The Potential of Crossword Puzzles in Aiding English Language Learners

Abstract

In an academic environment, teachers utilize crossword puzzles to help students learn or remember terminology. Outside the classroom, typically in daily newspapers, crosswords aid in vocabulary development, used as a learning tool, a leisure activity, or both. However, both the content and the grid structure of the crosswords in these two environments differ greatly. Consequently, English language learners (ELLs) may struggle to adapt to the challenging grid as well as the U.S. culture-centric focus of a daily crossword. The purpose of this article is thus to consider as a vocabulary learning task a crossword puzzle whose content is designed specifically for ELLs, yet still abides by the grid structure of a daily crossword. Three graduate school-level ELLs worked on such a crossword; their thoughts on doing a crossword were analyzed through a written survey and discussion that was recorded and transcribed. Results reveal that participants were frustrated by the cultural components and context-less nature of the puzzle when working alone, but felt more positive and made substantial progress when working collaboratively.

Penerapan Model PBL dengan Metode Course Review Horay Berbantuan Media Crossword untuk Meningkatkan Aktivitas dan Hasil Belajar Siswa

“…Crossword merupakan sebuah permainan yang menyenangkan dalam kegiatan pembelajaran, serta memberikan banyak kesempatan siswa untuk berlatih dan mengulangi materi pelajaran (Puspita & Sabiqoh, 2017). Selain itu, crossword juga membantu proses pembelajaran yang dilakukan guru untuk menghilangkan kebosanan siswa dalam kegiatan belajar (Merkel, 2016). Metode CRH dengan bantuan media crossword dilakukan melalui pemberian soal teka-teki silang yang bertujuan meningkatkan aktivitas dan melatih pemahaman siswa terhadap materi yang dipelajari sebelum mengerjakan soal hasil belajar.…”

Instructional Strategies for High School ELL Refugee Students in Mathematics

“…According to Merkel (2016), "Crossword puzzles have been researched in connection with many facets of cognitive development" such as "analysis of the cognitive skills of crossword enthusiasts (Underwood, Deihim, & Batt, 1944), investigation of how the structure of words in the mental lexicon helps solve word fragments in which letters are either clustered or dispersed (Goldblum & Frost, 1988), the link between types of crossword puzzle clues and how the mind works (Nickerson, 2011), and crossword puzzles and lexical memory (Nickerson, 1977)" (as cited in Merkel, 2016, p. 902). In spite of efforts to value the efficacy of crossword puzzles in ELL education, Merkel (2016) concludes that there is no research on the efficacy of crossword puzzles for ELLs. The usage of a crossword puzzle for reviewing does not show any significant improvement in college students' Sociology course exam; furthermore, one of the two groups show a decrease in exam scores with use of crossword puzzles (Davis, Shepherd, & Zwiefelhofer, 2009).…”