Running Head: EFFECTS OF COMPETITIVE WORD GAMES AND ESL
FLUENCY
Effects of Competitive Word Games and ESL Fluency
Michael Angelo
Wayne State University
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Running Head: EFFECTS OF COMPETITIVE WORD GAMES AND ESL FLUENCY
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Effects of Competitive Word Games and ESL Fluency
Several recent studies have dispelled rumors of the ineffectiveness of games in the
language acquisition classroom, however, research on the topic of the effectiveness of
competitive word games in the English as a Second Language classroom is lacking.
Furthermore, the affective effects of this type of word game are largely underreported.
This review of literature will examine the affective effects of competitive word games in the
ESL classroom and how they contribute to improved student fluency.
Competitive Word Games
One of the most prevalent issues in research on the topic of competitive words
games in the foreign language classroom is the cognitive effect the game has on the
student’s desire to learn – in essence, competitive word games either work to motivate
students or deflate their desire to learn (Reese, C. & Wells, T. 2007; Lu, H 2012). It is
argued in some research on the topic that competitive word games isolate the quiet
students and empower the loquacious students, creating a dichotomy to the classroom
instead of uniformly advancing student fluency across the whole class (Reese, C. & Wells, T.
2007). Other researchers argue that there is an inherent gender bias in competitive word
games in the language acquisition classroom – more specifically that female students tend
to not compete as readily as the male students and thus isolate them during the learning
process (Lu, H. 2012).
Despite these findings, similar research on the topic points to competitive word
games as a ideal motivator to get students excited to learn a new language (Ajibade, Y., &
Ndububa, K. 2008; Fotovatnia, Z., & Namjoo, M. 2013; Ojeda 2004). In one study, the class
was divided into two equal-sized teams where the teams had to compete against each other
Running Head: EFFECTS OF COMPETITIVE WORD GAMES AND ESL FLUENCY
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cooperatively as a team with post-study testing confirming that the student motivation and
cognition improved dramatically as a result of the game (Ajibade, Y., & Ndububa, K. 2008).
Another study that focused on both cooperative and competitive word games concluded that the
cooperative word game section was relaxed and encouraging to many of the students, but that the
competitive game section of the study heightened student understanding of the second language
(Fotovatnia, Z., & Namjoo, M. 2013). An additional article on the topic revealed that students in
the study highly preferred the competitive games as opposed to the cooperative games, and
furthermore that the cooperative word games were not as fun or effective for the student’s
overall learning (Ojeda 2004). Furthermore, one study focusing on neutral games – those that
produce no winners or losers – showed that the students who performed well in this area were
those that took personal gratification from solving the puzzles they were presented with
(McDonald K. 2007). It can therefore be ascertained from the information provided that
personal motivation for learning a second language is linked closely with the personal pride
associated with winning.
Affective Outcomes of Competitive Games
Although competitive games were not found effective in all of the studies in this review,
the most notable trends in these instances is the atmosphere of competition created by the games
(Reese, C. & Wells, T. 2007; Lu, H 2012). Competitive games in the classroom resulted in the
loud students getting louder, and the quiet students being put on the spot against their wishes,
effectively negating the purpose of the game itself and isolating the students it most needed to
reach (Reese, C. & Wells, T. 2007). Another study found the female students in these
classrooms quickly overpowered and out voiced by the males in the class which resulted in
a lowered morale and lessened desire to speak and compete in the class game (Lu 2012).
Running Head: EFFECTS OF COMPETITIVE WORD GAMES AND ESL FLUENCY
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Other studies in the review produced results that proved the opposite, however,
with the affective outcome of the games resulting in an improved skill and increased
motivation to learn (Ajibade, Y., & Ndububa, K. 2008; Fotovatnia, Z., & Namjoo, M. 2013;
Ojeda 2004). Competitive games in the classroom offered many students a novel approach to
learning a language and resulted with an improved desire to learn (Ajibade, Y., & Ndububa, K.
2008). In a study that compared the pros and cons of each type if game, the affective outcome
of the cooperative games was that students learned to work cooperatively in a relaxed manner
but that the competitive games section improved the student’s ability to identify the nuances of
language much more than the cooperative games (Fotovatnia, Z., & Namjoo, M. 2013).
Similarly, one of the studies in this review had students compete in both types of games and
found that the students enthusiastically competed in the games against one another but that their
motivation and enthusiasm suffered greatly when they switched to the cooperative games unit
(Ojeda 2004).
Research Question
How effective and to what degree do competitive word games help students improve
fluency in second language acquisition?
Hypothesis
For units that feature word games where students compete against each other individually
or in groups, language acquisition will improve in vocabulary, idiomatic expressions, and overall
language fluency by at least 10 percent more than would occur in the same classroom featuring
cooperative games, as measured by post-study written and spoken tests.
Running Head: EFFECTS OF COMPETITIVE WORD GAMES AND ESL FLUENCY
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References
Ajibade, Y., & Ndububa, K. (2008). Effects of Word Games, Culturally Relevant Songs, and
Stories on Students' Motivation in a Nigerian English Language Class. TESL Canada
Journal. 25(2), 27-48.
Fotovatnia, Z., & Namjoo, M. (2013). The Effects of Cooperative versus Competitive Word
Games on EFL Learners' Vocabulary Gain, Motivation, and Class Atmosphere.
Mediterranean Journal Of Social Sciences, 4(1), 189-208.
Lu, H. (2012). Rethinking game-based learning from a gender perspective: A case study of a
male English language learner in China. Gender, Technology and Development, 16(1),
49-70.
McDonald, Kurtis. Teaching L2 Vocabulary through Logic Puzzles. Estudios de Linguistica
Inglesa Aplicada (ELIA) 7 (2007): 149-63
Ojeda, F. A.The role of word games in second language acquisition: Second language pedagogy,
motivation and ludic tasks. Dissertation Abstracts International, A: The Humanities and
Social Sciences, 2969-A.
Reese, C., & Wells, T. (2007). Teaching academic discussion skills with a card game. Simulation
& Gaming, 38(4), 546-555.