THE EFFECT OF GAMIFIED MOBILE APPLICATIONS ON VOCABULARY RETENTION IN SECONDARY SCHOOL EFL LEARNERS: A QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL STUDY IN PAKISTAN

Abstract

This quasi-experimental study explores at how gamified mobile apps, such Duolingo, Kahoot, and Word wall, affect the vocabulary retention of secondary school English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students in Pakistan. After digital change in education, gamified learning tools have become potential alternatives to traditional teaching methods. They offer dynamic, engaging, and student-cantered ways to learn a language. Even though they are becoming more popular throughout the world, there isn't any real-world study on how well they work in Pakistan's EFL setting. The study took place in Lahore with two groups of secondary school students in grades 8 to 10. Over the course of eight weeks, the experimental group utilised gamified smartphone applications to learn English vocabulary, whereas the control group learnt vocabulary in the usual way, without using any digital tools. Both groups took pre-tests and post-tests to see how well they learnt and remembered new words. Structured surveys and classroom observations were also used to get input from students on how engaged and motivated they were. The results showed that the experimental group was able to remember vocabulary words better than the control group. Students who used gamified learning tools were more likely to participate, remember things correctly, and want to learn. Duolingo was good for practicing vocabulary on your own, but Kahoot and Wordwall made studying with others and getting feedback in real time better. This study shows how important it is to use gamified mobile applications in English language classes for high school students in Pakistan. It implies that well-organised digital tools might help students learn new words, get them more involved in class, and improve their learning. Suggestions are made for teachers, curriculum designers, and those who write laws.