Explicit vocabulary instruction: Effects of vocabulary learning on Form Two ESL learners

Mohd Haniff Mohd Tahir, Dianna Suzieanna Mohamad Shah, Mohamad Syafiq Ya Shak, Intan Safinas Mohd Ariff Albakri, Airil Haimi Mohd Adnan

Abstract


Per its English curriculum, vocabulary instruction is only integrated indirectly in the teaching of reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills in Malaysian schools. ESL learners then may overlook the variety of meanings that a word and its spelling can offer. This research aims to describe the effects of the explicit approach of vocabulary instruction on 30 Form Two (eighth grade) students from a suburban school in Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia. A descriptive style was adopted, and specific vocabulary lessons were used to help students learn the target words. Using descriptive statistics, vocabulary pre- and post-test scores were analysed and compared to determine the impact of this approach. The frequency counts, percentages, mean scores, and standard deviation of the students’ evaluation form responses were analysed. Content analysis was used to transcribe, classify, and categorise qualitative data from the interview session. According to the data, the students’ vocabulary scores increased dramatically in the post-test, with a mean gap of 21.9. The students were also enthusiastic about the teacher’s instructions (M=4.48, SD=0.64) and vocabulary lessons (M=4.34, SD=0.59). It is suggested that the explicit approach of vocabulary instruction, which engages students in exciting vocabulary learning techniques as employed by this study could enhance their vocabulary knowledge. 


Keywords


ESL learners; explicit instructions; vocabulary; vocabulary learning

Full Text:

PDF

References


Akdogan, E. (2018). Developing vocabulary in game activities and game materials. Journal of Teaching and Education, 7(1), 31-66.

Ashrafzadeh, A., & Nimehchisalem, V. (2015). Vocabulary knowledge: Malaysian tertiary level learners’ major problem in summary writing. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 6(2), 286-291. https://doi.org/10.17507/jltr.0602.07

Bassetti, B., & Atkinson, N. (2015). Effects of orthographic forms on pronunciation in experienced instructed second language learners. Applied Psycholinguistics, 36(1), 67–91. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0142716414000435

Berne, J. I., & Blachowicz, C. (2008). What reading teachers say about vocabulary instruction: Voices from the classroom. The Reading Teacher, 62(4), 314-323. https://doi.org/10.1598/RT.62.4.4

Creswell, J. W. (2003). Research design: Quantitative and qualitative approaches (2nd ed.). Sage Publication, Inc.

Cohen, L., & Manion, L. (1994). Research methods in education (4th ed.). Routledge

Das, A. K. (2018). Sustainable conversion of kitchen wastes into fuels and organic fertilizers. International Journal of Engineering Sciences and Research Technology, 7(5), 503-510. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1252890

Dimas, H. M. S. (2011). Explicit vocabulary instruction in an English content-area course with university student teachers: When comprehensible input needs to be comprehended. Gist Education Learning Research Journal, 5, 84-103.

Gough, P. B., & Hillinger, M. L. (1980). Learning to read: An unnatural act. Bulletin of the Orton Society, 30, 179–196. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02653717

Gusti, A. (2014, August 28-30). Teaching English vocabulary: What international language educators tell us [Paper presentation]. 12th Asia TEFL and 23rd MELTA International Conference, Kuching, Malaysia.

Hashemzadeh, M. (2012). The effect of exercise types on EFL learners’ vocabulary retention. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 2(8), 1716-1727. https://doi.org/10.4304/TPLS.2.8.1716-1727

Hennebry, M., Rogers, V., Macaro, E., & Murphy, V. (2017). Direct teaching of vocabulary after listening: is it worth the effort and what method is best? The Language Learning Journal, 45(3), 282-300. https://doi.org/10.1080/09571736.2013.849751

Kameli, S., Mostapha, G., & Baki, R. (2012). The influence of formal language learning environment on vocabulary learning strategies. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 3(1), 23-29. https://doi.org/10.4304/jltr.3.1.23-29

Lu, D. (2017). Teachers’ beliefs and practices: ESL teachers’ perceptions of vocabulary instruction [Unpublished master’s thesis]. St. Cloud State University.

Luu, T. T. (2012). Vocabulary recollection through games. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 2(2), 257-264. https://doi.org/10.4304/tpls.2.2.257-264

Madrigal-Hopes, D. L., Villavicencio, E., Foote, M. M., & Green, C. (2014). Transforming English language learners’ work readiness: Case studies in explicit, work-specific vocabulary instruction. Adult Learning, 25(2), 47-56. https://doi.org/10.1177/1045159514522432

Mahapatra, B. P. (2017). The problem of silent letters in ESL teaching and learning. International Journal of Creative Research Thoughts (IJCRT), 5(4), 3032–3040.

Moody, S., Hu, X., Kuo, L. J., Jouhar, M., Xu, Z., & Lee, S. (2018). Vocabulary instruction: A critical analysis of theories, research, and practice. Education Sciences, 8(4). https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci8040180

Musa, N. C., Lie, K. Y., & Azman, H. (2012). Exploring English language learning and teaching in Malaysia. Gema Online: Journal of Language Studies, 12(1), 35–51.

Nezhad, G., & Shokrpour, N. (2012). The impact of task type and cognitive style on vocabulary learning. English Language Teaching, 5(9), 17-23. https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v5n9p17

Shrestha, R. N., Awasthi, J. R., & Pahari, B. R. (2018). Impact of English language proficiency on the job grabbing process of engineers in Nepal and the other countries: A bird’s eye view. Journal of the Institute of Engineering, 14(1), 223–234. https://doi.org/10.3126/jie.v14i1.20088

Stanovich, K. E. (1992). Speculations on the causes and consequences of individual differences in early reading acquisition. In P. B. Gough, L. C. Ehri & R. Treiman (Eds.), Reading acquisition (pp. 307–342). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781351236904-11

Tahir, M. H. M., Albakri, I. S. M. A., Adnan, A. H. M., & Karim, R. A. (2020). The effects of explicit vocabulary instructions on secondary ESL students’ vocabulary learning. 3L: Language, Linguistics, Literature. The Southeast Asian Journal of English Language Studies, 26(2), 158-172. https://doi.org/10.17576/3L-2020-2602-12

Tahir, M. H. M., Albakri, I. S. M. A., Adnan, A. H. M., Shah, D. S. M., & Shaq, M. S. Y. (2020). The application of visual vocabulary for ESL students’ vocabulary learning. Arab World English Journal, 11(2), 323-338.

Tahir, M. H. M., & Mohtar, T. M. T. (2016). The effectiveness of using vocabulary exercises to teach vocabulary to ESL/EFL learners. Pertanika Journal of Social Science and Humanities, 24(4), 1651-1669.

Wiseheart, R., Altmann, L. J. P., Park, H., & Lombardino, L. J. (2009). Sentence comprehension in young adults with developmental dyslexia. Ann. of Dyslexia, 59, 151. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11881-009-0028-7

Yip, W. M., & Kwan, C. M. (2006). Online vocabulary games as a tool for teaching and learning English vocabulary. Educational Media International, 43(3), 233-249. https://doi.org/10.1080/09523980600641445

Yorke, A. M., Light, J. C., Caron, J. G., McNaughton, D. B., & Drager, K. D. R. (2018). The effects of explicit instruction in academic vocabulary during shared book reading on the receptive vocabulary of children with complex communication needs. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 34(4), 288-300. https://doi.org/10.1080/07434618.2018.1506823




DOI: https://doi.org/10.24815/siele.v8i3.19539

Article Metrics

Abstract view : 0 times
PDF - 0 times

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Print ISSN: 2355-2794, Online ISSN: 2461-0275

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.


View Journal Stats