ACTIVE VOCABULARY ACQUISITION THROUGH GAME-BASED PEDAGOGY IN ESL/EFL CONTEXTS: A THEORETICAL AND PRACTICAL REVIEW

Abstract

Vocabulary acquisition remains one of the most persistent challenges in second and foreign language learning, particularly in environments where learner exposure to target language input is structurally limited. This article examines the pedagogical potential of game-based learning (GBL) as a catalyst for active vocabulary acquisition in ESL and EFL classrooms. Drawing on established theoretical frameworks — including Nation's Four Strands Model, Laufer and Hulstijn's Involvement Load Hypothesis, and Vygotsky's sociocultural theory — the article situates vocabulary games not as supplementary activities but as principled instructional tools capable of generating the depth of processing, meaningful output, and affective engagement that robust lexical retention demands. A typological review of game categories is offered alongside discussion of their cognitive and interactional affordances. The article concludes with pedagogical implications for EFL practitioners and directions for future empirical inquiry.