ESL PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS OF VISUAL AIDS IN SUPPORTING VOCABULARY LEARNING AMONG PUPILS

Abstract

Vocabulary development plays a vital role in second language acquisition and the use of visual aids has been recognised as an effective approach to enhance pupils’ understanding and retention of new words. This study aims to explore the perspectives of ESL pre-service teachers on using visual aids to improve vocabulary learning among pupils. A quantitative research design was employed, involving 100 ESL pre-service teachers from the Institute of Teacher Education selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected through a questionnaire distributed via Google Form and analysed using SPSS. The findings revealed that the majority of participants held positive perceptions toward the use of visual aids, highlighting their benefits in increasing pupils’ engagement, motivation and comprehension. The results also answered the research questions by indicating that most ESL pre-service teachers viewed visual aids as an effective tool for vocabulary learning but encountered several challenges such as time constraints in preparation, lack of materials and insufficient training. Based on these findings, the study recommends that teacher education institutions provide more practical workshops, digital resources and continuous support to strengthen ESL pre-service teachers’ ability to design and apply visual aids effectively.