Online Game-Based Learning Enhance ESL Learners’ Vocabulary Learning: Benefits and Challenges

Abstract

Vocabulary is an essential element in learning language for English Second Language (ESL) learners, it plays important roles in language learning and it is challenging in learning the vocabulary. Not only how the words are spelled but the knowledge on the meaning of the words are important too. Therefore, in learning vocabulary, there are multiple ways, strategies and techniques used by the educators to help ESL learners master the vocabulary. Online game-based learning is one of the techniques that is recently mainly used by educators. As some games are integrating with the use of technology, it not only brings fun in language learning but also changes the old style of vocabulary learning and makes the learning more meaningful. There are a lot of benefits and also challenges of online game-based learning in learning vocabulary. Hence, this paper reviews the benefits and the challenges of using online game-based learning as one of the ways to enhance ESL learners’ vocabulary learning. This paper could be a source of reference by educators who might use online game-based learning in their language lessons especially in vocabulary. Future researches can be done by looking into some innovations that using online game-based learning that helps the other language skills such as listening, speaking, reading and writing