Comparing Content and Paralinguistic Cues in Enhancing Vocabulary Retention Across Different Themes Among Young Learners

Abstract

This study explored the use of two types of instructional cues in vocabulary teaching verbal plus content-related nonverbal cues, and verbal plus paralinguistic-related nonverbal cues and how these cues affected vocabulary retention among young learners. This study also aimed to examine young learners’ vocabulary retention based on two themes: profession and physical appearance. The study employed a pre-experimental design with a within-subject repeated measures design involving 35 lower-grade elementary school students, who experienced both types of instructional cues. Vocabulary retention was measured using pre-tests and post-tests, while classroom observations were conducted to examine students’ engagement during the learning process. These instruments were used to triangulate data and provide both quantitative and qualitative insights into the students’ responses to each instructional cue. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS 20 to compare the two instructional cues and vocabulary themes, while observation data supported the interpretation of learning behaviors. The results showed that paralinguistic-related nonverbal cues such as gestures, facial expressions, and intonation were associated with higher levels of vocabulary retention and students’ engagement compared to content-related cues like using pictures. It can be said that verbal plus paralinguistic related nonverbal was more effective than verbal plus content related nonverbal. Students appeared more attentive, responsive, and confident when exposed to dynamic and expressive cues. Additionally, vocabulary related to professions was more easily retained than physical appearance, possibly due to its familiarity and more concrete representations. These findings suggest that multimodal instructional strategies and interactive instructional cues, especially those involving embodied communication provide meaningful support for vocabulary learning among young learners. The insights from this study can inform educators in designing contextually engaging and developmentally appropriate vocabulary instruction.