Abstract

This study examined the efficacy of total physical response (TPR) and compared its usefulness in helping Arabic-speaking EFL (English as a Foreign Language) learners acquire and retain English vocabulary with the online multiplayer game-based learning platform Kahoot. The researchers hypothesized that TPR would lead to significantly greater vocabulary retention through Kahoot due to its embodied learning component. Forty learners participated in the study and took a pre-test and post-test based on the Oxford English vocabulary level online test. The purpose of the pre-test was to assess learners’ knowledge of the English vocabulary items before instructional intervention. Based on their pre-test results, they were equally divided into groups A and B. Group A students were taught the vocabulary items using Kahoot, while those in group B were taught the same words through paper and pen and the TPR method. After the instructional intervention, the effectiveness of the two methods was evaluated via a post-test. The post-test results revealed a statistically significant difference favoring the TPR group (M = 32.70, SD = 4.55) over the Kahoot group (M = 28.70, SD = 6.94) (t-value = 2.1540, p = 0.0376). These findings suggest that teaching via the TPR method significantly enhances vocabulary acquisition and retention compared to gamified digital instruction. This article presents possible pedagogical implications of this finding for EFL vocabulary instruction, curriculum design, and educational policies.