Efficacy of Vocabulary Teaching through Podcasts on Vocabulary Knowledge at the Tertiary Level

Abstract

The study examined the effectiveness of podcasts in teaching vocabulary at the tertiary level and considered students' views on their use in language learning. The research employed a mixed-methods design, incorporating quantitative and qualitative data to provide a more comprehensive view of the use of podcasts in ESL vocabulary teaching. In the quantitative phase, tertiary-level learners were allocated into control and experimental groups. The experimental group was taught with the help of podcast-based materials with transcripts, glossaries, and follow-up tasks, whereas the control group was taught traditionally. The outcomes of the post-test revealed that there was a significant difference between the two groups and that the experimental group scored higher than the control group, which indicated that podcast-based instruction was more effective in vocabulary acquisition and retention. In the case of the qualitative stage, the results of the responses of students demonstrated that they had rather positive attitudes toward the use of podcasts. Students reported that podcasts were interesting, adaptable and useful in contextual and repeated exposure to vocabulary. They also claimed that podcasts also promoted learner autonomy and made the process of vocabulary learning more engaging and individualized. Nevertheless, there were certain difficulties observed, particularly, foreign accents and absence of non-verbal or visual signals. Generally, the research finds that podcasts are a practical and student friendly means of acquiring vocabulary at a tertiary level, particularly when supplemented with other teaching resources and not as an alternative to the conventional teaching.

Keywords: Podcasts, Vocabulary Learning, ESL learners, Language Teaching