Effects of the Memrise Platform on Vocabulary Learning Among Vietnamese Grade 10 EFL Learners

Vocabulary knowledge plays a decisive role in the development of communicative competence in secondary EFL education; however, vocabulary instruction in many Vietnamese high schools continues to rely heavily on repetition-based exercises that often lead to limited retention and superficial processing. This study therefore investigates the effectiveness of the Memrise platform, a mobile-assisted learning application integrating spaced repetition and gamified practice, in enhancing vocabulary acquisition among Grade 10 students at The Asian International School in Vietnam. A pre-test–post-test quasi-experimental design was implemented with two intact classes (N = 58) over a ten-week intervention period, in which the experimental group received Memrise-supported instruction while the comparison group followed conventional textbook-based activities. Vocabulary achievement was measured using equivalent pre-test and post-test instruments, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with selected students from the experimental group to explore their learning experiences. Statistical analysis revealed that the Memrise group achieved significantly greater vocabulary gains than the comparison group, indicating a measurable instructional advantage. Interview findings further suggested increased engagement, perceived autonomy, and improved confidence in lexical recall, particularly due to structured review cycles and interactive task design. Collectively, the results support the pedagogical value of Memrise as a supplementary vocabulary tool in Vietnamese upper-secondary EFL contexts, while indicating the need for future research on long-term retention across broader educational settings.