The Effectiveness of Flashcard Games to Improve Vocabulary Mastery of Seventh Grade Students at SMPN 7 Palu

Q: What is the main purpose of this study?

To determine the effectiveness of flashcard games in improving the vocabulary mastery of seventh-grade students at SMPN 7 Palu.

Q: How was the research conducted?

A quasi-experimental method with a pre-test and post-test control group design was used. One class received flashcard games while the other received conventional instruction.

Q: What were the key findings?

Posttest mean scores differed significantly: 79.42 for the experimental group versus 67.31 for the control group, with p=0.000 (<0.05), indicating flashcard games improved vocabulary mastery.

Aug 29, 2026

Upload by Maeve

The study investigates the effectiveness of flashcard games in improving the vocabulary mastery of seventh-grade students at SMPN 7 Palu. A quasi-experimental design was applied using a pre-test and post-test control group. Two purposively selected classes were used: an experimental group taught through flashcard games and a control group receiving conventional instruction. Vocabulary tests were administered before and after the treatment, and the data were analysed using descriptive statistics and an independent-samples t-test (0.05 significance level). Results show a significant difference in posttest mean scores between the experimental group (79.42) and the control group (67.31) with p-value 0.000 (<0.05), indicating flashcard games effectively enhance vocabulary mastery through visual and interactive dual coding and increased engagement.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages7

Reading Time18 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Vocabulary mastery as a core element in EFL

Challenges in traditional vocabulary teaching

Flashcards and game-based learning as a solution

Prior research and the research gap

Purpose of the study

The Effectiveness of Flashcard Games to Improve Vocabulary Mastery of Seventh Grade Students at SMPN 7 Palu Ainun Rahmah1, Aminah Suriaman2, Maghfira3, Nadrun4 Tadulako University, Indonesia Article history: Received 2025-10-08 Revised 2025-11-04 Accepted 2025-11-04 Keywords: Flashcard Game Junior High School Vocabulary Mastery Corresponding Author: Ainun Rahmah Tadulako University, Indonesia Email: [rahmahainun94@gmail.com](rahmahainun94@gmail.com) This study aims to determine the effectiveness of flashcard games in improving the vocabulary mastery of seventh-grade students at SMPN 7 Palu. A quasi-experimental method with a pre-test and post-test control group design was employed. The participants consisted of two purposively selected classes: one serving as the experimental group, taught through flashcard games, and the other as the control group, receiving conventional instruction. Vocabulary tests were administered before and after the treatment to assess students’improvement. The collected data were analysed using descriptive statistics and an independent-samples t-test at the 0.05 significance level. The findings revealed a significant difference between the posttest mean scores of the experimental group (79.42) and the control group (67.31), with a p-value of 0.000 (<0.05) . These results indicate that the flashcard game effectively enhanced students’ vocabulary mastery. The use of visual and interactive media, such as flashcards, facilitated better word retention, understanding, and recall through dual coding of verbal and visual information. Moreover, the gamebased activities increased students’ engagement and motivation during learning. In conclusion, flashcard games provide an effective and enjoyable medium for improving students’ English vocabulary mastery. It is recommended that English teachers integrate such interactive media into classroom instruction to foster more meaningful and engaging learning experiences. This is an open-access article under the CC BY-SA license. Article Info ABSTRACT 1. INTRODUCTION Vocabulary is one of the essential elements in learning English as a foreign language. It serves as the foundation for developing other language skills such as listening, speaking, reading, and writing [1] . Without an adequate vocabulary, students find it difficult to express ideas, comprehend texts, or communicate effectively [2] . Therefore, vocabulary mastery plays a central role in improving students’ overall English proficiency. However, many students still face challenges in learning vocabulary because of the monotonous, rote-based teaching approaches commonly used in classrooms [3] . In many cases, vocabulary learning becomes a passive process in which students simply memorise words without understanding their use in real communication contexts [4], [5],[6], [7], [8] . This condition underscores the urgent need to introduce more dynamic, student-centred learning approaches. In the Indonesian EFL (English as a Foreign Language) context, vocabulary instruction often focuses on memorisation and translation activities [9] . These traditional techniques can decrease students’ interest and motivation to learn new words, thereby reducing vocabulary retention [10] . To address this issue, teachers need to implement interactive learning media that promote active participation, engagement, and enjoyment during the learning process [11] . One effective strategy is the use of flashcards—visual learning tools that combine pictures and words to enhance learners’ comprehension and memory [12] . As Indonesian junior high school students are generally visual learners, the use of picture-based materials such as flashcards can be particularly helpful in connecting abstract vocabulary with concrete visual representations. Flashcards are considered beneficial because they support dual coding of information through both visual and verbal representations [4], [13], [14], [15], [16], which

FAQs

What is the main purpose of this study?

To determine the effectiveness of flashcard games in improving the vocabulary mastery of seventh-grade students at SMPN 7 Palu.

How was the research conducted?

A quasi-experimental method with a pre-test and post-test control group design was used. One class received flashcard games while the other received conventional instruction.

What were the key findings?

Posttest mean scores differed significantly: 79.42 for the experimental group versus 67.31 for the control group, with p=0.000 (<0.05), indicating flashcard games improved vocabulary mastery.

Aug 29, 2026

Upload by Maeve