (1990). Intermediate communication games. London: Nelson.
Hulstijn, J. H. (2001). Intentional and incidental second-language vocabulary learning: A reappraisal of elaboration, rehearsal, and automaticity. In P. Robinson (Ed.), Cognition and second language instruction (pp. 258-286). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Huyen, N. T., & Nga, K. T. (2003). Learning vocabulary through games. Asian EFL Journal, 5(4), 90-105.
Jozua, Ferjanus, Palandi., Zusana, E., Pudyastuti., Kaleb, Molewe. (2024). Enhancing English Vocabulary through Game-Based Learning: A Case Study of the Scramword Application. International Journal in Information Technology in Governance, Education and Business, 6(1):109-121. doi: 10.32664/ijitgeb.v6i1.141
Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Lateh, N. H. M., Shamsudin, S., & Abdul Raof, A. H. (2018). Receptive vocabulary levels of Malaysian university students. LSP International Journal, 5(1), 105–113.
Lee, S. (2010). Creative games for the language class. Forum, vol.33 No 1, January/March.
Lin, L. C. (2013). Measuring adult learners’ foreign language anxiety, motivational factors, and achievement expectations: A comparative study between Chinese as a second-language students and English as a second-language students (Doctoral dissertation). Cleveland State University.
Malaysia Ministry of Education. (2015). Preliminary report: Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013–2025.
Mohd Asraf, R. M., & Ahmad, I. S. (2003). Promoting English language development and the reading habit among students in rural schools through the Guided Extensive Reading program. Reading in a Foreign Language, 15(2), 83.
Nation, I. S. P. (2001). Learning vocabulary in another language. Cambridge University Press.
Nadia, H. (2024). A study on student's challenges and problems in learning English vocabulary. Al-Majallah Al-Dawli?yah Lil-Buh?u?th Al-'Ilmi?yah, 3(6), 207-227.
https://doi.org/10.59992/ijsr.2024.v3n6p7
Nagy, W. E., & Anderson, R. C. (1984). How many words are there in printed school English? Reading Research Quarterly, 19(3), 304–330.
Nazry, Nasyifa., Aisyah, Hafizha., Fadiah, Nur, Amalia., Zahira, Shofa., Nadiya, Fitria., Didik, Santoso. (2024). 2. The Student Intersction In Learning English. Fonologi Jurnal Ilmuan Bahasa dan Sastra Inggris, doi: 10.61132/fonologi.v2i3.894
Nejati, E., & Jahangiri, A. (2018). The effect of using computer-assisted language learning (CALL) on Iranian EFL learners’ vocabulary learning: An experimental study. Cypriot Journal of Educational Sciences, 13(2), 113–124.
O’Dell, F. (1997). Incorporating vocabulary into the syllabus. In N. Schmitt & M. McCarthy (Eds.), Vocabulary: Description, acquisition, and pedagogy (pp. 258-278). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
O’Malley, J. M., & Chamot, A. U. (1990). Learning strategies in second language acquisition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Pan, Q., & Xu, R. (2011). Vocabulary teaching in English language teaching. Theory & Practice in Language Studies, 1(11), 1586-1589.
Pandian, A. (2018). English language proficiency in Malaysia: Issues and concerns. Asia Pacific Journal of Education, 38(4), 394-408.
Preeti, J. (2024). Enhancing vocabulary acquisition through gamification. Qeios. https://doi.org/10.32388/pclda3.2
Richards, J. C., Platte, J., & Platte, H. (1992). Dictionary of language teaching and applied linguistics. London: Longman.
Rubin, J. (1987). Learner strategies: Theoretical assumptions, research history, and typology. In A. Wenden & J. Rubin (Eds.), Learner strategies in language learning (pp. 21-32). New York: Prentice Hall.
Schmitt, N. (2008). Instructed second language vocabulary learning. Language Teaching Research, 12(3), 329-363.
Slabakova, R. (2013). What is easy and what is hard to acquire in a second language. In J. Herschensohn & M. Young-Scholten (Eds.), Contemporary approaches to second language acquisition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Sorace, A., & Filiaci, F. (2011). Processing difficulties at the syntax-discourse interface in near-native speakers. Second Language Research.
Takahashi, D. (2010). Gamification gets its own conference. VentureBeat.
Yip, F., & Kwan, A. (2006). Online vocabulary games as a tool for teaching and learning English vocabulary. Educational Media International, 43(3), 233-249.
Yudintseva, A. (2015). Game-enhanced second language vocabulary acquisition strategies: A systematic review. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 6(2), 101-109.
Viera, R. (2018). Vocabulary Knowledge: Essential for Understanding Spoken and Written Texts. EnglishMatic (2023). Strategies to Master English Vocabulary.
Wang, F., & Hamidah, Y. (2019). Identifying English vocabulary levels of Malaysia year 5 primary school students. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 9(12), 62–76.
Wood, J. (2001). Can software support children's vocabulary development? Language Learning & Technology, 5(1), 166-201.
Zakaria, N., & Hashim, H. (2019). Project-based learning as a social strategy in enhancing students’ vocabulary. The International Journal of Humanities & Social Studies, 7(7), 22–27.
Zwiers, J. (2008). Building academic language: Essential practices for content classrooms. Newark, DE: International Reading Association.
Ismail, N. S. (2024). Reflecting on Morphological & Syntactical Awareness Through Vocabulary Games. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 14(12), 116–128.
Copyright: © 2024 The Author(s)
Published by Knowledge Words Publications (www.kwpublications.com)
This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this license may be seen at: http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode
