Students' engagement in vocabulary learning through wordwall activities: students' perceptions

The integration of technology in learning has led to the emergence of various digital platforms that enhance student engagement, one of which is Wordwall. In the context of English vocabulary learning, Wordwall offers fun and interactive game-based activities, which are considered more effective than traditional learning media. Therefore, this study aims to identify how Wordwall activities enhance students' engagement in vocabulary learning and explore their perceptions of the most engaging activities. A qualitative case study approach was used involving 27 students of grade 8C of SMPN 1 Waru as participants to an open-ended questionnaire, with 6 of them being further interviewed through semi-structured interviews, as well as video-based observations. Student engagement was analyzed using the theory from Fredricks et al. which includes three dimensions of engagement: behavioral, emotional, and cognitive. The results showed that Wordwall enhanced student engagement in three dimensions: behavioral engagement as reflected by active participation, willingness to ask questions, and efforts to complete tasks; emotional engagement as shown by interest, enthusiasm, and feelings of pleasure; and cognitive engagement as seen from efforts to understand the material, application of learning strategies, and motivation to learn. Based on students' perceptions, it was found that the most engaging Wordwall activities are Anagram and Match Up because they are considered challenging and encourage critical thinking. The findings of this study indicate that the use of Wordwall can facilitate students' engagement in vocabulary learning partially. In addition, interactive and engaging Wordwall activities can be an effective alternative teaching strategy to create a fun and meaningful learning experience in the context of learning English as a foreign language (EFL).