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ENHANCING EFL YOUNG LEARNERS’
VOCABULARY THROUGH ONLINE
EXTENSIVE READING (ER) AND VISUAL
STRATEGIES: AN ACTION RESEARCH
STUDY
FORTALECIMIENTO DEL VOCABULARIO EN INGLÉS EN
NIÑOS MEDIANTE LECTURA EXTENSIVA EN LÍNEA Y
ESTRATEGIAS VISUALES: UN ESTUDIO DE
INVESTIGACIÓN-ACCIÓN
Lisseth Priscila Cabanilla García
Universidad Estatal de Milagro
Lester Fennell Pereddo Hidalgo
Universidad de las Fuerzas Armadas
Tatiana Gabriela Pineda Guzmán
Universidad Santo Tomas
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.37811/cl_rcm.v8i6.15682
Enhancing EFL young learners’ vocabulary through online Extensive
Reading (ER) and visual strategies: An action research study
Lisseth Priscila Cabanilla García
1
lcabanillag@unemi.edu.ec
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1980-2797
Universidad Estatal de Milagro
Ecuador
Lester Fennell Pereddo Hidalgo
lester.pereddo01@gmail.com
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3311-6950
Universidad de las Fuerzas Armadas
Ecuador
Tatiana Gabriela Pineda Guzmán
tatypineda85@gmail.com
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8664-9673
Colegio de Bachillerato Machala
Ecuador
ABSTRACT
A vast body of literature highlights the benefits of Extensive Reading (ER) in second language
acquisition (SLA). ER is a pedagogical strategy that involves reading a large number of level-
appropriated and engaging texts. Its benefits have been widely documented for its effectiveness in
fostering language development, principally vocabulary acquisition. This study aimed to investigate the
impact of ER facilitated through a virtual library, created on Edmodo, and supplemented with visual
strategies on young English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners’ vocabulary growth. The research
was conducted with 21 seventh-graders from a public primary school. A mixed-method research design
was followed to systematically measure the effects of ER on young students’ vocabulary acquisition.
Data collection involved administering a pretest to set a baseline of participants' vocabulary previous
knowledge. At the end of the experimental phase, a posttest to assess learners’ vocabulary growth was
administered. Findings revealed a considerable positive impact, with a Cohen’s d effect size of 3.35,
indicating a significant improvement in participants’ vocabulary development. Results highlight the
efficacy of ER as a strategy for enhancing young learners’ lexicon. Combining ER methodology with
digital libraries and incorporating visual aids can address diverse learning styles and maximize language
engagement. These findings contribute to the growing body of evidence that supports the integration of
ER, technology, and visual aids into EFL teaching practices, particularly in contexts where access to
physical texts might be limited. In conclusion, ER appears to be a highly effective strategy for promoting
vocabulary acquisition among young EFL learners.
Keywords: extensive reading, vocabulary, young learners, virtual library, visual strategies
1
Autor principal
Correspondencia: lcabanillag@unemi.edu.ec
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Fortalecimiento del vocabulario en Inglés en niños mediante lectura
extensiva en línea y estrategias visuales: Un Estudio de Investigación-
Acción
RESUMEN
Un amplio cuerpo de literatura destaca los beneficios de la Lectura Extensiva (ER, por sus siglas en
inglés) en la adquisición de un segundo idioma. La lectura extensiva es una estrategia pedagógica que
implica la lectura de una gran cantidad de textos apropiados al nivel y atractivos para los estudiantes.
Sus beneficios han sido ampliamente documentados por su efectividad en fomentar el desarrollo del
lenguaje, principalmente en la adquisición de vocabulario. Este estudio tuvo como objetivo investigar
el impacto de la lectura extensiva, facilitada a través de una biblioteca virtual, creada en Edmodo, y
complementada con estrategias visuales, en el crecimiento del vocabulario en inglés en niños. La
investigación se llevó a cabo con 21 estudiantes de séptimo grado de una escuela primaria pública. Se
utilizó un diseño de investigación cuantitativo para medir sistemáticamente los efectos de la lectura
extensiva en la adquisición del vocabulario de los niños. La recolección de datos incluyó la
administración de una prueba inicial para establecer una línea base con respecto al conocimiento previo
del vocabulario de los participantes. Al final de la fase experimental, se administró una prueba final para
evaluar el crecimiento del vocabulario de los estudiantes. Los resultados revelaron un impacto positivo
considerable, con un tamaño de efecto d de Cohen de 3.35, lo que indica una mejora altamente
significativa en el desarrollo del vocabulario de los participantes. Los hallazgos resaltan la eficacia de
la lectura extensiva como una estrategia para enriquecer el léxico de los niños. La combinación de la
metodología de la lectura extensiva con bibliotecas digitales y la incorporación de ayudas visuales puede
abordar estilos de aprendizaje diversos y maximizar el mejoramiento lingüístico. Estos resultados
contribuyen a la creciente colección de evidencia que respalda la integración de la lectura extensiva, la
tecnología y las ayudas visuales en las prácticas de enseñanza del inglés como lengua extranjera,
especialmente en contextos donde el acceso a textos físicos puede ser limitado. En conclusión, la lectura
extensiva parece ser una estrategia altamente efectiva para promover la adquisición del vocabulario en
inglés en niños.
Palabras clave: lectura extensiva, vocabulario, jóvenes estudiantes, biblioteca virtual, estrategias
visuales
Artículo recibido 02 noviembre 2024
Aceptado para publicación: 10 diciembre 2024
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INTRODUCTION
Reading is a cognitive-receptive ability and a multipurpose, interactive, and comprehensible activity in
which individuals interact with written texts. People read for different purposes either for personal or
academic issues (Bojovic, 2014). Reading is key for learning, especially, for people who are acquiring
a second language, contributing to overall linguistic competence (Celik & Altun, 2023). Reading
involves finding, decoding, and interpreting information and provides pedagogical opportunities to
develop students’ higher-thinking skills (predicting, deducing, inferencing, and interpreting, among
others) and improve writing models, vocabulary, and grammar in context (Renandya & Jacobs, 2002).
On the other hand, vocabulary is another linguistic element when acquiring a foreign language. It is
about the lexical repertoire that someone’s has and uses to communicate. For this reason, vocabulary
plays an important role in students’ interaction and it should be developed along with the other language
skills (Torres & Conza, 2023). Research pinpoints the reciprocal connection between reading and
vocabulary development and grammatical knowledge, as it exposes learners to new words and sentence
patterns helping them to grasp how language works and how to apply grammatical rules in productive
activities (Celik & Altun, 2023).
Within the Ecuadorian context, reading has been established as one of the five main curricular axes
(Ministerio de Educación, 2016). The ultimate goal of this threat is that learners can be able to read a
variety of authentic texts autonomously to find information, learn about the world, develop reading
comprehension skills, and communicate effectively. It also highlights the importance of exposing
students to a literacy-rich environment and ICT resources, and the inclusion of cross-curricular content
to promote learners’ interest and motivation (Ministerio de Educación, 2016). However, despite reading
being an important part of the national curriculum, many Ecuadorian students have still poor reading
competencies and limited vocabulary (Lozano & Troya, 2023).
Ecuador is one of the countries with the lowest English proficiency levels (Education First, 2024). These
results demonstrated EFL Ecuadorian students encounter problems in learning this language in the four
skills. Referring to the context where this research took place, participant were schoolchildren. Apart
from all of the challenges related to learning a new language, it was especially difficult to encourage
them to read in English. This drawback was mainly due to the insufficient resources in the classrooms.
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Consequently, they showed deficiencies in reading comprehension and vocabulary. These assumptions
were proven in students’ tests in which they got low grades.
In Nuttal’s (1996) view, there are two best ways to improve a foreign language: by living among its
speakers and by reading extensively. Similarly, experts (Dao, 2014; Day, 2011; Krashen, 1993; Walter
& Briggs, 2016) have corroborated the effectiveness and positive results of Extensive Reading (ER) in
language acquisition and vocabulary growth. ER is an approach that can encourage learners to read
autonomously as much as they want including texts within their linguistic competence in order to gain
fluency (Lawrence, 2016). It also has several benefits in the development of reading abilities and the
language itself, for instance, vocabulary growth; improvements in listening, speaking, and writing.
Seyabi and Salwa (2016) pointed out that ER promotes language acquisition by exposing students to the
target language in different written contexts, stimulating autonomy, and a broader understanding of the
world and culture due to the diversity of authentic texts provided.
Nowadays, reading is flexible and can be developed in different sceneries, for example, students can
spend time reading printed books as well as reading from a screen. In the twenty-first century,
information technologies have transformed traditional reading into digital, and have contributed to a
significant increment of online reading through diverse web media sources (Sun et al., 2013). Day
(2015) considered that the internet could be prominent for ER practices, becoming the main supplier of
a large amount of reading material. The internet can contribute to promoting students’ extensive reading
habits by using virtual libraries with a selection of diverse types of digital texts.
Finally, research also suggests that combining reading and visual representations of what was read can
enhance memory retention. Learners can receive, understand, remember, and store information in their
long-term memory. The use of visuals also makes learning vocabulary more interactive (Chung, 2023).
Both strategies can be implemented to help EFL young students to enhance their English vocabulary.
Although there is a large amount of literature about ER and visual vocabulary strategies, few researchers
have addressed studies on these topics in Ecuador. With this in mind, this investigation outlined the
process of young learners’ online ER, through Edmodo as a virtual library, combined with visual-
enhancement activities aiming at determining its impact on children’s vocabulary acquisition.
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LITERATURE REVIEW
Second Language Acquisition Theory
According to Krashen (2013), there are two ways to develop competencies in a second language (L2).
The first way is ‘language learning’ a conscious process to know about grammar, its rules, and the
language itself. The second way is ‘language acquisition’, a subconscious process in which learners can
pick up the language and develop competencies unconsciously through common communicative
activities. Individuals can acquire a foreign language in different circumstances; however, in Nuttal’s
view (1996) the two best ways to acquire a language are both immersion and extensive reading. This
postulation is aligned with Krashen’s input hypothesis, which states that people acquire a language by
comprehending what they read and understanding the message that contains structures slightly above
their current level of competence (Krashen, 2013). As much as people are exposed to the meaning of
messages, they incidentally and progressively acquire forms and language patterns (Renandya, 2009).
For Krashen (1982), in language acquisition, cognitive and affective factors are critical. The input
hypothesis and the concept of affective filter are intrinsically related. Learners’ performance differs
depending on the level of their affective filter. Performers with a low affective filter (high motivation,
self-confidence, good self-image, and low anxiety) have stronger levels of language achievement. It is
important not only to provide comprehensible input but also to create an environment that promotes a
low filter (Krashen, 1982). In his work, Dickinson (2017) affirmed that extensive reading (ER) has
positive effects on students’ emotional and intellectual dimensions by increasing their reading
motivation and providing opportunities to read for meaning and pleasure.
Extensive Reading (ER)
Seyabi and Salwa (2016) defined ER as an approach characterized by reading autonomously large
quantities of level-appropriate material outside the classroom in order to get a general understanding of
the world and promote pleasure. It aims at reading within contexts that nurture a lifelong reading habit
(Renandya, 2009). While intensive reading is still useful, ER is a reading curriculum complement that
is suitable for all language learners and levels (Cambridge University, 2018). Research conducted with
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young learners suggests that ER can be used as a means of enhancing children’s vocabulary acquisition
and enthusiasm to read (Cambridge University, 2018; Cheetham, 2015).
Day and Bamford (2004) have traced some specific characteristics of ER. First of all, reading material
is easy, level-appropriate, and varied. Learners can choose what and how much to read as a result, their
reading speed becomes faster. Reading is individual, silent, and is considered a personal reward. The
purpose of reading is related to pleasure and general understanding. Teachers are guides and readers’
role models. Another issue to consider is that in ER, assessment is not formal. It is done just to control
how much students read. Strategies for ER assessment include making posters, measuring speed,
retelling, writing letters to authors, copying interesting words or phrases, drawing, and sharing
experiences or opinions (Extensive Reading Foundation, 2011).
In the same vein, the Extensive Reading Foundation (2011) sustained that ER is good for language
development because it builds vocabulary and improves spelling as well as increases motivation,
confidence, enjoyment, and love for reading. Similarly, Krashen (1993) highlighted ER affects reading
comprehension, writing style, and grammatical competence. ER generates meaningful and
comprehensible input, which enables individuals to acquire and deduce the different elements of
language.
Some opposite points of view indicate that this method suffers from a series of pitfalls (Milliner &
Travis, 2015; Restrepo, 2015). One of the major drawbacks to adopting ER is the fact that teachers can
face a lot of challenges during the implementation, not to mention the time and cost of building an ER
library, students’ responsibility, and their commitment to the approach (Milliner & Travis, 2015).
Restrepo (2015) mentioned that some issues that decrease ER success are those related to the
understanding of the words in context and learners’ attention to the task. Al Damen (2018) also reported
that some academics have had problems implementing ER programs because teachers are not trained in
this area, have a teacher-centered view of learning and pressure to complete the regular study programs.
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Other teachers’ concerns are those related to reading control, effective ER testing/evaluation, and the
idea of providing students with meaningful constructive feedback and support (Cote & Milliner, 2015).
ER and Vocabulary
Vocabulary is the foundation of any language. It refers to the collection of single words, phrases, or
chunks that have a specific meaning in someone’s language (Lessard-Clouston, 2013). It is central to
fluent second language use and constitutes the basis for learners to speak, listen, write, and read
(Richards & Renandya, 2002). For Pellicer-Sánchez (2016), vocabulary knowledge includes aspects of
form (spelling, pronunciation, parts of the speech), meaning (definitions, concepts, associations), and
use (grammar, collocations, frequency). Although vocabulary is not the only element in language
learning, communication cannot happen without having a wide range of vocabulary (Mediha & Enisa,
2014). Lee and Mallinder (2017) stated that vocabulary and reading have a reciprocal relationship.
Under this circumstance, reading can provide plenty of opportunities for significant vocabulary growth.
Research on young learners’ vocabulary acquisition has pointed out that kids acquire most of their
vocabulary when they are involved in daily conversations, listen to adults reading, and read extensively
(Griva et. al, 2009). Nagy and Herman (1987) confirmed in their study that ER increases students’ range
of vocabulary. In their investigation, they concluded that children from third to twelfth grade can pick
up at least 3000 words per year by reading extensively. Despite the fact that ER fosters comprehensible
input, some interactionist theorists (Larsen-Freeman & Long, 1991; Swain, 1999) believe that it is
important but not enough. It has been suggested that ER may be combined with speaking and writing
activities. In that way, students not only receive information from what they read but also develop other
productive competencies. Particularly, Min (2008) suggested that by combining ER with appropriate
vocabulary strategies young learners can gain new words more easily.
Vocabulary strategies play a key function in the construction of knowledge in terms of figuring out the
meaning of new words, retention in long-term memory, recalling, comprehension, and production (Griva
et al., 2009). For Grave (2016), teaching students’ word-learning strategies help them to become
autonomous vocabulary learners, and as a result, they might double the words they learn. He listed some
ways that can help students increase their vocabulary competence, some of which included the use of
context clues, word parts, dictionaries, and students’ personal commitment to building their own
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vocabulary. Regarding young learners, Agustín and Barreras (2007) indicated vocabulary development
requires that children understand unknown words and use them correctly.
Hence, teaching should be focused on meaning using concrete materials rather than abstract ones.
Children understand the meaning of new words better by having specific references, including actions,
body language, flashcards, photographs, drawings, or any type of visuals, to easily make connections
and mental representations of new words. Different authors (Jiang, 2014; Mashhadi & Jamalifar, 2015)
agreed that the use of visuals is an effective strategy for enhancing vocabulary acquisition and retention
in young learners.
ER and Virtual Libraries
Today, technology has influenced every aspect of education providing new learning opportunities.
Technological devices and the internet have the potential to redesign and invigorate the teaching and
learning process. Undoubtedly, the internet has affected school libraries, switching them into automatic
virtual ones, and opening up new dimensions for reading. Digital texts have become popular, and
research has shown that they are convenient, effective, and attractive for ER practices and have a positive
influence on learners’ motivation (McBride & Milliner, 2014). For instance, Mesureur (2013) remarked
that students would engage more with ER if they used ebooks or virtual libraries because of their
advantages such as portability, 24-hour access, availability of multimedia features, diversity, and
flexibility.
Nowadays there are free virtual libraries and learning environments available on the internet, one of
these tools is the Edmodo platform. Research about Edmodo has highlighted its efficacy as a virtual
learning environment (VLE) to assist reading (Graham, 2016) and encourage high motivation in EFL
learning (Al-Kathiri, 2015). Kongchan (2013) defined Edmodo as a free, private, and safe learning
platform with similar characteristics as Facebook. This VLE was designed and developed by O’Hara
and Nick Borg in 2008 and it is suitable for students, teachers, and even parents. Teachers can create
and manage students’ accounts. Via this website, they can keep in touch with students by sending and
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receiving messages, providing feedback, making comments, conducting polls, storing content, and
adding files, links, quizzes, assignments, and more (Aji, 2018).
Nevertheless, some experts have stated disadvantages regarding digital reading like fatigue, distraction,
and resistance (Huang, 2013; Milliner & Travis, 2015). Huang (2013), in his research about e-reading,
revealed that the participants complained of “tired eyes”. Additionally, some students showed up still
having the habit of reading traditional paper texts because of the satisfaction of reading until the last
page of the book.
Due to the development of technology, the internet provides teachers with new opportunities to create
virtual environments in order to support language teaching and learning. In this case, Edmodo is a
learning platform suggested to potentiate ER practices in order to encourage young learners to read
extensively a diversity of texts and enhance their vocabulary by implicating visual vocabulary strategies.
More current evidence proposes the implementation of these elements to elucidate and overcome
children’s reading difficulties regarding limited vocabulary.
METHODOLOGY
This study was conceptualized as an action research (AR), a systematic and reflective process conducted
by educators to gain insights into educational issues, teaching practices, and students’ learning outcomes.
AR aims to identify challenges, explore solutions, and propose alternatives to improve learners’
performance and refine pedagogical approaches (Mills, 2003). This framework provided the foundation
for addressing the specific challenge of enhancing basic vocabulary acquisition among young EFL
learners.
To attain the research objectives, a quantitative methodology with a quasi-experimental design was
employed. This approach allowed the researchers to gauge the impact of Extensive Reading (ER) on a
group of students’ vocabulary growth. The quasi-experimental design was particularly suitable for the
educational context, where complete randomization of participants was not feasible due to practical
constraints.
The study involved a total of 21 seventh-grade pupils from a public primary school in Machala, Ecuador.
These participants were selected based on their initial level of language development. Data collection
tools included a pretest and a posttest, which were used to evaluate students’ vocabulary knowledge
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before and after the ER intervention. These tests provided quantitative data on learners’ progress, serving
as a basis for analyzing the effectiveness of the ER and visual vocabulary-enhancement strategies such
as visual organizers, word wizard, Frayel Model, Graffiti, and Word Splash.
Additionally, a focus group discussion was conducted to gather qualitative insights into students’ reading
habits and preferences. This instrument complemented the quantitative data by providing a deeper
understanding of learners’ engagement and attitudes toward reading. The combination of these methods
allowed a more comprehensive evaluation of the intervention’s impact, aligning with the principles of
AR to inform and improve educational practices in English teaching. This mixed-method approach
ensured a holistic understanding of the research problem and its potential solutions.
Participants
A total of 21 pupils from a public primary school participated in this study, specifically, they were seven-
graders. They were mixed-race whose mother tongue was Spanish. Concerning their English proficiency
level, they were beginner language learners (pre-A1) according to the Common European Framework
of Reference (CEFR). No sampling procedures were needed due to the fact that all students took part in
the process.
Instruments
Focus group.
A focus group was used before the intervention to explore students’ reading perceptions, habits, and
preferences. The interview contained eight open-ended questions that helped the researcher create a
tailored virtual library according to students’ needs and interests. Ten interviewees, who were chosen in
a random way, participated in this focus group. Due to the students’ low level of language proficiency,
the entire interview was recorded in Spanish, then it was translated into English. The information was
coded and organized for a better analysis. This qualitative instrument complemented the quantitative
findings and provided valuable insights for designing the virtual library based on students’ personal
needs and interests.
Pre and posttests
To evaluate participants' vocabulary knowledge prior to and following the intervention, Parts 1, 2, and
4 of the Starters Reading and Writing Test, developed by Cambridge University, were administered as
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pretest and posttest measures, respectively. The test comprised 15 items, distributed equally across three
sections, with each section containing five items. The resultant data were initially organized in Microsoft
Excel spreadsheets and subsequently imported into the IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences
(SPSS) software for comprehensive analysis. Descriptive statistics, including minimum and maximum
values, means, and standard deviations, were calculated. The standard deviations of the pretest and
posttest scores were further utilized to compute the effect size, using an online calculator available at
https://lbecker.uccs.edu.
RESULTS
Ten students from the total of participants took part in the focus group interview. The data collected
played a key role in designing the virtual library on Edmodo and understanding students’ habits,
perceptions, and reading interests. Most participants expressed that they found reading enjoyable and
important for learning, especially, when learning a new language. When they were asked about their
preferred genres, the majority indicated they are fond of stories and fairytales. Consequently, the virtual
library was designed to feature a wide variety of texts in these genres. Regarding reading online, 90%
of respondents stated they preferred digital texts over printed ones due to factors such as variety,
accessibility, and affordability. All participants agreed that extensive reading could help them to enhance
their vocabulary, enabling them not only to expand their word knowledge and learn more but also to
communicate better in English. Overall, the students demonstrated a positive outlook toward the
implementation of online extensive reading for practicing vocabulary and reading in English.
Then, to determine the effect of extensive reading on students’ vocabulary, participants completed a
pretest and a posttest. The results are displayed in Table 1:
Table 1 - Descriptive Statistics for the Pretest and Posttest results
N
Minimum
Statistic
Mean
Statistic
Std. Deviation
Statistic
Pretest
21
5.0
8.429
1.6605
Posttest
21
11.0
13.524
1.3645
Total
21
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Table 1 pinpoints a substantial improvement in students' vocabulary performance, as indicated by the
posttest results (M = 13.524, SD = 1.3645) compared to the pretest scores (M = 8.429, SD = 1.6605).
The analysis could reveal a highly significant effect size of Extensive Reading (ER) on vocabulary
acquisition, with a Cohen’s d value of 3.35, underscoring the significance of the intervention’s impact.
Notably, during the intervention, each student read an average of 12 simple texts, demonstrating
consistent engagement with the reading materials and the online reading modality.
An additional critical finding is the role of visual vocabulary strategies (visual organizers, word wizard,
Frayel Model, Graffiti, and Word Splash), which students consistently employed to reinforce their
understanding of new words. The integration of ER with visual aids not only enhanced vocabulary
acquisition but also supported effective retention. The results highlighted the pedagogical value of
combining online ER with supplementary strategies, particularly those leveraging visual elements, to
complement students’ vocabulary learning experiences. ER has been demonstrated to be a flexible
approach with a high potential to foster deeper and sustained lexical development.
DISCUSSION
Vocabulary is fundamental for communication and constitutes the starting point for reading, listening,
speaking, and writing in any language. Vocabulary can be acquired in different ways. However, previous
studies (Nagy & Herman, 1987; Krashen, 1993; Nuttal, 1996; Griva, et al., 2009; Restrepo, 2015; Lee
& Mallinder, 2017) have proved that reading extensively can be used as a mechanism to help learners
to pick up new words and as a result, they increase their vocabulary repertoire. As ER and vocabulary
growth are connected, this study was focused on the development of young learners’ vocabulary through
online ER. As expected, the results of this research demonstrated that this method helped learners to
improve their vocabulary in a significant way. Results of testing clearly showed a large effect size
(Cohen’s d=3.35), which means that this ER and the use of visual aids had a high pedagogical impact
on English instruction. This finding is directly in line with those found in previous studies wherein
authors (Day, 2011; Extensive Reading Foundation, 2011; Krashen, 1993; Nagy & Herman, 1987)
agreed that ER is effective in the development of vocabulary by promoting meaningful and
comprehensible input.
The outcome obtained was probably the result of the utilization of a virtual library in Edmodo (Al-
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Kathiri, 2015; Mesureur, 2013) and the use of visual vocabulary-enhancement strategies to promote
vocabulary comprehension and retention. The use of these vocabulary techniques is consistent with Min
(2008) and Grave (2016), whose research pointed out that vocabulary learning should be complemented
with strategies that allow learners to infer the meaning of the words easily. In the case of young learners,
they acquire vocabulary by having specific references. During the research, ER was accompanied by
visual-vocabulary strategies which helped students to make meaning of new words. This claim ties well
with previous studies (Agustín & Barreras, 2007; Jiang, 2014; Mashhadi & Jamalifar, 2015) and with
what interactionist theorists (Larsen-Freeman & Long, 1991; Swain, 1999) have stated that ER gives
better results when it is combined with other activities that provide a final product, either oral or written.
The difficulties reported by the students matched what Restrepo (2015) said. He mentioned that one
disadvantage of ER is linked to the understanding of words in contexts. Most interviewees mentioned
having the same problem while they were reading.
CONCLUSIONS
The findings of this research clearly demonstrate that Extensive Reading (ER), when implemented
through a virtual library on Edmodo and supplemented with visual vocabulary strategies, significantly
enhances young learners' vocabulary acquisition. The posttest results (M = 13.524, SD = 1.3645)
indicated a marked improvement over the pretest scores (M = 8.429, SD = 1.6605), with a large effect
size (Cohen’s d = 3.35). This highlights the substantial pedagogical impact of combining ER with digital
tools and visual aids. The integration of visual vocabulary strategies, such as visual organizers, the Word
Wizard, and the Frayel Model, played a critical role in reinforcing students’ understanding and retention
of new words.
The focus group interviews provided valuable insights into students’ preferences and attitudes, revealing
that the majority found reading enjoyable and recognized its importance for language learning. A
significant preference for digital texts was noted, attributed to their variety, accessibility, and
affordability. Students favored stories and fairytales, which guided the design of the virtual library,
ensuring it catered to their interests and promoted sustained engagement. Furthermore, students
acknowledged the effectiveness of reading in expanding their vocabulary and improving their ability to
communicate in English.
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Based on these findings, it is recommended that ER be integrated into EFL regular curricula or as a
complementary activity, particularly using digital platforms that can offer learners autonomy in reading
selection. Future implementations should consider expanding the sample size and duration to validate
the results and explore long-term impacts.
This study underscores the value of ER as a flexible, learner-centered strategy for vocabulary
development, aligning with previous research that highlights its effectiveness in promoting meaningful
and comprehensible input. By combining ER with visual and interactive elements, educators can foster
deeper and more sustained lexical growth in young learners. In brief, this work so far has provided good
reasons to deliberate that these pedagogical strategies are worthy to be replicated due to the notable
improvements in children’s vocabulary.
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