Word Instruction Techniques in Saudi EFL Classrooms: Their Use and Perceived Usefulness by Teachers

Abstract

In EFL classes, teachers utilize a variety of word instruction techniques to help their students discover as well as retain new target words. A questionnaire on word instruction techniques was administered online to 87 Saudi EFL teachers representing the three school levels in Saudi Arabia (i.e., primary, intermediate, and high) with the purpose of probing into their use of the various techniques and how useful they viewed those techniques. The results indicate that whereas the techniques of providing an L1 Arabic translation of the word, repeating the word out loud and then having students repeat it afterward, and writing the word on the board were the three most favorable to our participant teachers, having students draw word maps related to the target word, using non-textbook supplemental materials, and explaining the origin of the word (i.e., etymology) were the least used ones. Moreover, teachers reported employing more discovery techniques than consolidation ones. In terms of school level, no significant differences existed in teachers’ use of the various word instruction techniques across the three different school levels. Finally, although the teachers’ reported use of the techniques generally matched the usefulness ratings they provided for those techniques, some exceptions emerged. Implications for the study findings on L2 pedagogy were ultimately provided.