First Year Students’ Perception of Learning Vocabulary through Games The Case of Jimma University

Abstract

This paper, resulting from an ongoing Ph.D. dissertation, aims to examine first-year Natural Science students‟ perceptions of learning vocabulary through games. A perception focused study was conducted in the first semester of 2021, in which 82 participants were enrolled, 41 in treatment and 41 in control groups, and the groups were selected by lottery technique . The treatment group is the focus of this paper. The study applied a quasi-experimental design as it involves quantitative and qualitative approaches to data collection. The experimental (treatment) group was taught the target vocabulary from their Communicative English Skills course material through games, while the control group was taught using the conventional method from the same material. Data were collected, from the treatment group (n=41), using oral debriefing and reflective journal writing immediately after the presentation of each game. From the responses of these 41 treatment group participants, using purposeful sampling technique, the works of eight participants were selected, based on their proficiency test scores that classified them as high achievers, medium achievers, low achievers, and very low achievers, two from each. The study used thematic analysis to analyze the qualitative data. The participants‟ responses in the oral debriefing and reflective journal writing revealed that students in the treatment group had positive perceptions of learning vocabulary through games. Accordingly, the study concluded that games help students to develop positive perceptions toward learning vocabulary. The paper finally recommends including games in vocabulary teaching.