The Effects of Mobile Game-Based Learning on Saudi EFL Foundation Year Students’ Vocabulary Acquisition

Abstract

Mastering vocabulary can be a challenge as a great deal of information is delivered in intensive English courses. This study investigates the effects of mobile games on EFL students’ vocabulary acquisition via the “Quizizz” application. A total of 56 female foundation year students from a Saudi Arabian university participated in this study. The purpose of the study was to explore the students’ attitudes, cognitive load and motivation concerning vocabulary acquisition. The study employed a mixed-methods approach. Two groups underwent a pretest and posttest to compare mobile game-based learning to traditional teaching methods. To examine the effect of this strategy on EFL students’ perceptions, both the control and experimental groups answered an online questionnaire. In a semi-structured interview, 10 participants from the experimental group expressed their perceptions towards mobile game-based learning. The study’s findings demonstrated that the experimental group outperformed the control group in the posttest results. It is noteworthy that although learners of the control group practiced vocabulary via the conventional teaching method, they showed a high level of agreement towards implementing digital gaming for vocabulary learning, similar to the experimental group. Furthermore, the experimental group expressed their acceptance of this strategy as an effective way of facilitating, retaining, and alleviating cognitive load during vocabulary learning. EFL teachers are, therefore, recommended to integrate mobile game-based learning into their vocabulary lessons.