Wandi Wijaya & William

Board Games on ESL Learners: Students' competitiveness and retention

INTRODUCTION

Nurfaizah, Maksum, and Wardhani (2021) claim that board games are games that provide
recreational activities that are played in groups and can direct them to play competitively,
cooperatively and collaboratively. Board games can prohibit many things. One of them trains the
concentration and memory of children. In addition, board games can be used to train school
children to solve problems, think creatively and critically, and train strategies. The three aspects
included in a board game are visual (picture), auditory (discussion and question and answer), and
affective (attitude). The use of board games in learning is very effective. Therefore, researchers
want to develop a board game that can help increase students' interest in learning material.

Another study by Cahyaningtyastuti, Utami & Prestiliano (2020) found that Board games can be
an interactive, interesting, and fun medium to introduce and generate interest towards learning
and help improve thinking skills and promote cooperation and social skills.

Here are some examples of board games that can be used for learning English as a second
language (ESL). The first is Scrabble. This is a classic game that helps players improve their
ability to learn and use new words and strengthen their understanding of grammar and grammar.
The second is bananagrams, this is a fast-paced game that requires players to create a grid of
letters to form words and really helps players improve their speaking and thinking skills quickly
in English. The third is Taboo, in this game players must describe or explain words without using
certain words listed on the card. It helps players improve speaking skills and use words in
different contexts. The fifth example is Pictionary, in this game the players have to describe the
given word while their team tries to guess what they are trying to draw. It helps players improve
speaking skills and use words in different contexts. The last one is Monopoly, this game helps
strengthen speaking, vocabulary, and grammar skills. You can record the phrases and sentences
you use when talking to your opponent and try to improve them each time you play. All of these
games offer a fun way to learn English as a second language and help players continuously
improve their skills.
 Taba (2018) says that board games can be a method that offers many benefits for teachers
and students. The advantage of board games is that they involve students in learning English
because the games are fun and challenge them. Board games have been found to have many
benefits in language teaching including motivation and engagement Board games can be fun and
engaging, which can help students stay motivated and interested in learning. This study found
that when students play board games, they are more likely to use the target language and use it
spontaneously, which helps strengthen comprehension and retention of their new vocabulary.

Another study by Rijal (2018) found that board games can be used in language classes to
teach students to speak. One of the main objectives of teaching language is to equip students
with the ability to communicate in the target language. The use of board games in language
learning provides many benefits. One of them is that board games are flexible. Another benefit is
that board games can promote language learning through assignments. Task is defined here as an
activity in which the first, meaning is the main thing. Second, there is a communication problem
of some kind to solve and the Activity has some relation with real world activity. In conclusion,
the use of board games in language teaching can be a very effective tool for language acquisition
and vocabulary retention. This provides students with a fun and interesting way to practice
language skills and can increase motivation and engagement in the learning process as well.
Board games encourage students to interact and use the target language in a communicative
setting. This can help students to develop their speaking and listening skills, as well as to gain
confidence in using the language.

Dewi (2021) said that board games in ESL are a very effective use of things because they
can be done in groups and improve students' speaking skills. When using games, students have
interest and focus more on teaching itself. It helps teachers to make class fun and active. Not
only that, games are also a way to test students' brains and provide motivation. The use of board
games in ESL classes is very effective in helping students practice their speaking, reading, and
creative thinking skills. Students look very enthusiastic and do not feel pressured when playing
board games. Therefore, the use of board games can be a good alternative for teaching English to
students who do not have English as their first language. Also, Syakur (2020) stated that board
games are games that use English as a learning tool and provide a fun and interactive way to
practice vocabulary, grammar, listening and speaking skills. Students can improve their language
skills and with the help of board games, students can actively participate in the teaching and
learning process.

A popular board game in ESL classrooms is “Pictionary and Taboo” Pictionary and
Taboo are popular board games used in ESL classrooms because they provide a fun and
interactive way for students to practice their English vocabulary, speaking, and listening skills. In
Pictionary, players take turns drawing to represent words or phrases, while other players try to
guess the word. In Taboo, players take turns describing a word without using certain forbidden
words or phrases while the other players try to guess what it is.

Mutiara (2023) states that pictionary games can be an excellent teaching technique or tool
to advance students' communication and their communicative thinking skills. It can be concluded
that the Pictionary game has advantages compared to other drawing game techniques, this
technique can increase student activity in class, therefore this game is very suitable for use as a
technique in learning, especially in teaching speaking. Meanwhile, Lumbangaol (2021) states
that Taboo games can train students' pronunciation and can activate student participation in class.
The repetition of each word is used by students to explain taboo words again to help them
practice their pronunciation. Most of the students in the class are enthusiastic about the game.
This relates to students' attitudes towards the application of game taboos related to their
pronunciation and vocabulary. These games are a great way to make learning English more fun
and interesting for students, as well as help them improve their vocabulary, speaking and
listening skills. They also encourage students to work together and think creatively, making them
ideal tools to use in ESL classes.

The use of board games in English as a Second Language (ESL) classes has been
extensively researched and has been shown to have several advantages. One advantage is that
board games provide a fun and engaging way for students to practice their language skills. They
can improve their vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation while having fun and interacting with
their classmates. This was proven in a study by Stefani, Setyorini and Susilawati (2019) who
found that students who played board games in class showed significant improvement in their
language skills compared to those who did not play the games.

Another advantage is that board games promote cooperative and collaborative learning.
In games, students must work together and communicate effectively to achieve common goals.
This helps build teamwork and social skills, as well as encourages students to use the target
language in communicative contexts. This was confirmed in a study by Maisarah (2014), who
found that using board games in ESL classes improved students' collaboration and
communication skills. Board games can also provide a low-stakes, low-pressure environment for
language practice. In games, students can make mistakes and learn from them without fear of
being evaluated or judged by their classmates or teachers. Overall, the use of board games in
ESL classes offers several advantages and can provide an effective and fun way for students to
practice their language skills.