THE EFFECTIVENESS OF DUOLINGO IN ENHANCING ENGLISH VOCABULARY THROUGH READING AMONG PRATHOMSUKSA 6 STUDENTS AT WAT RONG-OR SCHOOL, CHIANG MAI PROVINCE
คำสำคัญ:
Duolingo, English Vocabulary, Reading-Based Learning, Prathomsuksa 6 Students, Educational Technologyบทคัดย่อ
The objectives of this study were (1) to compare Prathomsuksa 6 students’ English vocabulary knowledge before and after learning through Duolingo-based reading activities and (2) to examine students’ perceptions and attitudes toward learning English vocabulary through the Duolingo application. An explanatory sequential mixed-methods design was employed. The quantitative phase utilized a one-group pretest-posttest design involving 35 Prathomsuksa 6 students at Wat Rong-Or School, Chiang Mai Province. The qualitative phase involved 12 purposively selected student informants representing different achievement levels and gender groups. Research instruments included a 50-item English vocabulary test, the Duolingo application as the intervention tool, and semi-structured interview questions. The vocabulary test demonstrated acceptable content validity (IOC = 0.60–1.00) and reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = .723). Quantitative data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, paired-samples t-test, and Cohen’s dz effect size analysis, while qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis.
The findings revealed that students’ English vocabulary knowledge improved after participating in the Duolingo-based reading activities. The mean pre-test score was 40.97 (SD = 11.19), whereas the mean post-test score increased to 54.74 (SD = 12.40). The paired-samples t-test indicated a statistically significant difference between the pre-test and post-test scores (t = -23.81, p < .05). The effect size analysis revealed a very large effect (Cohen’s dz = 4.02). The qualitative findings further indicated that students held positive perceptions toward the Duolingo application. Students reported increased motivation through gamification features, improved vocabulary understanding through reading contexts, and greater confidence in learning English. The findings suggest that Duolingo-based reading activities may support English vocabulary development among primary-level learners in rural educational contexts.
เอกสารอ้างอิง
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