Pedagogies in Teaching Fourth Grade Vocabulary in Diffun 1 District, Schools Division of Quirino
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55687/ste.v5i3.508Abstract
This qualitative study explored the contextualized vocabulary pedagogies employed by Grade 4 English teachers and examined their instructional experiences in implementing vocabulary instruction in public elementary schools in Diffun I District, Schools Division of Quirino, Philippines. Grounded in Constructivist Learning Theory and Contextualized Language Instruction, the study utilized a qualitative phenomenological research design to understand teachers’ lived experiences, instructional approaches, and pedagogical reflections. Twelve Grade 4 English teachers participated through purposive sampling. Data were gathered using semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and document analysis of instructional materials and lesson plans. Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis guided the interpretation of data. Findings revealed four major themes: (1) contextualized and culturally responsive vocabulary instruction, (2) experiential and interactive vocabulary learning strategies, (3) multilingual scaffolding and learner engagement, and (4) instructional constraints and adaptive teaching practices. Teachers emphasized the importance of connecting vocabulary lessons to learners’ local experiences, cultural realities, and community language practices to improve comprehension and participation. Interactive pedagogies such as storytelling, role-playing, visual aids, and contextual sentence construction enhanced learner engagement and retention. However, teachers encountered challenges related to limited instructional resources, varying learner proficiency, and insufficient contextualized materials. The study highlights the significance of localized vocabulary pedagogies in strengthening English language acquisition in rural educational settings. Findings contribute to the growing discourse on culturally responsive English instruction and provide implications for curriculum enhancement, teacher training, and contextualized instructional material development in Philippine basic education.
References
Alberto, R. B., & Gabinete, M. K. (2021). Contextualized teaching and learning practices in Philippine basic education. Asian Journal of Education and Social Studies, 18(2), 45–56.
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101.
Gay, G. (2018). Culturally responsive teaching: Theory, research, and practice (3rd ed.). Teachers College Press.
Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. Prentice Hall.
Lucas, R. I., & Villegas, A. M. (2019). Preparing linguistically responsive teachers in multilingual contexts. Journal of Teacher Education, 70(4), 321–334.
Mendoza, J. C., & Torres, A. P. (2022). Vocabulary instruction and learner engagement in multilingual classrooms. International Journal of Language Education, 6(1), 44–58.
Richards, J. C. (2020). Teaching vocabulary in language classrooms. Cambridge University Press.
Tomlinson, B. (2019). Materials development for language learning and teaching. Cambridge University Press.
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University Press.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Studies in Technology and Education
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
License Terms
All articles published in Studies in Technology and Education (STE) are freely accessible under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
This license grants users the right to read, download, copy, distribute, and link to the full texts for non-commercial purposes, provided that appropriate credit is given and that the original work remains unaltered and unchanged.
This article is made available in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
