CHAPTER 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

This chapter provides an overview of the related literature and studies that have

provided the researcher the background information of the present work.

Teaching English in the Global Context

Around the world, English language instruction takes place in a range of

circumstances that are influenced by the megatrends of population mobility, global

competition, and technological interconnection. Due to these developments, there is now

a greater need for English as a tool for both personal and societal improvement (Murray,

2018). The educational systems of the world face new challenges in teaching English

language proficiency to the next generation of the knowledge society, since English

language proficiency is now one of the primary tenets of literacy. English has taken on

the role of the global language in the globalized world. However, the continued use of

one of the primary English language varieties for English language instruction and

learning as a foreign language in educational settings is called into question by

developments in the global language system (Smokotin et al., 2017).

In English-medium education, where English is used as a tool for academic study

and professional expertise, it necessitates striking a balance between local and global

considerations, with an emphasis on individual student needs and the larger global

communication landscape. Education in English is intended to increase students'

general and specialized academic knowledge as well as their professional English

proficiency, preparing them to assume leadership roles in the global community. English

is not seen as a subject in and of itself in this setting, but rather as a tool for academic

study. A result of learning academic subject content is the acquisition of English

language proficiency (Taguchi, 2014). As students who speak English as a second

language it could be quiet challenging to attain English Language proficiency. One must
start from learning the fundamental aspects of English language such as learning the

Vocabulary in English.

Vocabulary in English Learning

Students' ability to read, write, talk, and listen better when they have a larger

vocabulary. The amount and breadth of students' vocabulary knowledge determines

their level of English competency. Building language competency and preparing

students for life in the academic world need having a vast vocabulary, particularly in

academic and technical domains (Yunus & Saifudin, 2019). Learning English vocabulary

involves both quantity and quality components. The vocabulary that students can acquire

is one of the components of vocabulary learning. One of the components of high-quality

lexical learning is accurately interpreting word meanings. These three phases will raise

and surpass our current level of English vocabulary proficiency through the acquisition,

qualitative integration, and continuance of vocabulary (Liu, 2018).

According to Wang & Huang (2016) in non-native English speaking nations,

where instruction in the language usually begins in elementary school, expanding one's

vocabulary is regarded as the most essential and fundamental step toward becoming

proficient in the language. English is therefore among the most significant second

languages. Agazzi (2022) added that vocabulary instruction is the foundation of teaching

students English because without it, they would find it difficult to express their ideas and

understand those of others. In teaching vocabulary, different strategies should be

considered to use for vocabulary development.

Strategies in Teaching Vocabulary

Teaching vocabulary in English is a difficult task. Getting children involved in

interesting vocabulary activities is never easy. In the traditional educational process,

there is a noticeable lack of motivation among pupils to further their language proficiency.

When it comes to words they find confusing, they are hesitant to look them up and learn
their meaning. They skip the terms they are unfamiliar with and appear indifferent. The

majority of them are spoon-feeders, content to wait for their professors to clarify and

explain the terms (Sutrisna, 2021).

Numerous inventive approaches have been proposed for vocabulary instruction.

Sutrisna (2021) emphasizes the importance of having fun and keeping occupied. A few

effective tactics are Word Ladders, Flip-a-Chip, and The Ripple Effect. Furthermore,

Anuthama (2011) highlights the use of color, the Word Wall approach, and the Ripple

Effect. Teng (2014) asserts the significance of high-frequency words, targeted training,

and vocabulary acquisition strategies, especially morphological awareness and lexical

inference. According to Zhao and Lornklang (2019), teaching vocabulary to young

learners through the use of picture word inductive approach proved to be beneficial.

They discovered that students' posttest results were much greater than their pretest

results after learning with visual words. They asserted that picture words give students

engaging visual content and inspire inductive reasoning in them (Permana, 2020). There

are several approaches to teaching vocabulary in the digital age, including incorporating

and customizing technology for vocabulary growth.

ICT in Teaching Vocabulary

The ability to use digital technology, communication tools, and/or networks to

identify, access, manage, integrate, analyze, generate, and legally communicate

information toward an informed society is known as information and communication

technology (ICT) literacy (Saripudin et al., 2018). New types of interaction and new

methods of consolidating vocabulary have been made possible by modern technologies,

which have further developed this relatively well-liked approach. Bilová (2018) presented

a group approach for deliberate vocabulary building with Quizlet and Google Docs that

proved successful in legal English courses.

communities, which has changed and disrupted traditional classroom dynamics

(Harshavardhan, Wilson, & Kumar, 2019). Both Alhatmi (2023) and Laloan (2022)

highlight the advantages of digital tools and mobile technology in this procedure. These

assertions are further supported by Zou (2019) and Haidari (2020), who both highlight

the benefits of digital game-based vocabulary acquisition and affirm the substantial

influence of digital technology-mediated education on vocabulary learning. Taken

together, these studies highlight how digital tools can improve vocabulary learning. As a

result, using digital and communicative mediums in language classrooms has become

crucial.

Numerous studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of using technology to

teach vocabulary. According to Shi (2017), memory and vocabulary acquisition can both

be enhanced by computer-assisted instruction (CAI). According to Rahmawati (2020),

students found using TED Talks to teach vocabulary to be very interesting and helpful.

In the area of media studies, in particular, Sarifa (2018) underlined the value of context

cues while teaching professional vocabulary. Constantinescu (2018) emphasized the

mutual connection between reading comprehension and vocabulary knowledge and said

that both can be improved with the help of technology. These studies collectively

underscore the potential of technology in enhancing vocabulary learning. However, it is

indisputable that learning English vocabulary as a non-native speaker presents a

number of challenges for both students and teachers.

Challenges in Teaching of Vocabulary

The acquisition of vocabulary is crucial to learning a second or foreign language.

It is essential for reading comprehension and language learning (Akbarian & Farrokhi,

2021; Nation, 2001). Research has shown a substantial connection between vocabulary

and intelligence. with grammar, writing, listening, and reading (Akbarian et al., 2017;

Schmitt, 2010). According to Kaivanpanah et al. (2021) by reading a lot, students are
more likely to learn new words' meanings and retain them since they come across the

same terms more frequently in other texts. This concurs with Nation (2001), who

contends that students should come across an unfamiliar phrase at least once. 8–10

times is required to master it. Reading can help students learn vocabulary, but it can be

difficult because students must focus on spelling, collocation, pronunciation, and other

aspects of word understanding.

Teachers can use a variety of strategies, including translation, drills, repetition,

drawings, real items, gestures, and dictionaries, to overcome these issues. Sari (2019)

identified time limits, word selection, and inadequate word knowledge as the main

challenges faced by teachers and students when teaching vocabulary in English

language classes (Sari & Wardani, 2019). Many innovations and studies have been

developed in response to the difficulties associated with teaching and learning

vocabulary in order to provide practical answers.

Latest Interventions

People should learn English because it is one of the many languages that are

most frequently spoken by different nations and because it serves as a bridge for

information coming from all over the world (Novanti &Suprayogi, 2021). Studies have

repeatedly demonstrated how well the Memrise app works to teach vocabulary. The

software enhanced vocabulary learning and self-regulation, which raised grades and

motivated students, according to studies by Fathi (2018) and Nuralisah (2020). Kayali

(2021) also emphasized the usage of memes in vocabulary review, implying that creative

approaches can boost vocabulary instruction's efficacy even more.

The study of Novanti &Suprayogi (2021) focuses on the use of Webtoon in

teaching English vocabulary. English is one of the languages utilized by Webtoon for its

comics. The availability of an English-language Webtoon offers ESL students the chance

to advance their language proficiency, particularly in the vocabulary area. This discovery
of a webtoon in Korea is extraordinary; it is attractive because of its colorful design and

attractive animation. Webtoon literally means "website," which means that webtoons are

comics published over the web and optimized for computer or smartphone screens

(Novanti &Suprayogi, 2021). Studies and developments like these demonstrated that

vocabulary instruction with memes was a possible tool in English.

Memes as a Pedagogical Tool in English

A growing corpus of research has examined using digital humor in the form of

Internet memes as a novel strategy to boost learners' motivation and engagement, as

memes have become pervasive and ingrained in popular culture and the Internet

(Altukruni, 2022d). Memes can boost motivation, engagement, and interest in the subject

matter as well as improve retention and comprehension of new concepts in EFL/ESL

classrooms, according to research by Altukruni (2022) and Atyaksheva (2023). Sorte

(2020) and Firsova (2022) underscored the potential for memes to foster critical and

reflective thinking abilities, especially in the context of literature studies and primary

school teacher training. The combined findings of these studies point to the potential

value and efficacy of memes as a teaching technique for English.

Putting forth the idea of using memes in the classroom is cognizant, according

to Glaveanu, Saint-Laurent and Literat (2018), memes have a strong intertextual ethos

since they use images from mainstream media and try to remix or recombine them to

create new, frequently subversive meanings. Although they may have "stupid forms and

contents," they allegedly conceal symbolic values that are ingrained in a nuanced

cultural environment.

Memes have been shown to have a significant positive impact on student

learning and motivation when used in vocabulary development (Nuralisah, 2020);

similarly, Kayali (2021) discovered that employing memes for vocabulary revision

increased students' vocabulary recall. Tammi and Altukruni (2022) highlight the
educational potential of memes, with Tammi focusing on their application in

environmental education and Altukruni on their influence on language acquisition.

Studies have indicated that using memes in the classroom can be a helpful strategy for

boosting student engagement and improving the educational process.

Students can share their own memes with their peers and examine them using

Shifman's (2013) dimensions of this particular genre as the first option for teaching

through memes. Remixing is the second option for utilizing memes in education. Memes

that already exist and are based on the larger perspective that writing is a multimodal

practice (Boa, 2018). The third potential method of utilizing memes for education is

based on Political memes in Chagas's works (Chagas, 2018).

Learning and becoming proficient in English vocabulary is a vital part of this

language journey. One cannot stress the importance of having a strong vocabulary

because it is the foundation for all language proficiency. In order to solve the difficulties

encountered in vocabulary learning, a variety of strategies—from conventional

techniques to cutting-edge methods like Word Ladders, Flip-a-Chip, and the use of

technology—are used.

With the ability to connect humor, culture, and education, memes in particular

prove to be effective teaching tool. Studies show that memes have a major impact on

students' motivation, learning, and comprehension, which makes them an invaluable tool

to have in the toolbox of instructional techniques. More options include studying political

memes in the classroom, creating original memes, and remixing already-existing memes

by students.

In addition to being in step with the current cultural zeitgeist, memes have shown

to be an engaging and successful teaching method for fostering language acquisition

and critical thinking. To influence the language future of our global learners, we must

navigate this challenging terrain by combining tradition and innovation.