Using Digital Flashcards to Enhance Thai EFL Primary School Students’ Vocabulary Knowledge

Abstract

Growing L2 vocabulary research indicates that digital flashcards facilitate learners’ vocabulary learning and development. It also suggests that deliberate vocabulary teaching is critical for successful language learning. Hence, the primary goal of this study was to investigate the effect of digital flashcards on the form-meaning link of English vocabulary knowledge among primary school children in the Thai EFL context. The study also aimed to explore Thai primary school students’ attitudes towards using digital flashcards on vocabulary learning. The participants were 120 Thai primary school students who were divided into experimental and control groups. The experimental participants received vocabulary learning through digital flashcards, while the control peers received no unique treatments. Four measures of vocabulary knowledge were employed to capture participants’ vocabulary learning. The five-point Likert scale questionnaire was also used to explore students’ school students’ regarding the use of digital flashcards. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the quantitative data. The results showed that although both cohorts significantly improved their receptive and productive knowledge of L2 vocabulary, the experimental students significantly performed better than their control colleagues. These results indicated that digital flashcards were an effective mechanism to facilitate vocabulary learning among Thai primary school learners. The analysis of the questionnaires also suggested that learners had a very high level of positive attitudes towards the use of digital flashcards. These findings reaffirm the efficacy, visual and sound images, and entertainment value of digital flashcards on vocabulary learning. Other implications for practitioners and suggestions for further studies are addressed.

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