VIDEO GAMES AND VOCABULARY LEARNING IN EFL: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF GAMERS AND NON-GAMERS
Keywords:
Digital Game-Based Learning, EFL Learners, Interactive Learning, Language Retention, Vocabulary Acquisition , Video GamesAbstract
Video games are increasingly becoming a learning device for the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learner. The current study seeks to investigate the effect of video game playing on vocabulary learning in comparison between Gamers and Non-Gamers. It seeks to investigate how fundamental gaming characteristics—interactivity, multiplayer environments, and story-based gameplay—impact vocabulary acquisition. A mixed-methods approach is employed, with surveys and interviews used to quantify learners' attitudes. The study investigates how video games improve vocabulary recall, how they influence the use of language in practice, and a comparison of these with traditional approaches to teaching. Results indicate that video games are an interactive setting to learn incidental vocabulary through contextual exposure. Learners achieve greater retention rates and greater motivation in language acquisition. Testees also report positive attitudes towards the application of video games in EFL acquisition, which emphasizes the participation factor of language acquisition. This study contributes to the Digital Game-Based Learning (DGBL) literature by offering empirical evidence on the benefits of video games for learning EFL. The results suggest that incorporating games into EFL instruction might make language learning easier. Long-term implications, inter-individual differences, and game-specific effects on learning need to be considered in future studies.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Muhammad Ahmed Islam, Hafiz Muhammad Awais, Muhammad Usman Naveed (Author)
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