Conclusion
To summarize, my classroom research suggests that using games to practice vocabulary improves learners’ ability to memorize the words effectively. Games provide comprehensible input while learners interact in the group, allowing students to clarify meanings of words in such contexts. The use of games also enhanced students’ motivation to learn vocabulary. This might be because the students have experienced new methods of teaching, as they have been used only to learning the new language through drilling the vocabulary. The strategy I adopted also allows them to interact with peers, which is also a new experience for them since they are used to teacher-centered methods for the whole of their learning experience. The games also provided a challenge, where they need their concentration to get the tasks done which strengthens students’ mental work. Such activities were also new to students’ experience, and they think carefully to get the right answers.
The current English course book for Grade Six groups different words from different contexts in a lesson, which forces the teacher to use drilling to teach the vocabulary. However, after using games to teach vocabulary, I can say that teachers can vary their methods of teaching. So, I recommend that teachers try using vocabulary games as well as drilling. I also recommend that teachers consider recycling words regularly - for example, every two weeks or after each unit - through the use of games as well as drilling.
It may not be appropriate to generalize the outcomes of this project to other contexts, because different contexts have different circumstances and needs. According to Mills (2003) generalisability is "a term that refers to the applicability of findings to settings and contexts different from the one in which they were obtained, that is, based on the behavior of a small group of individual researchers try to explain the behavior of a wider group of people" (p.88). However, based on my previous experience of teaching in government schools and from my experience as a learner in such schools, I would suggest that there are common aspects which might make this action research transferable to other UAE schools which share a similar school environment. For example, the majority of UAE English language teachers in state schools currently use the audio-lingual method. The classroom setting and the type of vocabulary children learn, and how they learn it, are similar from one school to another. Therefore, the use by teachers of meaningful activities and games could gain the interest of the majority of children in these schools. According to these features I mentioned, the results of my action research suggest that vocabulary games can be used successfully in state schools throughout the UAE.
To summarise, it was found that using games and activities to practice vocabulary enhances students’ ability to memorize words; encourages student interaction; and enhances student motivation. Furthermore, the whole process of conducting this action research and reading about vocabulary teaching and learning has contributed to my professional development in terms of providing me with knowledge of the varied current issues and strategies in teaching vocabulary. It has really enriched my theoretical background, and enhanced my ability to teach vocabulary effectively.