The Effectiveness of WhatsApp in Vocabulary Learning

Abstract

Vocabulary is the backbone and prominent feature in language acquisition. Limited vocabulary causes a major breakdown in both written and oral communication which inflicts inefficiency among Malaysian students despite being exposed to the vocabulary for more or less than 11 years. In order to tackle students’ eagerness to acquire vocabulary, teachers are to be creative and aware of the current changes in the teaching and learning process. The mushrooming of technologies including mobile phones has provided students with learning mobility in recent years and has a great influence in the education field. The use of instant messaging mobile applications has become an epidemic among generation Z (Gen-Z). The current study attempts to explore the effect of WhatsApp in assisting tertiary level students to learn vocabulary. A quasi – experimental study was employed which lasted for six weeks with the participation of Psychology students from a private educational institution. The participants were given a vocabulary pre-test before receiving vocabulary instruction via WhatsApp. Later, they sat for a post-vocabulary test. The t-test results indicated that WhatsApp had a significant effect on assisting students to learn vocabulary. It is clear that WhatsApp has a wide range of possibilities in class that needs further exploration.