Journey: Journal of English Language and Pedagogy
Vol. 8 No. 2 (2025): Journey: Journal of English Language and Pedagogy (on going)

TikTok as a Medium for Contextual Vocabulary Learning in EFL: Students' Perceptions and Learning Experiences

Rosa, Chindy Hanggara (Unknown)
Suhartatik, Suhartatik (Unknown)



Article Info

Publish Date
01 Dec 2025

Abstract

This study explores how TikTok can be utilized as a tool for teaching contextual vocabulary in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learning and examines students' perceptions of this approach. This descriptive qualitative study employed thematic analysis of interview data collected from twelve first-semester English Department students who were interviewed about their experiences learning vocabulary through TikTok content from “English With Rhys”. The findings reveal that TikTok serves as an effective alternative medium for vocabulary learning, offering accessibility, engagement, and authentic contextual examples. The twelve participants reported increased motivation due to the entertaining and accessible format, and demonstrated an improved understanding of vocabulary usage in authentic contexts. However, challenges include potential distractions from entertainment content and the need for additional strategies like note-taking and repetition for better retention. TikTok demonstrates significant potential as a supplementary tool for contextual vocabulary instruction, complementing rather than replacing formal classroom learning.​

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Journal Info

Abbrev

journey

Publisher

Subject

Education Languange, Linguistic, Communication & Media

Description

Journey is a peer-reviewed open access scientific journal which publishes all results of scientific research relating to the fields of language teaching, linguistics, and literature. This journal is publishing triannually, on March, July, and November. Contributors for this journal are academics, ...