Effects of Digital Games on Vocabulary Acquisition of Iranian Low Proficiency Male and Female EFL Learners

This study investigated the effect of digital games on vocabulary acquisition of low-proficiency Iranian male and female EFL learners. In order to select homogeneous learners in terms of their English language proficiency, the standard Nelson Proficiency Test was administered, and based on the obtained results, 60 low-proficiency EFL learners were selected (31 females and 29 males). They were studying English for an average of two years, with their age ranging from 8 to 12. Afterwards, considering the purpose of this research, the participants were randomly assigned into four groups: Female Experimental Group (FEG), Male Experimental Group (MEG), Female Control Group (FCG), and Male Control Group (MCG). A vocabulary pretest was taken by the learners to help the researcher know the learners’ level of vocabulary knowledge before the treatment. To achieve the aims of this quasi-experimental research, the polyglot and the speedy games were played in the experimental groups’ classes. In the meantime, the CG learners, who did not receive such a treatment, attended their regular classes without playing vocabulary games of any type. A vocabulary posttest was then administered, and upon conducting statistical analyses, the following results were obtained: (a) the application of digital games in young EFL learners’ classes led to vocabulary enhancement of low-level L2 learners, and (b) gender had a significant effect on vocabulary development of young EFL learners being exposed to digital games, with boys outperforming the girls in this respect. Thus, the findings of this research revealed that utilizing digital games can be influential for vocabulary learning of both male and female low-proficiency EFL learners, but the results were found to be more fruitful for male learners.