Fostering effective vocabulary retention among primary school students: a case study

Introduction Numerous studies on vocabulary acquisition have prioritized form-first instruction, focusing on spelling and pronunciation before meaning. However, cognitive theories suggest that introducing meaning first may enhance vocabulary retention by engaging deeper semantic and conceptual processing. Methods This quasi-experimental study explored the effects of meaning-first versus form-first vocabulary instruction on bilingual primary school students in Cyprus. Over a 12-week period, 57 fourth-grade students were divided into two groups: one receiving meaning-first instruction and the other form-first instruction. The Self-Report Vocabulary Mastery Scale (SRVMS) was used to assess both word knowledge and contextual application. Results Findings revealed that while both groups improved, the meaning-first group significantly outperformed the form-first group in vocabulary acquisition and sentence-level usage. Statistical analysis showed a large effect size (Cohen's d = 1.37), indicating a strong advantage for meaning-first instruction in fostering lexical encoding and retrieval. Discussion The results align with theories of cognitive load, depth of processing, and working memory, offering practical implications for inclusive and sustainable language education.