Vocabulary games as a memory enhancement device

Abstract

I report here on a study whose aim was to determine whether any long-term vocabulary gains were achieved as the result of participation in a game program involving three vocabulary games based loosely on Poker (Pick Red), Chinese Blind Chess and Gobang. Forty six students from a language college in Taiwan participated in a twenty hour game program involving the creation of English compound words from single English words appearing on game cards and game pieces. A vocabulary test relating to these compounds was administered at the beginning of the program (the pretest), on two occasions during the program, on completion of the program and 45 days after completion of the program (the delayed test). Although the results indicated some vocabulary losses between the end of the program and the delayed test, comparison of pretest and delayed test results indicated significant vocabulary gains.