Podcasting and Vocabulary Learning in an EFL Context: a Mixed Methods Study
Abstract The study investigated the impact of using podcasts as instructional tools on EFL learners’ vocabulary learning, and to evaluate their attitude towards listening to podcasts. A vocabulary pre-test was given to 60 male intermediate-level EFL learners which indicated that they were homogeneous regarding their vocabulary knowledge. The participants were divided into two groups; the experimental group were instructed by podcasts, but the control group continued with the routine instruction. The results revealed that the podcast group outperformed those in the control group in the post-test. To find out the students' attitudes towards podcasting, an 8-item Likert-type questionnaire was given to the participants in the podcasting group; through face-to-face interviews with 8 participants from the same group, a thematic analysis was conducted and four themes emerged: (1) vocabulary achievement, (2) learning by listening, (3) learner choice and flexibility, and (4) podcasts as useful instructional tools. The findings suggest that podcasts enhance learners’ vocabulary learning, thus emphasizing the pedagogical merits of podcasts on the enrichment of EFL classes. The results may provide implications for curriculum development and L2 vocabulary teaching and learning.