Investigating the impact of Kahoot! on the ESP vocabulary knowledge development of Chinese EFL learners: a quasi-experimental study

Research over the past decade has identified gamification as an emerging approach in language teaching, particularly in updating vocabulary instruction through game-based methods. This study investigates the efficacy of Kahoot! in improving learners’ recall and retention of ESP vocabulary within the Chinese EFL context. A total of 61 participants were recruited and randomly assigned to two intact cohorts: an experimental group (N = 31) receiving instruction through Kahoot!, and a control group (N = 30) following traditional teaching practice. The Vocabulary Knowledge Scale (VKS) was employed to measure lexical recall and retention across three testing phases: pre-, post-, and delayed post-testing. Additionally, a questionnaire was administered to explore learners’ perceptions of Kahoot!. The findings indicate that integrating Kahoot! into vocabulary instruction enhances both the recall and retention of ESP vocabulary items and has an overall positive impact on affective factors related to vocabulary learning. Further research is required to establish the generalizability of these results across various contexts, diverse EFL populations, and a wider range of ESP genres.