Reflecting on Morphological & Syntactical Awareness through Vocabulary Games

This study examines the diminishing skill in English among Malaysian learners, concentrating on vocabulary growth, a crucial component of language mastery. Traditional vocabulary teaching methods have proven to be less entertaining and successful, prompting this study to look at innovative approaches. The study aims to explore ESL undergraduates' reflections on their vocabulary development through student-designed vocabulary games that emphasize morphology and syntax. Conducted at Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA), the research involved 89 ESL students enrolled in the Introduction to Language and Linguistics course. In collaboration with researchers, students designed their own vocabulary games under the guidance of researchers. After the devising of the vocabulary games, a semi-structured interview adopting Kolb’s experiential learning style was carried out with students’ representatives to assess the effectiveness of using vocabulary games in learning morphology and syntax. The effectiveness of these games was evaluated through a semi-structured interview using Kolb's experiential learning theory. Results indicated that vocabulary games significantly improved students' performance and achievement in learning morphology and syntax. The study concludes that vocabulary games are an effective tool for enhancing vocabulary mastery. To its contribution, this study highlights the effectiveness of implementing vocabulary games in enhancing mastery in vocabulary. There is a need for further research to examine the applicability of this approach across different educational levels using various instruments to gain a more in-depth understanding of its applicability to English language classrooms.