Explicit Vocabulary Instruction: Effects of Vocabulary Learning on Form Two ESL Learners

Per its English curriculum, vocabulary instruction is only integrated indirectly in the teaching of reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills in Malaysian schools. ESL learners then may overlook the variety of meanings that a word and its spelling can offer. This research aims to describe the effects of the explicit approach of vocabulary instruction on 30 Form Two (eighth grade) students from a suburban school in Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia. A descriptive style was adopted, and specific vocabulary lessons were used to help students learn the target words. Using descriptive statistics, vocabulary preand post-test scores were analysed and compared to determine the impact of this approach. The frequency counts, percentages, mean scores, and standard deviation of the students’ evaluation form responses were analysed. Content analysis was used to transcribe, classify, and categorise qualitative data from the interview session. According to the data, the students’ vocabulary scores increased dramatically in the post-test, with a mean gap of 21.9. The students were * Corresponding author, email: haniff.tahir@fbk.upsi.edu.my Citation in APA style: Tahir, M. H. M., Shah, D. S. M., Shak, M. S. Y., Albakri, I. S. M. A., & Adnan, A H. M. (2021). Explicit vocabulary instruction: Effects of vocabulary learning on Form Two ESL learners. Studies in English Language and Education, 8(3), 1227-1247. Received January 17, 2021; Revised July 6, 2021; Accepted July 19, 2021; Published Online September 16, 2021 https://doi.org/10.24815/siele.v8i3.19539 M. H. M. Tahir, D. S. M. Shah, M. S. Y. Shak, I. S. M. A. Albakri & A. H. M. Adnan, Explicit vocabulary instruction: Effects of vocabulary learning on Form Two ESL learners | 1228 also enthusiastic about the teacher’s instructions (M=4.48, SD=0.64) and vocabulary lessons (M=4.34, SD=0.59). It is suggested that the explicit approach of vocabulary instruction, which engages students in exciting vocabulary learning techniques as employed by this study could enhance their vocabulary knowledge.


INTRODUCTION
One of the most important aspects of English language acquisition is vocabulary development. The more English words or vocabulary students can acquire, the higher their chances of success in learning and understanding English, as vocabulary plays a fundamental role in language learning. Insufficient vocabulary will cause understanding issues and prevent effective communication. To understand and use words effectively, students should be introduced to vocabulary repeatedly by using suitable methods (Tahir, Albakri, Adnan, & Karim, 2020). Teachers, therefore, need to adopt different strategies and techniques to manage unfamiliar words effectively when teaching their students. This includes the use of visual aids, repeated exposure to words, collaborative practices, and structured reading materials.
In addition, successful acquisition of vocabulary has also been linked to successful reading. Students with a low level of vocabulary appear to have little understanding of what they have read and students who reach adequate or high standards tend to have satisfying or high levels of reading understanding. Hence, teachers should demonstrate different and enjoyable methods in their classes for children who have difficulties in acquiring vocabulary by themselves (Akdogan, 2018).

Problem Statement
One of the goals of the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013-2025 (MEB) is to nurture skilled individuals who work well in a globalized economy, in which the international language of communication is English. This is to help Malaysian graduates to secure better jobs. English in addition is the main language of business and for individuals to join a global workforce, it is required for them to speak good English (Shrestha et al., 2018). By looking at this situation, highly efficient English teachers should always be fresh, introduce new ideas and changes, test new things, and be unique to make a huge difference in their students' education and future (Shrestha et al., 2018).
English teachers need to teach English reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills as well as its grammar and sound system (Tahir & Mohtar, 2016). For the students to excel in these skills, they need to first enhance their English vocabulary, for instance through an explicit vocabulary learning approach as they lead to a better understanding of what a word means and how it is appropriately used. However,  observed that teachers in schools have taught English vocabulary implicitly alongside its grammar and sound system, as it is believed that teaching vocabulary is not necessary because learners could acquire words naturally (Gusti, 2014). This situation has presented teachers and learners with several issues. In terms of vocabulary teaching, teachers are always torn between presenting the form (orthography and pronunciation) of a word or its meaning first (Das, 2018). Bassetti and Atkinson (2015) for example, have conducted a study to measure the impacts of orthographic English word forms on spoken language development with the different levels of orthographic and phonological inputs of English segments, morphemes, and words with a group of pre-service English language teachers. The participants were found to be influenced by the orthographic form of a word, for instance, by adding sounds corresponding to the silent letter in the spelling of the word in which the silent letter in English word usually goes unpronounced (Mahapatra, 2017). It may then make it difficult for the students to correctly write a word if they fail to pronounce it well. Furthermore, it was reported by Ashrafzadeh and Nimehchisalem (2015) that Malaysian tertiary learners were having difficulties in using English vocabulary in their writing, which indicated that these learners "might need interventions that focus on their vocabulary knowledge and skills" (p. 290).
It is therefore recommended that appropriate vocabulary learning programs or training be implemented as an intervention in schools to help students in enhancing their vocabulary knowledge and overall language learning (Nezhad & Shokrpour, 2012). This echoes Moody et al. (2018) who discovered that vocabulary knowledge has supported critical skills in literature such as letter-sound skills, decoding, and morphological awareness in a formal reading course while illustrating the importance of vocabulary in English language learning. After all, inadequate vocabulary will prevent students from understanding or communicating their ideas more effectively. To the best of the researchers' knowledge, limited studies have critically examined the issues underlying vocabulary instruction in Malaysia (Musa et al., 2012), while over the past few years also, the interest in vocabulary learning and instruction has been high and intense, and at other times low and neglected (Berne & Blachowicz, 2008). Undoubtedly, this calls for a reassessment of the methods of English vocabulary instruction, particularly in Malaysia.

Research Aims, Objectives, and Questions
This study attempts to emphasise the relevance of explicit vocabulary instruction in Malaysian classrooms for vocabulary development among Form Two students (eighth grade of junior high school). It also intends to investigate the learners' preferred English vocabulary learning method(s) in schools. Moreover, it seeks to understand how the learners have perceived the explicit method of vocabulary learning and how this method has improved their vocabulary knowledge. Based on these aims, these research objectives are presented: 1. To investigate the effects of using the explicit method of vocabulary learning with Form Two learners. 2. To find out whether the use of the explicit method of vocabulary learning has been helpful or not, as perceived by Form Two learners.
In line with the objectives, the study is to answer these two research questions: 1. How effective is the use of the explicit method of vocabulary learning for Form Two learners? 2. What is the Form Two learners' perceptions of the explicit method of vocabulary learning?

LITERATURE REVIEW
ESL teachers generally hold a favourable opinion about the use of an explicit method of vocabulary instruction. Lu (2017) for example, observed 25 ESL postgraduate students in a Midwest university in the United States, who also happen to be ESL teachers, on their preferred vocabulary teaching method. These teachers claimed that they have a more positive attitude towards explicit vocabulary instruction through approaches like Grammar Translation Method, Rote Memorization, Direct Method, and Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) to a certain extent. These teachers argued that even though approaches like CLT are commonly known as a more implicit approach to language teaching as language is taught through a specific context, the vocabulary involved in that context should be exposed explicitly first to the students.
Several empirical investigations have revealed the potential benefits of explicit vocabulary instructional strategies. Hennebry et al. (2017), for example, compared the use of explicit vocabulary teaching after listening activities in the teaching of French as a second language to a group of Year 9 students to a control group with no explicit vocabulary teaching after listening activities. They found that the explicit teaching groups outperformed the listening-only groups in terms of vocabulary increases in both recognition and recall.
In Way Ahead classrooms at Ngoi Nha Thong Thai Elementary School in Vietnam, Luu (2012) explored whether games impact young learners' vocabulary retention. The experimental group and the control group were chosen at random from two classes. The experimental group was given games to help them remember words, whereas the control group was given exercises without games. The independent t-test was used to compare the mean scores of the pre-and post-tests. During the immediate and delayed retention stages, the experimental group outperformed the control group in recollecting words.
On the other hand, Kameli et al. (2012) studied the impact of a formal language learning setting (classroom, teachers, and peers) on vocabulary acquisition techniques among ESL students enrolled in the Universiti Putra Malaysia's Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) programme (UPM). This study focused on explaining how vocabulary learning strategies of ESL students were interfered with the school environments and mediating agents. To match the qualitative research method, the data was gathered through in-depth interviews which were analysed by using open coding and comparative methods. The findings of this study revealed that teaching techniques, degree of support students received, classmates' negative and positive behaviours, classroom activities, and textbooks all had a substantial impact on students' choice of vocabulary learning approaches in school.
Meanwhile, Yorke et al. (2018) examined the influence of explicit vocabulary teaching on the acquisition of receptive academic vocabulary for children with complex communication needs over the course of many shared reading sessions. Autism spectrum condition, developmental delay, and a unique genetic disorder are among the complicated communication demands. They discovered that all three youngsters had effectively learned 10 academic vocabulary items and had kept their information for at least one month. This clearly demonstrates that specific language training may be beneficial to children with exceptional difficulties.

Materials and Instruments
The pre-test, explicit vocabulary instruction, post-test, Student's Evaluation Form, and interview were all employed in the study. The pre-test is used to determine the participants' first vocabulary score. In the pre-test, participants were given 15 short reading texts in which the sentences contained synonyms or phrases with the same meaning as the target items. The 15 distinct read texts were given 45 multiple-choice questions, each with three questions. All 45 multiple-choice questions were to be answered within 30 minutes by the participants. They were kept in the dark about the subsequent explicit vocabulary courses and the post-test to ensure they did not pay any more attention than necessary to the vocabulary that appeared on the pre-test. This is done to verify that the tests are accurate.
Pictorial Vocabulary, Crossword Puzzles, Frayer Model, K. I. M. Strategy, Making Meaning, Wordsplash, Vocabulary Anchors, Vocabulary Cartoons, Vocabulary Frames, and Spelling were used in ten sessions of vocabulary teaching for Form Two students. These courses were created to assist participants in learning the target words using an explicit approach.
The purpose of the post-test is to calculate the participants' final score. The posttest had the same items as the pre-test, but the sentences were rearranged to discourage learners from submitting pre-test replies that they had memorised. The pre-and posttests are tools used to assess the learners' progress in learning the target words and evaluate whether they differ substantially.
The Student's Evaluation Form was sent to find out the participants' thoughts. They were to circle numbers ranging from 1 to 5 to reflect their replies to each sentence (1 for 'totally disagree', 2 for 'disagree', 3 for 'neither agree nor disagree', 4 for 'agree', and 5 for 'totally agree'). Furthermore, the reliability analysis was compared to Cronbach Alpha's internal consistency analysis to ensure its accuracy.
The interview with Form Two students was performed to explain the results of the questionnaire and to add to the quantitative data obtained earlier. Personal impressions, experiences, opinions, preferences, and thoughts of the participants are discussed in relation to the subjects covered in this interview. A tape recorder was used to record the interview session. The researchers then transcribed the audio into textual form for documentation reasons.

Participants
A group of 30 Form Two students from Ipoh, Perak participated in this research. Cohen and Manion (1994) reported that for statistical research, a minimum sample size of 30 is generally considered to be sufficient. These individuals had a limited command of the English language. With a lack of ability to understand words (Stanovich, 1992), poor listening skills (Gough & Hillinger, 1980), and syntactic interpretation, restricted awareness, and vocabulary capacities, learners are said to be at high risk of academic failure (Wiseheart et al., 2009). A convenient sampling procedure had been done to select participants of 15 male and 15 female students, aged 14 years old, and had given their consent before participating in this study.

Research Procedure and Data Collection
Before the process, the researchers prepared a list of 45 words that needed to be learnt. For a vocabulary pre-test, all participants were seated. The target vocabulary was introduced to the students using the Pictorial Vocabulary worksheet for the first session, which was followed by nine more vocabulary sessions. Pictorial Vocabulary, Crossword Puzzles, Frayer Model, K. I. M. Strategy, Making Meaning, Wordsplash, Vocabulary Anchors, Vocabulary Cartoons, Vocabulary Frames, and Spelling were used to split the vocabulary instructions into ten explicit vocabulary lesson sessions. Following all of the vocabulary lessons, the participants were given the Student's Evaluation Form to examine their perceptions of the vocabulary lesson utilising these explicit techniques. All of the participants took an instantaneous recall test (post-test) that consisted of 45 predefined target words that the researchers had identified following the last English class. The objective of the post-test is to demonstrate their comprehension of a word's meaning through multiple-choice questions as well as their capacity to actively retain a word in context.

Data Analysis Method
The data collected from the pre-and post-tests, Student Evaluation Form and interviews were analysed and compared quantitatively as well as qualitatively. Creswell (2003) mentioned that collecting quantitative and qualitative data is claimed to be under pragmatic grounds which can be consequence-oriented, problem-centred, and pluralistic. In order to comprehend research challenges, it entails gathering data concurrently or sequentially as part of the inquiry techniques. The data collection process also includes gathering both numerical and text data so that the final database has both quantitative and qualitative data.

Quantitative Data Analysis Process
The statistical programme SPSS version 25 was used to deal with the quantitative data. The data gathered from the questionnaire (Student's Evaluation Form) was examined descriptively in terms of the frequency count, percentage, mean, and standard deviation of replies for each item, in addition to the vocabulary scores (pre-and post-tests). The participants' degree of agreement was not transformed to scores for the concern that the scores might be less reliable. The participants provided their responses through these forms for the researchers to obtain the quantitative data that could represent the participants.

Qualitative Data Analysis Process
In terms of qualitative data, an interview session was held to obtain more information about the students' experiences and perspectives of learning the target words. The students' replies to the interview were categorised or coded based on the researchers' suggested categories or themes. This interview was conducted with selected students where they provided their responses verbally as the interview was also recorded and transcribed by the researchers. This has enabled the researchers to receive rich data qualitatively and it was used to clarify the findings from the quantitative data.

Findings from the pre-and post-tests
To determine the impacts of the explicit approach of vocabulary learning to Form Two students, the scores of the pre-and post-tests based on the performance of the learners were determined. Both scores were then converted to their mean scores to confirm that they were both valid and reliable. The overall improvement score was determined by comparing the subjects' pre-and post-test results. Table 1 shows the mean score of the students, their total percentage improvement score, and the standard deviation of the pre-and post-test scores. The descriptive data for the pre-and post-tests are shown in Table 1. M = 16.7 is the mean score for the learners' pre-test. The post-test mean score is M = 38.6, and the outcome is impacted by the learners' new knowledge of the target vocabulary acquired through the explicit vocabulary method. Between the learners' pre-and posttests, there is a 21.9 improvement (M difference). Furthermore, the overall improvement score has increased by 131.1%.
Additionally, the results of the pre-and post-tests were compared. Table 2 shows the findings (improve, decline, and the same score). It depicts a comparison of the learners' pre-and post-test scores (improve, decline, or the same score). It was demonstrated that after using the explicit vocabulary method to acquire the target words, all learners (100%) were able to increase their results. This demonstrates the effectiveness of utilising the explicit vocabulary method to acquire the target words for Form Two students since all of their Post-test scores have improved.

Findings from the Student's Evaluation Form
The participants were asked to answer the questionnaire of the Students' Evaluation Form. The items included in the form involved three main aspects such as their perceptions towards the vocabulary lessons, their personal experience, and their teacher's instructions. The participants' responses were analysed according to the items in each category. The analysis of the responses for the Student's Evaluation Form is shown in Tables 3, 4, and 5. Table 3 displays the results of the analysis of the Student's Evaluation Form in terms of the participants' perceptions towards the vocabulary lessons. About 67% of the participants (20 learners) agreed with item 2 that the 'vocabulary hand-outs were easy to read and understand'. The same number of participants also agreed with item 6 where 'the target words were learned at a suitable level and pace'. Besides that, more than half of the respondents, 18 learners (60%) totally agreed with item 4 indicating that 'the vocabulary lessons were very interesting'. However, there are few learners (three learners), which is 10% of the participants who disagreed with item 5 which stated that 'the vocabulary tests/quizzes are relevant to the target words learned during class'. The mean percentage for the 'totally agree' response is about 40% and the 'agree' response is about 57%. This indicates that almost all the participants totally agreed and agreed with the items listed concerning the vocabulary lessons. Moreover, the mean scores of the learners' responses are also at a high level (M = 3.668 to 5.000) with a standard deviation of less than 1.000 for all items. Therefore, it could be said that the learners demonstrated positive feedback in terms of their perceptions.   Table 4 shows the results of the analysis of the Student's Evaluation Form in terms of the participants' perceptions of their personal experience. Referring to item 1, 'I know more words in English after learning vocabulary in class', most of the learners (21 learners) which is 70% of them have totally agreed with it. Another 20 learners (about 67%) also totally agreed with item 9 ('it is helpful to discuss the target words in a group or with their partners'). Moreover, 19 learners (about 63%) each agreed with items 2, 3, and 6. These learners agreed that they liked learning the new words through vocabulary lessons, they wanted to participate in more vocabulary lessons in the future and they could also memorize the new words faster and better after learning the target words through the explicit vocabulary method.  Only a small percentage of participants which is about 13% (4 learners) disagreed with item 7 ('the vocabulary lessons were beneficial and met their expectations'). Another one learner (about 3%) totally disagreed with item 12 indicating that he or she understood the use of the target words according to a different context. The mean percentage for the 'totally agree' response is about 45% and the 'agree' response is about 49%. This demonstrates that almost all participants totally agreed and agreed with the items listed related to their personal experience. Besides that, the mean scores of the learners' responses are also at a high level (M = 3.668 to 5.000) with a standard deviation of less than 1.000 for all items. Thus, the participants have had good experiences in terms of learning the target words by using the explicit method of vocabulary instructions. Table 5 reveals the results of the analysis of the Student's Evaluation Form in terms of the participants' perceptions in relation to the teacher's instruction while using the explicit vocabulary method. Most of the participants (22 learners) which is about 73%, totally agreed on item 1 implying that the teacher provided feedback related to the student's work on vocabulary regularly. More than half of the participants (19 learners) or about 63% also totally agreed with the item the indicating that the teacherguided and explained when they had a problem in understanding the target words. In addition, the same number of participants (19 learners) or about 63% totally agreed with item 5, 'The teacher facilitates my understanding of the target words'. Moreover, about 67% of the participants (20 learners) agreed on item 2 which stated the teacher's instructions and teaching of the target words were clear. Half of the participants (15 learners or 50%) agreed on item 7, illustrating that the teacher was aware of the students' level of vocabulary knowledge. On the other hand, there is only one learner (about 3%) who totally disagreed with items 2 and 3. This shows that he or she totally disagreed with the statement, 'the teacher's instructions and teaching of the target words are clear' and 'the teacher guides and explains when I have a problem in understanding the target words'. The mean percentage for the 'totally agree' response is about 54% and the 'agree' response is about 41%. This proves that many of the participants totally agreed and agreed with the items listed regarding the teacher's instruction. In addition, the mean scores of the learners' responses are also at a high level (M = 3.668 to 5.000) with a standard deviation of less than 1.000 for all items. Hence, the participants did have a positive point of view in terms of the teacher's instruction while using the explicit vocabulary method.

Findings from the interview
Ten students among the participants were selected to be interviewed. All of them are 14 years old, consisting of five male and five female students. In terms of language proficiency, all of them have a low level of language proficiency which means they have very limited knowledge of English.

(1) Responses related to the vocabulary lessons (a) Most favourite vocabulary lesson and the reasons
Half of the students (five out of ten students) stated that Spelling is their most favourite vocabulary lesson. This is because they were able to learn many words through the Spelling lesson and the tasks were easy to complete. The students also mentioned that the instruction was also easy to comprehend. Below are their direct responses (R refers to Response).

(b) Least favourite vocabulary lesson and the reasons
Vocabulary Anchor is the least favourite vocabulary lesson as mentioned by six students in the interview. The reasons given were that the tasks were difficult to complete as they required higher order of thinking skills. Therefore, the teacher must consider the level of difficulties of the questions given to the students. The difficulties that the students' experience may affect their ability to complete the given tasks. It was also hard for the students to write the synonym of the target words on their own and one student mentioned that she did not understand the instructions. This is where scaffolding should be applied by the teacher to help the students to answer the questions. The teacher needs to address the difficulties that the students may encounter as these types of questions are more appropriate for the advanced level. Based on the interview, the students were more motivated to learn by using easy tasks compared to the difficult ones. This shows that success plays an important role where the students are more motivated when they can complete the tasks. Below are their direct responses.
R6 Vocabulary Anchor, because it is difficult to complete the tasks. (Student 1) R7 Vocabulary Anchor, because it is hard to complete the activities. (Student 2) R8 Vocabulary Anchor, because the tasks are tough to complete. (Student 3) R9 Vocabulary Anchor, because it requires a higher order of thinking skills to complete the tasks.
(Student 5) R10 Vocabulary Anchor, because it is very hard to write the synonym and antonym of the target words on my own. (Student 8) R11 Vocabulary Anchor, because it is very hard to understand the instructions. (Student 10) (c) Preferable vocabulary lesson in the future and the reasons Based on the data from the interview session, three students prefer the Spelling lesson. Among the reasons given are that the Spelling lesson has helped them to memorise new words as they like to listen and spell the target words. Another three students stated that they want to do more of the Pictorial Vocabulary lesson. This is because the drawing of the images related to the target words has helped them to understand the meaning of the words. The use of images or visual aids has made it easier for the students to identify the target words by relating them to something so that they could comprehend and understand it better. As for the rest of the students (four students), they mentioned that they would like to repeat the Making Meaning lesson. Interestingly, they want to do more of these lessons due to the difficulties that they encountered when completing the tasks such as being unable to understand the instructions and ultimately to complete the tasks. They have wanted to practice more of these lessons so they can master the techniques involved in completing the tasks. Below are their direct responses. The students also suggested several improvements that could be made to the vocabulary lessons during the interview. Six students mentioned that more activities involving group work should be considered for vocabulary lessons, especially for the Making Meaning and Vocabulary Anchor lessons as these lessons involve tasks with high order thinking skills. When the students can discuss among themselves to complete the tasks given, there will be a high probability of active and meaningful learning which will eventually help them to complete the tasks.
Besides that, another six students also suggested developing a more enjoyable or fun vocabulary lesson. Enjoyable and fun vocabulary lessons may help them to learn the target words in a more interesting and effective way. Moreover, it has also made it easier for them to learn, understand, and memorise the target words. Some examples of the vocabulary lessons that the students have enjoyed the most were the Spelling and Crossword Puzzles lessons.
Finally, four students proposed to include the use of pictures and cartoons in many activities throughout the vocabulary lessons. Based on the data from the interview, they mentioned that the Pictorial Vocabulary and Vocabulary Cartoons lessons were the examples of the vocabulary lessons that they enjoyed the most. The use of images, visuals, and cartoons are among the elements that the students are interested in, which should be integrated into the tasks given to them. This may help to increase the students' motivation level and ensure that they will actively engage throughout the lesson. Below are their direct responses. (2) Responses related to the personal experience (a) Positive aspects of the vocabulary lessons Based on the interview session, three students stated that drawing pictures and cartoons were among the most interesting and easy tasks to complete. Thus, they preferred to do this type of activity. The teacher should then include drawing activities for the students when developing future vocabulary lessons. Below are their direct responses.
R32 I like drawing pictures as it is very interesting for me. (Student 2) R33 I can draw cartoons. (Student 4) R34 Drawing task is easy to complete. (Student 5) (b) Negative aspects of the vocabulary lessons As stated in the interview, four students did not prefer to guess and write the meaning of the target words on their own. They disliked such a task because they were forced to predict and write the meaning of the target words in completing the task. This task requires higher-order thinking skills which can be difficult for the students. Besides, the way the teacher conducted the lesson also influenced the students' negative perceptions. The teacher should provide scaffolding to the students by giving them pictures, clues, and examples of sentences prior to the activities. This will be very helpful for them to write their own definition of the target words as they are guided by the teacher in terms of how to complete the tasks. Below are their direct responses.
R35 I don't like guessing and writing the meaning of the target words. (Student 1) R36 In the Making Meaning lesson, the students are forced to write the meaning of the unfamiliar words on their own. (Student 6) R37 The students are asked to write the meaning of the unfamiliar words on their own in the Making Meaning lesson. (Student 7) R38 I dislike the task that requires us to write the meaning on our own. (Student 8) In addition, three students also mentioned the negative aspects of the vocabulary lessons in terms of the writing activities. These students are not keen to write as their writing skills in the English language are not good due to the low level of language proficiency. When they struggle to write in English, it will cause them to become demotivated. Thus, the explicit method is more significant for these students because various lessons can be developed which include the use of pictures, enjoyable activities, and memorization techniques to learn the target words. The explicit method is suitable especially for the students with a low level of language proficiency since the students learn the target words explicitly as they are expected to learn the target words through active involvement and meaningful discovery. Below are their direct responses. Based on the interview session, all interviewees (10 students) agreed that the vocabulary lessons have helped them to learn the target words. All students, except one, mentioned that the vocabulary lessons were very interesting as they were able to learn and understand the target words easier. Eventually, it was easier for them to memorise the target words, where it will help them to write English language essays better. Below are their direct responses. From the interview, all of them (ten students) agreed that they felt they have learned more words through the explicit vocabulary lessons. Each student has also successfully mentioned between three to eleven target words learned when they were asked to list those words during the interview. The examples of the target words are 'beneath ', 'bail', 'yacht', 'agriculture', 'soak', 'backbone', 'brick', 'beggar', 'stiff', 'steer', 'boast' and others. Below are their direct responses. 'beneath','bail','yacht','agriculture','soak','backbone','brick','beggar','stiff','steer' and 'boast'. (Student 3) R46 Yes, I feel that I have learned more words through the vocabulary lessons. Some of the words are 'soak', 'achieve', and 'adopt'. (Student 4) R47 Yes, I feel that I have learned more words through the vocabulary lessons. Some of the words are 'boast', 'agriculture', 'ache', 'adventure', 'beggar' and 'adopt'. (Student 8) R48 Yes, I feel that I have learned more words through the vocabulary lessons. Some of the words are 'beneath ','yacht','agriculture','soak','brick' and 'beggar'. (Student 10) (3) Responses related to the teacher's instruction (a) Positive aspects of the vocabulary lessons With reference to the interview session, two students mentioned that the teacher helped them with the tasks related to the vocabulary lessons where they were able to learn the target words better in three different ways. Firstly, when the teacher provided the students with a variety of tasks, the learning of the target words became more interesting as the students were involved in different activities. Secondly, the students were also exposed to several techniques within the explicit method where different ways of teaching the target words were involved which inculcated different objectives. Thirdly, the teacher also guided the students during the activities. The assistance given by the teacher was deemed as necessary especially when the students faced difficulties completing the tasks given. Eventually, this will ensure the learning of the target words among the students. Below are their direct responses. In the interview, a student stated that he was pleased that he was able to learn the target words in class with the assistance of a teacher. The teacher guided the student to understand the target words better and at the same time facilitated him to complete the tasks. As a result, he was able to answer all questions in the task sheets successfully by the end of the vocabulary lessons.

DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS
The participants' post-test mean scores increased in response to the first research question about the usefulness of utilising the explicit method of vocabulary learning. The total percentage for the improved score is 131.1 %, while the score improvement (M difference) gap for the participants expands to 21.9. This demonstrates the success of the research participants who learned the target vocabulary using the explicit method of vocabulary learning.
The findings of this study seem to echo other past studies in vocabulary instructions. Hashemzadeh (2012) for example, found that EFL learners' vocabulary retention improved significantly with the use of different types of exercises. In addition, Luu (2012) disclosed that the experimental group in his research on the use of games in vocabulary recollection activities has successfully surpassed the scores of the control group during the immediate retention stage and the delayed retention stage of the vocabulary recollection activities. Meanwhile, Tahir and Mohtar (2016) urged teachers to provide additional opportunities for students to encounter words through their chosen vocabulary learning activities, such as the explicit technique proposed here, in order to improve word retention and comprehension. As a result, the vocabulary items intended for learners should be given using a variety of explicit vocabulary learning approaches so that they may be readily recalled and retrieved. As a result, teachers should create a variety of vocabulary objectives and activities for their students, as well as give more realistic chances for them through clear vocabulary instructions.
Many previous research (Dimas, 2011;Hashemzadeh, 2012;Luu, 2012;Madrigal-Hopes et al., 2014;Yip & Kwan, 2006) demonstrated that the explicit approach of vocabulary training may be effective in helping learners acquire the target words. This is supported by the researchers' discussion with ten participants from the experimental group, who concluded that the explicit form of vocabulary instructions aided them in learning the target words. Furthermore, numerous studies have demonstrated that using an explicit approach helps students grasp the target words better. This is due to the fact that the explicit method of vocabulary learning recognises the existence of learners with varying levels of language proficiency. The explicit method will be used by learners with limited vocabulary awareness to get considerable benefits from learning the targeted vocabulary. Teachers should consider utilising the explicit approach of acquiring target words for learners with limited language abilities, according to the findings, since it has been demonstrated to be effective in prior research.
In response to the second research question, all three components of this study (vocabulary lessons, personal experience, and teacher instruction) were rated positively by the participants. The findings of the study of the Student's Evaluation Form, which looks into the learners' impressions of the explicit method used to learn the target words, reflect this. By referring to the mean percentage for the 'totally agree' response by these participants, the aspects on the teacher's instruction have recorded the highest mean percentage which is about 54% whereas the lowest mean percentage which is about 40% has been recorded by the aspects under the vocabulary lessons. The aspects of their personal experience, on the other hand, recorded a mean percentage of 45% for the 'totally agree' response. Moreover, the mean scores of the learners' responses are also at a high level (M = 3.668 to 5.000) with a standard deviation of less than 1.000 for all items. This shows that the teacher's instruction, their personal experience, and the vocabulary lessons themselves play a huge role in ensuring the effectiveness of the implementation of the explicit method of vocabulary instructions in learning the target words.
According to the interviews, the students are happy with the vocabulary classes since they may learn the target words in class with the help of a teacher. This indicates that the efficacy of the explicit method in acquiring the target words is greatly influenced by the teacher's teaching. This conclusion is backed up by Kameli et al. (2012), who found that teaching methods and classroom activities were among the factors that influenced students' choice of vocabulary acquisition strategies in school. Hence, the teacher must be equipped with rich vocabulary knowledge and the ability to create interesting vocabulary lessons based on the learners' specific needs. The Ministry of Education, Malaysia, should consider providing the teachers with adequate training related to vocabulary teaching and learning especially in the scope of the explicit method.
Furthermore, it is important for the vocabulary lessons to be constructed based on the students' needs to promote meaningful learning. This could pave ways for the students to undergo a pleasant and effective experience while learning the target words by using the explicit method. From the interview session also, the participants suggested a more enjoyable and fun vocabulary lesson to be created in the future. It is thought that a more enjoyable and fun vocabulary lesson can motivate the learners to engage actively in the process of learning the target words.
Furthermore, according to Luu (2012), vocabulary games can give learners a fun learning experience. A significant first step in motivating learners is to create a pleasant and pleasurable learning environment. Implementing classroom vocabulary games, he claims, is an excellent approach for helping students memorise the target words. Another recommendation from the participants is to utilise cartoons to pique the learners' attention and generate a high level of motivation. This might also demonstrate the value of utilising visual aids in learning target words, with images or cartoons assisting learners in remembering the target words.
The explicit method was similarly chosen by the students for learning the target words. The teachers should then think about using the explicit method to help students increase their vocabulary knowledge, especially if they have a poor level of English competency. It will eventually aid in the expansion of their vocabulary and overall language skills.

CONCLUSION
Based on the findings of this study, it can be concluded that using the explicit method of vocabulary learning is successful in assisting students in acquiring the target words, at least according to the Form Two students who participated in the study. Using different relevant vocabulary acquisition strategies using the explicit method, the learners were able to acquire the target words. This is because the target words are retained in their long-term memory, where they can effectively remember them later.
This study also found that using various approaches within the explicit method created through vocabulary lessons helped them learn the target words better, resulting in increased vocabulary knowledge among the participants. Throughout this time, English vocabulary has been taught in a situation where the target words are learned implicitly during English language courses. However, the findings from this study also suggest that it is significant to address the vocabulary explicitly for different types of students especially those with a low level of language proficiency. This is because there are different techniques of vocabulary learning where for example, the teachers should also consider differentiated instructions to accommodate the different needs of each student. To increase students' vocabulary learning, educators and educational planners should incorporate the use of the explicit approach of vocabulary acquisition.
The current study can contribute to the area of vocabulary acquisition by allowing future researchers to utilise the findings to conduct more research in order to increase learners' capacity to acquire new words. Future studies may, for example, compare the use of the explicit vocabulary approach with new materials or strategies in vocabulary education targeted at assisting learners in expanding their vocabulary knowledge. Furthermore, longitudinal research is proposed to investigate the benefits of the explicit approach of vocabulary learning on enhancing students' vocabulary abilities when they are given more time to learn the target word. By comparing different approaches of the explicit method of vocabulary learning across different areas, the study may be expanded around the world. This might be crucial in determining the optimal vocabulary training techniques for helping learners to improve their vocabulary abilities and repertoire.