Multimodality and Vocabulary Acquisition: Teachers’ Practices and Perspectives

Abstract

Enhancing language proficiency involves a focus on vocabulary within the contemporary classroom, which is now enriched by digitalization and a diverse array of multimedia resources. Teachers’ conceptualizations influence their instructional methods, underscoring the importance of examining their perspectives regarding vocabulary and multimodal approaches to vocabulary instruction. Despite this influence, there is limited focus in teacher cognition studies on vocabulary, with even fewer integrating these with classroom observations. This master’s thesis employs methodological triangulation to examine the practices of Norwegian EFL teachers across primary and upper secondary levels, exploring how their utilization of multimodal approaches in vocabulary instruction impacts pupils’ vocabulary acquisition. Through interviewing and observing the classrooms of three teachers, their insights regarding vocabulary knowledge, vocabulary instruction and learning, and multimodal approaches were analyzed. The study reveals a reliance on multimodal approaches, blending implicit and explicit teaching techniques. The teachers utilized visual, auditory, and tactile modalities to engage pupils and foster deeper comprehension of vocabulary. Notably, the teachers demonstrated a nuanced grasp of word knowledge, acknowledging its multifaceted nature and advocating for a balanced mix of instructional approaches, encompassing both implicit and explicit methods alongside multimodal techniques. The findings underscore the necessity for teachers to approach EFL instruction with an understanding of the complexity of word knowledge and prioritize the integration of multimodal elements to accommodate diverse learning styles and enhance pupil engagement.

Key words: classroom observation, teacher cognition, vocabulary acquisition, vocabulary knowledge, vocabulary instruction, EFL vocabulary, multimodality, multimodal literacy, multimodal pedagogy