The Effect of Using Online Language Games on EFL Learners’ English

Abstract

This paper reports a research study on the effectiveness of online language games on EFL(English as a ForeignLanguage)learners’ English. This paper also investigated the question, if the integration of computer games affects Armenian EFL learners’ level of engagement.Twenty-two Armenian EFL students and one teacher, also the researcher, participated in this quasi-experimental study. The study lasted for approximately ten weeks. The experimental group learnt a set of vocabulary and grammar items from a number of selected online language games, while the comparison group learnt the same words and structures through paper-based activities. Both groups took pre and post achievement tests in the second and tenth weeks respectively. Checklists were distributed among the parents of the students in the experimental group throughout the treatment and following the treatment (after students completed the post-test) the student questionnaire was administered. The findings indicate thatthe experimental group statistically outperformed the comparison group in the post-test. The experimental group students generally expressed their preferences for online language games to traditional paper-based activities. Lastly, the parent checklist resultsrevealed that educational digital games motivated the Armenian elementary level students and engaged them in their English learning.