This is a study of the effects of using games to practice vocabulary in the teaching of
English to young learners. Teaching vocabulary through games was chosen as the
focus area for my research for several reasons. Firstly, I observed during the course of
many teaching practice placements during my undergraduate studies that new
vocabulary in English lessons in UAE schools is mostly taught through the use of
flashcards. Secondly, I observed that it is often taught out of context, as isolated words,
and thirdly, I noticed that there is minimal variation in the teaching style used in English
language teaching in UAE schools.