Enhancing Foreign Students’ Writing Skills through Visual Media: Addressing Vocabulary Acquisition Challenges

Authors

  • Zuindra Zuindra Universitas Harapan Medan
  • Mayasari Mayasari Universitas Harapan Medan
  • Misla Geubrina Universitas Harapan Medan
  • Norlili Juwita Arshad Politeknik Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin
  • Nik Intan Baizura binti Ramsa Politeknik Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24903/sj.v11i1.2363

Keywords:

Foreign Language Learner, Visual Media, Vocabulary Acquisition

Abstract

Vocabulary acquisition plays a crucial role in developing writing proficiency among foreign language learners. Many students encounter difficulties in expressing ideas due to limited lexical knowledge and lack of contextual exposure to language use. Recent studies suggest that visual media can facilitate language learning by integrating visual and verbal information, thereby enhancing comprehension and memory retention (Teng, 2023; Jalali & Sahebkheir, 2024). This study aims to investigate how visual media contribute to improving vocabulary acquisition and writing performance among foreign students learning English as a foreign language. This research employed a qualitative descriptive design involving ten foreign students enrolled in an intermediate writing course at a private university in Indonesia. Data were collected through classroom observations, semi-structured interviews, and document analysis of students’ written assignments. Thematic analysis was used to identify patterns related to vocabulary development, writing coherence, and students’ learning experiences. The findings indicate that visual media such as images, infographics, and short videos stimulate vocabulary recall, facilitate idea generation, and improve students’ confidence in writing. Students were able to produce more coherent texts and demonstrate greater lexical variety after participating in visual-based writing activities. The results support previous research highlighting the effectiveness of multimodal learning environments in second language acquisition (Nami & Asadnia, 2024; Sukserm & Wasanasomsithi, 2023). The study concludes that integrating visual media into writing instruction can significantly enhance vocabulary development and writing performance among foreign learners. These findings provide pedagogical implications for language teachers seeking innovative strategies to support writing instruction through multimodal approaches.

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Published

2026-04-27