according to their level of proficiency. The highly validated tool MSLQ was applied to gather

perceptions of motivation and learning strategies throughout the course. Correlational analyses suggest

that short stories, combined with appropriate technological and pedagogical strategies, offer a powerful

approach to vocabulary learning in diverse educational contexts. The study also emphasizes the

importance of self-regulated learning mechanisms, which promote learner autonomy and self-efficacy,

leading to better vocabulary outcomes. This research contributes to the understanding of effective

vocabulary learning and provides practical insights for educators seeking to enhance EFL students'

language mastery.

Keywords: vocabulary, EFL, short stories, self-regulated learning, MSLQ

La integración de tecnologías, como ambientes de aprendizaje virtual, entornos colaborativos basados

en la web y aplicaciones gamificadas, tienden a promover los efectos positivos de las historias cortas en

el aprendizaje de vocabulario en un idioma extranjero. El presente estudio investiga la efectividad de

usar historias cortas como herramienta pedagógica para fomentar la adquisición de vocabulario en

estudiantes de Inglés como lengua extranjera. Dos cohortes de alumnos tomaron parte simultáneamente

en un curso para mejorar el vocabulario a través de historias cortas categorizados de acuerdo con su

estudiantes, lo cual conduce a mejores resultados en el vocabulario. Esta investigación contribuye a la

comprensión del aprendizaje efectivo del vocabulario y provee una comprensión práctica para los

educadores que buscan fortalecer el dominio del vocbaulario en estudiantes de Inglés como lengua

extranjera.

Palabras clave: vocabulario, Inglés como idioma extranjero, historias cortas, aprendizaje autoregulado,

MSLQ

not only an enhancer of new words but also a booster of motivation and generator of great interest in

students when learning a foreign language.

The current work focuses on examining how short stories can be an effective tool for the acquisition of

new lexicon in EFL students. To start, related studies will be analyzed to provide a comprehensive

understanding of the topic.

The study of English vocabulary learning has attracted considerable attention in educational research

due to its critical role in language acquisition and proficiency. This literature review synthesizes findings

from recent studies to explore the effects of various strategies and technologies on English vocabulary

learning, motivation, and self-regulation among different learner groups. The review aims to provide a

upcoming paragraphs, has demonstrated that short stories significantly improve students' vocabulary

acquisition and overall language skills when used as part of interactive and dynamic teaching

approaches. For instance, Bhatti et al. (2022) highlight the effectiveness of short stories in diverse

educational contexts, as does Mohamed (2022) and Adyana (2016).

It is advisable to integrate activities that include vocabulary instruction in reading programs to enhance

overall language proficiency. Similarly, incorporating varying levels of cognitive complexity in stories

can enhance vocabulary acquisition while managing learner anxiety (Yang et al., 2020), in ways as

effective as reading newspapers, due to their engaging narratives and context-rich content (Wijayanti,

(Parvareshbar & Ghoorchaei, 2016), and the natural context for vocabulary usage, which makes the

learning process more intuitive and enjoyable (Abdalrahman, 2022; Bakhodirovna, 2015) for students

from early levels (Bhatti et al., 2020; Tarakçıoğlu & Tunçarslan, 2014) up to university students (Eklesia

& Angelina, 2019). These gains have been evident independent of the context, including gender or rural

and urban settings (Ahmed, 2017), as long as stories show relevancy to students due to their local

(Sariana et al., 2022) or cultural appeal (Paramma & Shafa, 2022)

While students are improving their retention and acquisition of new vocabulary, they are also exercising

their self-regulation. Therefore, self-regulated learning mechanisms (e.g., goal setting, self-monitoring,

and reflection) are associated with the stimulation of vocabulary acquisition in a foreign language by

promoting sustained learner autonomy (Chen et al., 2018). Higher self-regulating capacities in students

learning strategies (Choi et al., 2018). The same, the inclusion of ICT-related sources have also shown

potential in improving learners' performance and motivation from early levels of education (Albán

Bedoya, & Ocaña-Garzón, 2022; Ocaña et al., 2022; Quinga et al., 2022; Vega et al., 2022) to upper

levels (Ocaña et al., 2019; Ocaña et al., 2021)

In the case of short stories for vocabulary learning, virtual learning environments containing interactive

elements were effective in increasing both motivation and vocabulary retention among learners (Hong

et al., 2022; Kızıl & Savran, 2018; Wang & Huang, 2017), as were web-based collaborative setups (Liu

et al., 2014) and mobile applications with gamified components, such as points and rewards (Chen et

significantly enhanced vocabulary retention and learner motivation by combining the benefits of

narrative techniques with digital media to create an engaging and memorable learning experience (Canlı-

Bekar, 2019). Other examples include the development of other language skills, e.g. listening (Bazurto

Palma & Ocaña-Garzón. 2023)

Likewise, the combination of multiple strategies, including mnemonic devices, context-based learning,

and technology-enhanced methods, were most effective in achieving vocabulary mastery and retention

(Mehrabian & Salehi, 2019).

Short stories provide a versatile and powerful tool for enhancing vocabulary acquisition in EFL contexts.

By integrating them with modern pedagogical strategies and technologies, educators can create an

engaging and effective learning environment. The evidence thus far suggests that when used

This study adopted a quantitative correlational and cross-sectional design. A total of 68 subjects

participated in this study (34 from junior high school and 34 from senior high school). The students

were selected on the basis of their knowledge and course seniority. Using a virtual environment, students

took a course with short stories to increase their vocabulary interleaved with a questionnarie. The

responses were collected by means of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ)

which is considered to have a high reliability (Pintrich, 1991; Pintrich, 1993). As the name implies, the

questionnaire was designed to measure motivation and learning strategies which were crucial in the

completion of the course.

Correlation Analysis: to check for correlations between responses to different questions and so identify

patterns. In this step, we also generated histograms, and correlation heatmaps using Matplotlib to

visualize the data.

The central tendency values show that the average response for most questions is between 5 and 7. This

range indicates that the respondents generally perceive themselves positively. For instance, a mean value

of 6 on a question such as " I’m certain I can understand the ideas taught in this course" suggests that

students are confident in their understanding of the course material. The median values are also around

6 or 7, aligning with the mean values and reinforcing the positive self-assessment. Regarding variability,

the standard deviation for most questions is relatively low (around 1). This low variability indicates that

We ran correlation analysis to detect how changes on certain variables can change other variables. Based

on this, we found positive and negative correlatins as follows:

can also enhance their perceived relative performance among peers.

On the other hand, there are also negative correlations.

Figure 2: Negative correlations

Figure 2 shows that there may be a disconnection between students' confidence in their performance

variables) predict responses to another key question (dependent variable). To accomplish this, we chose

a key question as the dependent variable and used other questions as independent variables. Based on

the previous analyses and questions from the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ),

we selected the key indicators according to the following criteria:

Q12: This question reflects self-efficacy in learning and understanding course material, which is

decisive for academic success. Analyzing what influences students' confidence in their understanding

can help identify support needs.

metric as it often correlates with their confidence, motivation, and academic outcomes. Understanding

what influences this expectation can provide valuable insights for educators to improve teaching

Q12 has positive coefficients with Q3 which indicates that students who expect to do well in the class

(Q3) are also confident in understanding the course ideas. Also, positive coefficients with Q11 and Q15

which suggests that confidence in understanding course ideas is bolstered by finding oneself

understanding during lectures (Q11) and perceiving one's study skills as excellent (Q15).