Incidental learning of English vocabulary through online computer games: a research study with Palestinian elementary students

This dissertation study was motivated by an interest in investigating how students acquire English vocabulary with online computer games. This study aims to explore the influence of using online computer games in learning English vocabulary, and to find whether there is any relationship between playing online computer games and acquiring vocabulary for Palestinian elementary students. Also, this study aims to examine teachers’ opinions toward using online computer games in learning English vocabulary. This is a descriptive analytical research that uses quantitative methods: an experiment with students and a questionnaire for teachers. This study was conducted with third grade Palestinian students in the Salfit district. The sample consisted of 91 students over four groups. Two experimental groups (males and females) and two control groups (males and females). In the female groups the number of students was the same (19); whereas, the number of males were different in each group. The male control group consisted of 27 students and the experimental group 26. In order to study the effects of online computer games on students’ vocabulary learning, the experimental group which consisted of two groups (males and females) learnt with online computer games that the researcher had chosen for them. This was done accurately after studying the English for Palestine curriculum from the first to the third grades and collecting the words that learners should know and will study in the third grade, and those words were classified into topics. Online computer games were collected to cover the topics (animals, clothes, fruits, vegetables, food, transportation, jobs, body parts, colors and numbers). A website was designed to store the games on as it is difficult for students to move from one game to another on different websites. This experiment lasted for three months, twice a week and 45 minutes per session for each group. Vocabulary achievement tests (pre- and post- tests) were applied to test students’ vocabulary before and after the experiment. The two groups learnt differently, the control group used the traditional way of learning in which students study English words and their Arabic meanings whereas the experimental group learnt English vocabulary with online computer games. A questionnaire for elementary teachers was also used to collect data from teachers about using online computer games in learning vocabulary. 126 Palestinian English foreign language teachers participated in answering the questionnaire which consisted of 33 items and was divided into 3 sections. The results showed that Palestinian English as a foreign language teacher do have a positive opinion toward using online computer games in learning English vocabulary even if they do not use them in their classrooms. They agreed that this tool motivates students to learn, attracts their attention, stimulates interest, fosters students’ self-learning and encourages cooperation. Moreover, most of the teachers agreed that this helps students to remember new words easily, encourages them to recall vocabulary, improves students’ ability to learn English vocabulary effectively, increases students' productivity in vocabulary, increases their ability to use and learn vocabulary, and it connects students with learning vocabulary at home. Also, online computer games help teachers to overcome some learning problems such as slow learning, shy students and weakness in vocabulary. The findings for the experimental method and the pre- and post-test that were used to investigate students’ learning showed that learners who learn with online computer games (the experimental group) learn vocabulary better than students who learn in the traditional way (the control group). Also, low and high achievers in the experimental group got better results in the post- test than their counterparts in the control group, but the significant differences were for the high achievers in general. Thus, comparison was made between the high achievers in the control and experimental groups. It was indicated that the high achievers in the experimental group were more accomplished in learning vocabulary. When learning vocabulary was compared with regards to gender, the findings showed that female students outperformed male students in learning English vocabulary overall. However, a comparison was made to investigate which female group (experimental or control groups) learn better. The results presented that girls in the experimental group had learnt more vocabulary than the other group. Finally, the last findings explore whither the same way of teaching affects students with different genders similarly or not. It was found that female and male students in the experimental group and female and male learners in the control group learn English vocabulary equally. This showed that online computer games can be a very promising tool in learning English vocabulary since it is appropriate for all students regardless of gender.