This study explored the use of clickers (i.e., a polling technology) as a tool to promote the acquisition of second language (L2) vocabulary. A growing body of literature on the pedagogical effectiveness of clickers in an L2 context has revealed that clickers can foster learning gains (e.g., Reynolds & Taylor, 2020). However, the extent to which clickers play a role in learning gains compared to other pedagogical approaches lacks consensus; in addition, most research has focused on adult learners and has taken place in large classrooms (Caldwell, 2007). 

To address these limitations, the current research investigated the effects of clickers on L2 vocabulary acquisition in a K-12 educational setting. Two intact groups comprised of 61 Grade 8 students (age range: 13-14) learning English as a second language (ESL) in Montréal (Québec) were assigned to a vocabulary acquisition treatment: while the Clicker Group (CG: n = 31) received instruction via clickers, the Non-Clicker Group (NCG: n = 30) was treated via hand-raising without the target technology. The target vocabulary for the experiment constituted 30 low-frequency words extracted from James and the Giant Peach, a novel by Roald Dahl. 

The pedagogical effectiveness of clickers on participants’ acquisition of the target vocabulary was measured via pretests, posttests and delayed posttests. Overall, the results indicate that the pedagogical use of clickers contributed to L2 vocabulary acquisition, but that the learning gains are comparable in both groups. The discussion of the findings highlights the role of individual differences among members (i.e., some participants improved significantly more than others) and the implications for L2 teaching/learning.