Supporting Vocabulary Learning Through Guided Reading Aloud in An EFL Junior High School Classroom

Abstract

This study explored the use of guided Reading Aloud as a classroom approach for supporting English vocabulary learning among seventh-grade students at SMP Muhammadiyah 1 Palu. The study responded to a classroom need in which learners showed limited vocabulary knowledge and difficulty engaging with English texts. A quantitative pre-experimental design with a one-group pre-test–post-test structure was used. Seven seventh-grade students were selected purposively. Data were collected through written vocabulary tests administered before and after the instructional intervention, supported by classroom documentation. Because the sample was small, the Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to examine the paired scores. The results showed that the group mean rose from 51.50 on the pre-test to 65.93 on the post-test, giving an average gain of 14.43 points. Six students recorded higher post-test scores, whereas one student showed a very small decline. The Wilcoxon analysis indicated a statistically significant difference between the two measurements (Z = −2.197, p = .031), with an estimated effect size of r = .83. The pattern suggests that guided oral reading may create useful opportunities for learners to repeatedly encounter vocabulary, connect written forms with pronunciation, and process words in context. However, the findings should be interpreted cautiously because the study involved only seven students and did not include a control group or a delayed retention measure. The study therefore presents Reading Aloud as a practical and promising classroom approach for vocabulary instruction in a lower-secondary EFL setting, while recommending larger and controlled studies to establish its effectiveness more robustly.