Recreational activities as a mediator in learning english language vocabulary

Abstract

The present research analyzes the relationship between the implementation of recreational activities and the learning of vocabulary in the English language through the use of virtual educational games for the improvement of learning by second-semester students of the Pedagogy of National and Foreign Languages career of the Universidad Técnica de Machala (UTMACH), through quantitative methods such as semi-structured interview, participant observation, and a pedagogical test. The investigation follows a non-experimental, qualitative design with an action- research approach with a biased selection that consisted of three university students between 19 and 20 years old from the second semester. The research development indicates significant improvements between the implementation of the ludic and the teaching of a new language. Therefore, it is possible to acquire a vast vocabulary that will generate bases for their future career's performance. In addition, a checklist was applied to corroborate our intervention approach, and as a result, there are very noticeable differences between the teaching previously given and that implemented with new methodological strategies based on recreation and virtual games implementation.