Investigation of the use of infographics to aid second language vocabulary learning

Vocabulary learning is essential for second language competence because mastery of listening, speaking, reading, and writing depends on learners’ word knowledge. Drawing on Nation’s (2001) model, deep vocabulary learning involves knowledge of form, meaning, and use, each with receptive and productive aspects. Technology has increasingly been incorporated to aid L2 vocabulary acquisition through multimedia annotations, game-based learning, mobile learning, and virtual reality, showing effectiveness due to visual aids and multimodal input. However, the effectiveness of infographics for L2 vocabulary acquisition remains underexplored. Infographics are visual encodings combining textual and visual media to help organize and process information. This study investigates the effects of infographics on L2 vocabulary gains among EFL learners over an academic semester, focusing on Nation’s taxonomy of knowing a word. Research questions: (1) What is the effect of using infographics on recognition of vocabulary knowledge over time among college-level EFL learners? (2) What is the effect on production of vocabulary knowledge over time? (3) What are learners’ perceptions of using infographics for learning EFL vocabulary? Null hypotheses: (1) No significant difference at α = 0.05 in recognition vocabulary measures between groups attributable to infographics. (2) No significant difference at α = 0.05 in production vocabulary measures between groups attributable to infographics.

Theoretical framework: Skill Acquisition Theory (SAT) posits L2 learning as skill learning progressing from declarative to procedural to automatized knowledge (DeKeyser, 2007). Applied to L2 vocabulary, learners first acquire declarative knowledge (form/meaning/use), then proceduralize through practice, and ultimately reach automatization. This aligns with Nation (2001) that complete word knowledge entails both receptive and productive mastery. Infographics may facilitate automatization by reducing cognitive demands and supporting practice across contexts. Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning (CTML; Mayer, 1997, 2001) asserts learning is enhanced by words plus pictures via dual channels (visual and auditory), limited-capacity working memory, and active processing. CTML prescribes principles to reduce extraneous processing, manage essential processing, and foster generative processing. Infographics—well-designed combinations of text and images—are expected to reduce cognitive load and support integration into long-term memory. Critiques of CTML (e.g., Gerjets et al., 2009; De Jong, 2010) call for further empirical validation and investigation using methods like fMRI and eye-tracking. Infographics in education: Infographics can simplify complex information, concretize abstract concepts, explain processes, and help establish conceptual connections, attracting curiosity and aiding long-term retention (Abilock & William, 2014; Clark & Lyons, 2010). Studies across disciplines (mathematics, science, nursing, anatomy) report deeper learning, better retention, and increased confidence (e.g., Baglama et al., 2017; Hassan, 2016; Chicca & Chunta, 2020; Ozdamli et al., 2016). Infographics in EFL: Limited studies in EFL contexts indicate positive effects on achievement and motivation. Pisarenko & Bondarev (2016) found improved communicative competence; Alrwele (2017) reported higher achievement and positive perceptions; Bicen & Beheshti (2019) found increased motivation and comprehension in flipped classrooms; Hameed & Jabeen (2022) showed enhanced creative writing. A gap remains regarding sustained, curriculum-integrated infographic interventions targeting specific facets of vocabulary knowledge (form-meaning connection, grammatical function) measured both receptively and productively.

Design: Quasi-experimental two-group pretest–posttest–delayed test design over 10 weeks to examine effects of infographics on EFL vocabulary learning and retention. Participants: 41 female third-year Arabic L1 EFL undergraduates at Najran University, Saudi Arabia; experimental group n=21, control group n=20; voluntary participation with right to withdraw. Materials and apparatus: Six units from Redman (2010) English Vocabulary in Use: Pre-intermediate & Intermediate were redesigned as static instructional infographics using Piktochart. Development followed four phases: (1) planning/needs analysis, (2) sketching objectives, ideas, colors, lines, shapes, (3) designing with curated images/icons, (4) production and review to match textbook content, ensure language integrity and visual hierarchy. Instrumentation: Based on Nation’s (2001) model, two receptive vocabulary tests and one productive oral interview assessed two aspects: (a) form–meaning connection and (b) grammatical function. • Word definition test (30 MCQs) measured form–meaning connection. • Word grammatical test (30 MCQs) measured grammatical functions of the same 30 target words. Scoring: 1 point per correct item. • Oral interview assessed productive knowledge of the same 30 words using a 5-level rubric: 0 (unfamiliar), 1 (seen but meaning unknown), 2 (correct synonym/translation), 3 (semantically appropriate sentence), 4 (semantically and grammatically accurate sentence). Three raters scored; inter-rater reliability α=0.91; disagreements resolved by discussion. • Questionnaire: 15 Likert items (1–5) administered to experimental group immediately after treatment to gauge perceptions of infographics in vocabulary learning. Validation: Content and face validity by 11 PhD experts. Consensus rates: word definition 84%, word grammatical 85%, questionnaire 87%. Instruments revised per feedback. Procedure: Week 1 orientation (experimental group). Week 2 pretests (word definition and word grammatical). Weeks 3–12 treatment: experimental group learned via infographics; control received traditional instruction. Immediate posttests administered in the last learning session; delayed posttests two weeks later without prior notice. Both groups tested concurrently under identical conditions. After posttests, one-on-one interviews (~10–15 min) conducted for all participants. Experimental group completed the questionnaire after the immediate posttest. Data analysis: Assessed equality of groups and assumptions: Shapiro–Wilk normality (p=0.20); Levene’s tests; independent-samples t-tests for group comparisons at immediate and delayed posttests and interview scores; alpha set at 0.05. Effect sizes reported as Cohen’s d.

Recognition knowledge (receptive tests): Across both aspects (form–meaning connection and grammatical function), the experimental group significantly outperformed the control group at immediate and delayed posttests. Means (M), SDs, and inferential results: • Word definition, immediate: Control M=15.2 (SD=4.9) vs Experimental M=21.3 (SD=6.5); t≈3.67, p=0.001, d=1.05. • Word grammatical, immediate: Control M=14.5 (SD=5.6) vs Experimental M=19.2 (SD=5.6); t≈2.66, p=0.011, d=0.83. • Word definition, delayed: Control M=15.4 (SD=6.1) vs Experimental M=21.1 (SD=4.8); t≈3.32, p=0.002, d=1.03. • Word grammatical, delayed: Control M=14.7 (SD=5.73) vs Experimental M=18.8 (SD=5.87); t≈2.29, p=0.027, d=0.71. These results reject the first null hypothesis and indicate medium-to-large effects favoring infographics, including sustained gains over time. Production knowledge (oral interview): Experimental group scored significantly higher than control: Control M=70.8 (SD=23.66) vs Experimental M=95.2 (SD=23.99); t(39)=3.28, p=0.002, d=1.02, indicating a large effect and rejecting the second null hypothesis. Learner perceptions (questionnaire, experimental group): Overall mean across 15 items M=4.35 (SD=0.52), indicating high positive attitudes. Item means ranged 4.05–4.71. Highest-rated item (M=4.71, SD=0.64) indicated infographics encouraged participation during lectures; other highly rated aspects included simplifying complex information, organizing information logically, enjoyment, attention/motivation, discovering meanings of unfamiliar words, recognizing word-formation rules, and connecting new and old information. Overall, results demonstrate that infographic-based instruction enhanced both recognition and production of vocabulary and was perceived as useful and engaging.

Findings show that integrating infographics into EFL vocabulary instruction yields significant immediate and delayed improvements in recognition (form–meaning connection, grammatical function) and in productive use of target words. These outcomes align with SAT, suggesting that infographics support the transition from declarative to procedural and toward automatized knowledge through repeated, visually supported exposure and practice. CTML provides a cognitive explanation: well-designed infographics leverage dual channels, reduce extraneous processing, and foster integration of verbal and pictorial representations, thereby aiding encoding and retention in long-term memory. The sustained advantages at delayed testing support the role of visualization in retention. Positive learner perceptions further suggest that infographics enhance motivation, engagement, and strategy use (e.g., recognizing relationships and word-formation rules), which likely contribute to improved learning outcomes. The results are consistent with prior work reporting benefits of infographics across educational domains and within EFL contexts, reinforcing their pedagogical value for vocabulary development.

Infographic-based instruction effectively improved EFL learners’ vocabulary recognition and production, with benefits sustained over time, and elicited highly positive learner perceptions. The study contributes evidence that integrating static infographics aligned with course content can enhance both receptive and productive facets of vocabulary knowledge. Pedagogically, instructors should consider incorporating infographics to scaffold complex lexical information, promote engagement, and support long-term retention. Future research should expand assessment to the full range of vocabulary knowledge components outlined by Nation (2001), validate infographic designs with graphic design experts, include proficiency-based sampling, and explore applications to other language domains (e.g., syntax, morphology, literature) and modalities (e.g., interactive/animated infographics), potentially using process-tracing methods (e.g., eye-tracking) to unpack learning mechanisms.

- Small sample size due to institutional constraints and participant withdrawal limits generalizability; larger samples are needed. - No standardized proficiency test was administered to determine participants’ English proficiency levels. - Infographic materials (static) were not validated by graphic design experts. - Outcome measures targeted only two aspects of vocabulary knowledge (form–meaning connection and grammatical function), assessed receptively and productively; other components in Nation’s framework were not examined, limiting generalization across vocabulary knowledge domains.