Exploring Vocabulary Gains Through ChatGPT-Supported Instruction in Indonesian Vocational Education
Keywords:
ChatGPT-supported instruction, English as a foreign language, generative AI, vocabulary mastery, vocational educationAbstract
Vocabulary knowledge is essential for English communication and vocational learning, yet many English-as-a-foreign-language learners receive limited opportunities for contextualized lexical practice and immediate feedback. This study examined vocabulary gains following ChatGPT-supported instruction among Grade XI Computer and Network Engineering students at an Indonesian public vocational school. A quantitative pre-experimental, one-group pre-test–post-test design was employed with 25 students selected through class-level random sampling from a population of 567 Grade XI students. Vocabulary mastery was measured using a 20-item multiple-choice test covering nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs related to personal money management. The intervention comprised four teacher-guided meetings in which ChatGPT supported dialogue generation, sentence construction, fill-in-the-blank exercises, vocabulary games, word searches, explanations, examples, and feedback. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Shapiro–Wilk tests, and a paired-samples t test. The mean score increased from 54.20 (SD = 14.045) on the pre-test to 77.20 (SD = 12.754) on the post-test, yielding a mean gain of 23.00 points. The paired difference was statistically significant, t(24) = −11.049, p < .001, with a 95% confidence interval of [−27.296, −18.704] for the pre-test-minus-post-test difference. Furthermore, 88% of students achieved good or very good post-test classifications, compared with 32% at pre-test. These findings demonstrate substantial within-group improvement and extend evidence on generative-AI-supported vocabulary instruction to an underrepresented Indonesian vocational context. However, the absence of a control group prevents exclusive causal attribution to ChatGPT. Future controlled studies should examine retention and productive vocabulary use.
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