Advisers

Abraham P. Muyrong II, PhD

Discipline

Education

Abstract

This research explored the effectiveness of Word Run as an instructional material for enhancing vocabulary skills among Grade 6 learners. Vocabulary mastery plays a vital role in students’ academic growth, as it directly influences their reading comprehension, writing ability, and oral communication. Many pupils encounter difficulties in developing vocabulary knowledge, resulting in lower academic performance. To address this problem, the study aimed to determine whether the integration of Word Run, a game-based and interactive activity, could significantly improve students’ vocabulary proficiency. A quasi-experimental design was used with 80 respondents selected through simple random sampling from a population of 908 Grade Six pupils. Data were collected through a 30-item pretest and posttest and a validated 15-item survey questionnaire measuring assimilation, accommodation, and construction of knowledge. Analyses included frequency, percentage, weighted mean, variability measures, Likert-scale interpretation, and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Most participants were aged 11–12 years, and females slightly outnumbered males. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test indicated a significant difference between pretest and posttest scores, although the exact test statistic and p-value were not reported. Survey responses rated Word Run as “highly effective” for assimilation, accommodation, and construction of knowledge. Students also reported benefits for contextual word use, sentence construction, and collaborative engagement. The findings suggest that Word Run supported vocabulary learning and student engagement among Grade 6 learners. Schools may consider game-based vocabulary activities as supplementary instruction, with support from teachers and parents. Future research should report complete statistical results, examine longer-term retention, and assess possible applications to grammar, reading comprehension, and writing.

Keywords

game-based learning, vocabulary skills, word run, dual coding, grade six learners