Does Project-based Learning Enhance Iranian EFL Learners’ Vocabulary Recall and Retention?

Vocabulary knowledge is an integral part of second/foreign language learning. Thus, using teaching
methods that can help learners retain and expand their vocabulary knowledge is necessary to facilitate
the language learning process. The current research investigated the effectiveness of an interactive
classroom method, known as Project-Based Learning (PBL), in helping Iranian EFL learners not just learn
but retain new vocabulary knowledge. To this end, an experimental approach using two groups of
participants (i.e. experimental and control) was employed. The experimental group was taught using
the PBL method while the control group was taught using the conventional method. The findings of the
study indicated that learners who were taught using the PBL approach (i.e. the experimental group) had
a significant improvement in their vocabulary recall and retention rate. Besides, they even showed
better retention of new vocabulary with higher level of difficulty. This supports previous findings on the
effectiveness of PBL as a vocabulary teaching method in the EFL context which could contribute to the
betterment of the existing teaching methods.