Enhancing Students’ English Vocabulary Mastery through Interactive Teaching Methods

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of interactive teaching methods in enhancing students’ English vocabulary mastery at one elementary school in Medan, Indonesia. Vocabulary mastery is one of the fundamental aspects of English language learning because it supports students’ abilities in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. However, many elementary school students still face difficulties in understanding and remembering English vocabulary due to conventional teaching methods that are teacher-centered and less engaging. The study employed a quantitative pre-experimental design using a one-group pre-test and post-test approach. The participants consisted of 17 elementary school students. Data were collected through vocabulary tests administered before and after the implementation of interactive teaching methods. The treatment included educational games, collaborative learning, digital quizzes, visual media, and interactive classroom activities. The findings revealed significant improvement in students’ vocabulary mastery after the treatment. The mean score increased from 8.47 in the pre-test to 32.88 in the post-test. The results indicate that interactive teaching methods positively affect students’ vocabulary learning achievement, participation, and motivation. The study concludes that interactive teaching methods provide meaningful learning experiences that improve vocabulary acquisition among elementary school learners. Therefore, English teachers are encouraged to implement interactive and student-centered learning strategies in vocabulary instruction.