“It's a thorn in my side, this vocabulary”
Teachers' beliefs and reported practices in supporting multilingual learners' vocabulary development
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22203755 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Vicky Kantzou (0000-0001-9105-3981, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, corresponding author), Maria Iakovou (0000-0003-1291-2720, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 13 |
| Pages | 102824 |
| Publication date | 2026-06-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Social Sciences & Humanities Open (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2590-2911 • E-ISSN: 2590-2911 |
| Publisher | Elsevier BV (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.ssaho.2026.102824 |
| OpenAlex | W7160400727 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 38 |
This study examines teachers' beliefs and reported practices regarding vocabulary instruction for multilingual students within the Greek school system. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 42 primary and secondary school teachers and analyzed using thematic analysis. The study probed into teachers’ conceptualizations of vocabulary knowledge and acquisition, their reported instructional practices, and their perceived professional development needs. Thematic analysis indicated that teachers tended to view vocabulary knowledge mainly as knowledge of meaning and occasionally use and approached instruction in a reactive rather than systematic way. Accordingly, reported practices emphasized translation, visual scaffolds, and textbook-driven choices, with limited focus on word recycling, learner strategy training and learner autonomy. Teachers also identified systemic constraints such as limited time and large classes. These findings highlight the need for sustained professional development that connects language and content pedagogy, promotes effective, participatory instructional approaches, and supports inclusive, multilingual approaches to teaching
Comprehension · Multilingualism · Qualitative research · Vocabulary · EFL/ESL Teaching and Learning · Multilingual Education and Policy · Second Language Acquisition and Learning
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Researcher Positionality
| Highly cited | No |
|---|