The application of WEIBO media for English vocabulary learning of grade 7 Chinese students in Hubei Province, China

Abstract

This quasi-experimental study investigated whether the application of Weibo media improved Grade 7 Chinese students’ English vocabulary skill and their satisfaction in learning English vocabulary. The sample group consisted of 30 Chinese students studying in Grade 7 in Hubei Province, China. The data were collected through the use of six lesson plans, pretest and posttest as well as questionnaire, and analyzed using descriptive statistics analysis and paired-sample t-test. The data collection lasted for six weeks with the teaching experiment which was carried out online. The results obtained from the pretest and posttest revealed that the students in a sample group improved their English vocabulary skill with the score of posttest (x̅=20.53, SD=4.13) and the score of pretest (x̅=13.57, SD=4.55), resulting in the mean difference of 6.96 points. The data collected from the questionnaire demonstrated that all items on the questionnaire were rated in a high level. Most students in a sample group expressed positive satisfaction towards the application of Weibo media in learning English vocabulary. This study has proved that the use of Weibo media sheds light to an alternative effective way of learning English vocabulary. In other words, this may be considered as an option for English language teachers in China and everywhere