Enhancing Vocabulary Acquisition in Pakistani ESL Learners Through Video Games: An Experimental Study

Authors

  • Muhammad Haroon Rasheed

    Department of English, Faculty of Languages and Literature, University of Central Punjab, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
  • Amna Tugral

    Department of English, University of Lahore, Gujrat 54000, Pakistan
  • Khalid Ahmed

    Faculty of Education and Liberal Arts (FELA), INTI International University, Putra Nilai 71800, Malaysia
  • Rizwana Bibi

    Department of English, Faculty of Languages and Literature, University of Central Punjab, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
  • Saadia Ali

    Department of English, Faculty of Languages and Literature, University of Central Punjab, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
  • Ruqia Saba Ashraf

    Department of English, The Women University, Multan 54000, Pakistan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v7i7.9161
Received: 20 March 2025 | Revised: 31 March 2025 | Accepted: 16 April 2025 | Published Online: 3 July 2025

Abstract

This study explores video games' effectiveness for vocabulary acquisition among Pakistani ESL learners versus traditional methods, aligning with UN SDG 4: Quality Education to promote innovative, inclusive learning. A quasi-experimental design was utilized, involving second-semester undergraduate students who were divided into control and experimental groups. A pre-test was administered to assess participants' baseline vocabulary knowledge, followed by a post-test after a two-week intervention. During this period, the control group was taught vocabulary using traditional methods, while the experimental group engaged with the immersive video game Atlantis Odyssey: Adventure. The experimental group showed significant improvement in the vocabulary scores, with a large effect size, suggesting that video games can effectively enhance vocabulary retention and student engagement. Additionally, qualitative data gathered through semi-structured interviews highlighted themes such as immersive engagement, contextual learning, and the potential benefits of combining gaming with traditional instructional methods. The participants reported that the acquisition of natural language was enhanced, and their confidence in using new vocabulary was stronger because of the enjoyable nature of video games. These judgments suggest that gamified learning strategies may offer an effective and engaging alternative to traditional vocabulary instruction in ESL education. The long-term effects of learning through video games should be examined as future research, and if so, whether the language skills learned this way can be generalized to other language domains.

Keywords:

Quality Education; Vocabulary Acquisition; Contextual Learning; Gamified Learning Strategies; English as Second Language; Effectiveness

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How to Cite

Rasheed, M. H., Tugral, A., Ahmed, K., Bibi, R., Ali, S., & Ashraf, R. S. (2025). Enhancing Vocabulary Acquisition in Pakistani ESL Learners Through Video Games: An Experimental Study. Forum for Linguistic Studies, 7(7), 15–26. https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v7i7.9161

Issue

Vol. 7 , Iss. 7 (July 2025): In progress

Article Type

Article

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Copyright © 2025 Muhammad Haroon Rasheed, Amna Tugral, Khalid Ahmed, Rizwana Bibi, Saadia Ali, Ruqia Saba Ashraf

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This is an open access article under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) License.