The Effectiveness of Using Educational Board Games on Students’ Vocabulary Mastery at Junior High School
##plugins.themes.academic_pro.article.main##
Abstract
Purpose – This study investigates the effectiveness of educational board games in enhancing the vocabulary mastery of seventh-grade students at SMPN 24 Bandar Lampung. It aims to determine whether there is a significant difference in vocabulary achievement between students taught using board games and those taught through conventional instructional methods.
Method – The study was conducted during the second semester of the 2024/2025 academic year using a quasi-experimental design with a pre-test–post-test control group. A total of 60 students were selected through purposive sampling, with 30 students in the experimental group and 30 in the control group. The experimental group received vocabulary instruction through educational board games, while the control group was taught using conventional methods. Data were collected using a 50-item multiple-choice vocabulary test and analyzed using an independent samples t-test.
Findings – The analysis showed a statistically significant difference in post-test scores between the experimental and control groups, t (58) = 8.575, p < 0.001. The students in the experimental group demonstrated significantly higher vocabulary mastery, with a mean score difference of 15.867 points compared to those in the control group.
Research Implications – The results provide empirical support for the use of educational board games as an effective and engaging teaching strategy in English language learning. These games offer a structured yet enjoyable approach to vocabulary acquisition, which can enhance students' comprehension and retention of English vocabulary.
##plugins.themes.academic_pro.article.details##

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
References
- Aufa, M. I., & Zuhriyah, M. (2024). Effectiveness of Using Board Race Games To Enhance Students’ Vocabulary Mastery. E-Link Journal, 11(1), 30–43. https://doi.org/10.30736/ej.v11i1.1043
- Bjork, R. A., & Bjork, E. L. (2020). Desirable Difficulties in Theory and Practice. Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition, 9(4), 475–479. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jarmac.2020.09.003
- Cardinot, A., & Fairfield, J. A. (2021). Game-Based Learning to Engage Students with Physics and Astronomy Using a Board Game. Research Anthology on Developments in Gamification and Game-Based Learning, 2–4, 785–801. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-6684-3710-0.ch035
- Cheng, Y. (2018). The Effect Of Using Board Games In Reducing Language Anxiety And Improving Oral Performance. Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 899. https://egrove.olemiss.edu/etd/899
- De Freitas, S. (2018). International Forum of Educational Technology & Society Are Games Effective Learning Tools? A Review of Educational Games. Source: Journal of Educational Technology & Society, 21(2), 74–84. https://about.jstor.org/terms
- Ghanad, A. (2023). An Overview of Quantitative Research Methods. International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Analysis, 06(08), 3794–3803. https://doi.org/10.47191/ijmra/v6-i8-52
- Harmer, J. (2001). The practice of English language teaching. London/New York, 32(1), 401-405.
- Hasibuan, A., & Tanjung, S. (2020). The Effect of Using Board Game on Students ’ Vocabularymastery ( A Study at the Eighth Grade Students of SMP Negeri 2 Saipar Dolok Hole 2019 / 2020 Academic Year ). 2(4), 12–26.
- Jones, A. (2018). Immersion Versus Engagement Strategies: Examining the Effects on Conversational Competence Amongst Korean Students in an Intensive English Program. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 9(4), 665–674. https://doi.org/10.17507/jltr.0904.01
- Kilic, M. (2019). Vocabulary Knowledge as a Predictor of Performance in Writing and Speaking: A Case of Turkish EFL Learners. Pasaa, 57(1), 133–164. https://doi.org/10.58837/chula.pasaa.57.1.6
- Larasati, N., & Faridi, A. (2017). The Effectiveness of Simulation Board Game to Improve Speaking Skill in Descriptive Text. Journal of English Language Teaching, 6(1), 82–89. http://journal.unnes.ac.id/sju/index.php/elt
- Maulidina, M., Susilaningsih, S., & Abidin, Z. (2018). Pengembangan Game Based Learning Berbasis Pendekatan Saintifik pada Siswa Kelas IV Sekolah Dasar. JINOTEP (Jurnal Inovasi Dan Teknologi Pembelajaran) Kajian Dan Riset Dalam Teknologi Pembelajaran, 4(2), 113–118. https://doi.org/10.17977/um031v4i22018p113
- Noda, S., Shirotsuki, K., & Nakao, M. (2019). The Effectiveness of Intervention with Board Games: A Systematic Review. BioPsychoSocial Medicine, 13(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13030-019-0164-1
- Noviadana, S. I., Suhardini, A. D., & Inten, D. N. (2021). Pengaruh Permainan Papan Perkenalan terhadap Kemampuan Berbicara Anak Usia 5-6 Tahun di TK X Kabupaten Bandung. Jurnal Riset Pendidikan Guru Paud, 1(1), 54–61. https://doi.org/10.29313/jrpgp.v1i1.224
- Permatasari, P., Sudirman, A., & Munawaroh, T. (2022). The Effect of Using Duolingo Application Towards Students’ Vocabulary Mastery at the Eighth Grade of SMPN 2 Banjarsari Lebak-Banten. Journal of English Language Learning, 6(2), 142–148. https://doi.org/10.31949/jell.v6i2.3624
- Pradana, M. D., & Uthman, Y. O. O. O. (2023). Development of Aqidah Akhlak Learning Media" Board Game Based on Education Fun on the Theme of Commendable Morals (E-Fun A2M)" for High School Students. Assyfa Learning Journal, 1(1), 25-36.
- Ratminingsih, N. M. (2018). Implementasi Board Games Dan Pengaruhnya Terhadap Hasil Belajar Bahasa Inggris. Jurnal Ilmu Pendidikan, 24(1), 19. https://doi.org/10.17977/um048v24i1p19-28
- Syakur, M. A. (2020). The use of board game in teaching speaking to young learners. English Education: Journal of English Teaching and Research, 5(2), 149-155.
- Tabassum, A., & Naveed, A. (2024). Interactive strategies for Enriching English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Vocabulary: A Comprehensive Exploration. Journal of Applied Linguistics and Language Research, 11(1), 1–16.
- Tiing, C. W. H., & Yunus, M. M. (2021). Board Games in Improving Pupils’ Speaking Skills: A Systematic Review. Sustainability (Switzerland), 13(16). https://doi.org/10.3390/su13168772
- Zeng, Y., Kuo, L. J., Chen, L., Lin, J. A., & Shen, H. (2025). Vocabulary Instruction for English Learners: A Systematic Review Connecting Theories, Research, and Practices. Education Sciences, 15(3), 262.