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Using games to learn vocabulary in Arabic as a foreign language classroom: A study of teacher and student beliefs

Vocabulary has been always neglected in most of foreign language classrooms. Many strategies, techniques and activities were suggested to make vocabulary acquisition easier and sustained. Games are one of these tools offered to help in learning and teaching vocabulary. Since beliefs are the core of...

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Main Author: Mohamed, Haitham Salaheldin
Format: Thesis
Published: AUC Knowledge Fountain 2015
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access_status_str Open Access
author Mohamed, Haitham Salaheldin
author_browse Mohamed, Haitham Salaheldin
author_facet Mohamed, Haitham Salaheldin
author_sort Mohamed, Haitham Salaheldin
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv The author retains all rights with regard to copyright. The author certifies that written permission from the owner(s) of third-party copyrighted matter included in the thesis, dissertation, paper, or record of study has been obtained. The author further certifies that IRB approval has been obtained for this thesis, or that IRB approval is not necessary for this thesis. Insofar as this thesis, dissertation, paper, or record of study is an educational record as defined in the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 USC 1232g), the author has granted consent to disclosure of it to anyone who requests a copy.
description Vocabulary has been always neglected in most of foreign language classrooms. Many strategies, techniques and activities were suggested to make vocabulary acquisition easier and sustained. Games are one of these tools offered to help in learning and teaching vocabulary. Since beliefs are the core of every discipline that deals with learning and behavior. It is important to understand what teachers and students think of games, in other words what are their beliefs towards games. This study explored student and teacher beliefs about using games in learning vocabulary in the Arabic as a Foreign Language classroom. The study aimed to answer three research questions. The first investigated students’ beliefs towards the use of games in learning vocabulary in the AFL classroom. The second explored teachers’ beliefs towards the use of games in teaching vocabulary in the AFL classroom. And the third aimed at detecting any variations between students’ and teachers’ beliefs. The study adopted a mixed-methods applied design. The research involved 97 participants; 88 students from different disciplines learning Arabic and 9 teachers teaching Arabic in the 2015 spring semester at University of California, Berkeley. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected through their responses to a 5-point Likert scale questionnaire, close-ended questions, and open-ended questions. Results of this study showed that students and teachers share many general beliefs about using games in learning vocabulary. However, student and teacher beliefs also differed at times. The study discusses the importance of addressing the mismatch of student and teacher beliefs about this pedagogical practice. The research also suggests that there may be a gap between beliefs and actual practice. Findings and pedagogical implications are discussed.
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id oai:fount.aucegypt.edu:etds-1221
institution American University in Cairo (Egypt)
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license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from AUC Knowledge Fountain — bepress
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spelling oai:fount.aucegypt.edu:etds-1221 Using games to learn vocabulary in Arabic as a foreign language classroom: A study of teacher and student beliefs Mohamed, Haitham Salaheldin Vocabulary has been always neglected in most of foreign language classrooms. Many strategies, techniques and activities were suggested to make vocabulary acquisition easier and sustained. Games are one of these tools offered to help in learning and teaching vocabulary. Since beliefs are the core of every discipline that deals with learning and behavior. It is important to understand what teachers and students think of games, in other words what are their beliefs towards games. This study explored student and teacher beliefs about using games in learning vocabulary in the Arabic as a Foreign Language classroom. The study aimed to answer three research questions. The first investigated students’ beliefs towards the use of games in learning vocabulary in the AFL classroom. The second explored teachers’ beliefs towards the use of games in teaching vocabulary in the AFL classroom. And the third aimed at detecting any variations between students’ and teachers’ beliefs. The study adopted a mixed-methods applied design. The research involved 97 participants; 88 students from different disciplines learning Arabic and 9 teachers teaching Arabic in the 2015 spring semester at University of California, Berkeley. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected through their responses to a 5-point Likert scale questionnaire, close-ended questions, and open-ended questions. Results of this study showed that students and teachers share many general beliefs about using games in learning vocabulary. However, student and teacher beliefs also differed at times. The study discusses the importance of addressing the mismatch of student and teacher beliefs about this pedagogical practice. The research also suggests that there may be a gap between beliefs and actual practice. Findings and pedagogical implications are discussed. 2015-02-01T08:00:00Z thesis application/pdf https://fount.aucegypt.edu/etds/222 https://fount.aucegypt.edu/context/etds/article/1221/viewcontent/Chapters.pdf The author retains all rights with regard to copyright. The author certifies that written permission from the owner(s) of third-party copyrighted matter included in the thesis, dissertation, paper, or record of study has been obtained. The author further certifies that IRB approval has been obtained for this thesis, or that IRB approval is not necessary for this thesis. Insofar as this thesis, dissertation, paper, or record of study is an educational record as defined in the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 USC 1232g), the author has granted consent to disclosure of it to anyone who requests a copy. Theses and Dissertations AUC Knowledge Fountain teacher and student beliefs Games
spellingShingle teacher and student beliefs
Games
Mohamed, Haitham Salaheldin
Using games to learn vocabulary in Arabic as a foreign language classroom: A study of teacher and student beliefs
title Using games to learn vocabulary in Arabic as a foreign language classroom: A study of teacher and student beliefs
title_full Using games to learn vocabulary in Arabic as a foreign language classroom: A study of teacher and student beliefs
title_fullStr Using games to learn vocabulary in Arabic as a foreign language classroom: A study of teacher and student beliefs
title_full_unstemmed Using games to learn vocabulary in Arabic as a foreign language classroom: A study of teacher and student beliefs
title_short Using games to learn vocabulary in Arabic as a foreign language classroom: A study of teacher and student beliefs
title_sort using games to learn vocabulary in arabic as a foreign language classroom a study of teacher and student beliefs
topic teacher and student beliefs
Games
url https://fount.aucegypt.edu/etds/222
https://fount.aucegypt.edu/context/etds/article/1221/viewcontent/Chapters.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT mohamedhaithamsalaheldin usinggamestolearnvocabularyinarabicasaforeignlanguageclassroomastudyofteacherandstudentbeliefs