Teacher Perspectives and Classroom Insights on Using Augmented Reality for Vocabulary Instruction in Elementary English Education
Keywords:
Augmented Reality, Vocabulary Acquisition, Elementary English Education, Teacher Perceptions, Classroom EngagementAbstract
The integration of Augmented Reality (AR) into language education has shown promise in enhancing learner engagement and supporting vocabulary development, particularly among young learners. This study investigates how in-service and pre-service elementary English teachers perceive and implement an AR-based language learning tool to facilitate vocabulary instruction. Drawing on qualitative data from teacher interviews and classroom observations, the study addresses two primary research questions: (1) How do teachers perceive and describe the effectiveness of the AR tool in supporting vocabulary acquisition? and (2) What observable changes in student engagement and vocabulary use emerge when the tool is integrated into vocabulary lessons? Findings reveal that both groups of teachers view AR as a motivating and effective medium for vocabulary learning, noting its potential to support multimodal input and contextualized language use. Classroom observations indicate increased student participation, attentiveness, and meaningful vocabulary use during AR-enhanced lessons. The study contributes to the growing body of research on technology-enhanced language learning by highlighting the instructional value of AR and offering practical insights into its integration within elementary English education. Implications include the need for targeted teacher training on AR integration and the development of pedagogically grounded AR tools that align with language learning objectives in early education contexts.References
[1] Sun, D., Chen, Z., & Zhu, S. (2023). What affects second language vocabulary learning? Evidence from multivariate analysis. Frontiers in Education, 8, 1210640. Frontiers Media SA.
[2] Dwihastuti, D. N. (2022). The semantic feature analysis on teaching vocabulary for young learners. Lingua, 18(1), 49–59.
[3] Hutabarat, M. N., & Syafar, A. (2021). The correlation between vocabulary mastery and reading comprehension achievement (A case study). e-Journal of ELTS (English Language Teaching Society), 9(2), 109–119.
[4] Wu, R. (2024). Teaching strategies for vocabulary acquisition in junior high school English language learning. Frontiers in Educational Research, 7(9), 205–210.
[5] Obidovna, D. Z., & Rustambekovich, A. A. (2024). The role of digital technologies in language education: Tools, approaches, and implications. American Journal of Philological Sciences, 4(11), 18–22.
[6] Schorr, I., Plecher, D. A., Eichhorn, C., & Klinker, G. (2024). Foreign language learning using augmented reality environments: A systematic review. Frontiers in Virtual Reality, 5, 01–15.
[7] Idul, M., & Syaiful, S. (2024). Augmented Reality in the classroom: Revolutionizing vocabulary teaching for high school language learners. INSPIRING, 201–221.
[8] Pan, Z., López, M., Li, C., & Liu, M. (2021). Introducing augmented reality in early childhood literacy learning. Research in Learning Technology, 29.
[9] Tyson, M. (2021). Impact of Augmented Reality on Vocabulary Acquisition and Retention. Issues and Trends in Learning Technologies, 9(1), 3–26.
[10] Anuar, S., Nizar, N., & Ismail, M. A. (2021). The impact of using augmented reality as teaching material on students' motivation. Asian Journal of Vocational Education and Humanities, 2(1), 1–8.
[11] Amores-Valencia, A., Burgos, D., & Branch-Bedoya, J. W. (2023). The influence of augmented reality (AR) on the motivation of high school students. Electronics, 12(22), 4715.
[12] Larchen Costuchen, A., Darling, S., & Uytman, C. (2021). Augmented reality and visuospatial bootstrapping for second-language vocabulary recall. Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching, 15(4), 352–363.
[13] Lai, J. Y., & Chang, L. T. (2021). Impacts of augmented reality apps on first graders’ motivation and performance in English vocabulary learning. SAGE Open, 11(4), 21582440211047549.
[14] Binhomran, K., & Altalhab, S. (2021). The impact of implementing augmented reality to enhance the vocabulary of young EFL learners. The JALT CALL Journal, 17(1), 23–44.
[15] Koutromanos, G., & Jimoyiannis, A. (2022). Augmented reality in education: Exploring Greek teachers’ views and perceptions. In International Conference on Technology and Innovation in Learning, Teaching and Education (pp. 31–42).
[16] Kamila, N. (2025). The implementation of vocabulary enrichment through spontaneous speech activity of English courses of Islamic boarding school in Pasuruan (Doctoral dissertation, Universitas Islam Negeri Maulana Malik Ibrahim).
[17] Brooks, G., Clenton, J., & Fraser, S. (2023). Exploring the importance of vocabulary for English as an additional language learners' reading comprehension. In EAL Research for the Classroom (pp. 35–58). Routledge.
[18] Hiebert, E. H. (2020). The core vocabulary: The foundation of proficient comprehension. The Reading Teacher, 73(6), 757–768.
[19] Permana, I. G. Y. (2020). Teaching vocabulary for elementary school students. The Art of Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TATEFL), 1(2), 1–4.
[20] Zai, F. (2023). How subtitles in videos affect Chinese university students’ incidental vocabulary learning?. Research and Advances in Education, 2(8), 13–29.
[21] Hao, T., Wang, Z., & Ardasheva, Y. (2021). Technology-assisted vocabulary learning for EFL learners: A meta-analysis. Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness, 14(3), 645–667.
[22] Bansong, K., & Poopatwiboon, S. (2023). The effects of multimodal teaching on English vocabulary knowledge of Thai primary school students (Doctoral dissertation, Mahasarakham University).
[23] Molenaar, I., Horvers, A., Dijkstra, R., & Baker, R. S. (2020, March). Personalized visualizations to promote young learners' SRL: The learning path app. In Proceedings of the Tenth International Conference on Learning Analytics & Knowledge (pp. 330–339).
[24] Yu, A., & Trainin, G. (2021). A meta-analysis examining technology-assisted L2 vocabulary learning. ReCALL, 34, 235–252. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0958344021000239.
[25] Johler, M., Krumsvik, R. J., Bugge, H. E., & Helgevold, N. (2022, April). Teachers’ perceptions of their role and classroom management practices in a technology-rich primary school classroom. Frontiers in Education, 7, 841385.
[26] Nikou, S. A., Perifanou, M., & Economides, A. A. (2024). Exploring teachers’ competences to integrate augmented reality in education: Results from an international study. TechTrends, 1–14.
[27] Polly, D., Martin, F., & Byker, E. (2023). Examining pre-service and in-service teachers’ perceptions of their readiness to use digital technologies for teaching and learning. Computers in the Schools, 40(1), 22–55.
[28] Wyss, C., & Bäuerlein, K. (2024, December). Augmented reality in the classroom—Mentor teachers’ attitudes and technology use. Virtual Worlds, 3(4), 572–585.
[29] Marques, M. M., & Pombo, L. (2021). Teachers’ experiences and perceptions regarding mobile augmented reality games: A case study of a teacher training. In INTED 2021 Proceedings (pp. 8938–8947).
[30] Vygotsky, L. S., & Cole, M. (1978). Mind in society: Development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University Press.
[31] Mayer, R. E. (1997). Multimedia learning: Are we asking the right questions? Educational Psychologist, 32(1), 1–19.
[32] Creswell, J. W., & Winter, R. J. (2018). Bundle: Creswell: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches 5e + Winter: A Crash Course. Sage Publications, Incorporated.
[33] Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2018). Research Methods in Education. Routledge.
[34] El Shaban, A., & Abobaker, R. (Eds.). (2021). Policies, Practices, and Protocols for the Implementation of Technology into Language Learning. IGI Global.
[35] Mills, K. A., Scholes, L., & Brown, A. (2022). Virtual reality and embodiment in multimodal meaning making. Written Communication, 39(3), 335–369.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Conference Proceedings Volume
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Fitria Rahmawati, Sittie Noffaisah B. Pasandalan
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
