From Low to High Vocabulary Mastery: The Effect of Personal Vocabulary Notes (PVN) Technique in EFL Learning

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effect of the Personal Vocabulary Notes (PVN) technique on students’ vocabulary mastery in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learning. The research employed a quasi-experimental design involving an experimental group and a control group. Each group consisted of eighth-grade students at a junior high school. The research instrument was a vocabulary test administered as a pre-test and post-test to measure students’ vocabulary achievement before and after the treatment. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and an independent sample t-test. The results showed that the experimental group, which was taught using the PVN technique, achieved a higher mean score in the post-test compared to the control group. The statistical analysis indicated that the difference between the two groups was significant at the 0.05 level of significance. Therefore, it can be concluded that the Personal Vocabulary Notes (PVN) technique is effective in improving students’ vocabulary mastery in EFL learning. This technique encourages students to actively record, learn, and retain new vocabulary in a more meaningful and autonomous way.