<![CDATA[This study examines technical vocabulary use and contextual integration in paragraph writing among 25 Grade 10 Filipino ESL students. Using a four-point rubric assessing terminology, contextual support, organization, and grammar, student writing was analyzed through Miles and Huberman's (1984) framework. Results revealed a paradoxical pattern: students demonstrated strong technical vocabulary command (three groups achieving excellent ratings) but struggled with strategic contextual application. High-performing groups embedded terms within explanatory frameworks, while lower-performing groups inserted vocabulary without adequate support. Grammar errors consistently undermined sophisticated vocabulary usage. Score distributions (M=10.8, range 7-15) indicated substantial performance variation. Findings challenge conventional ESL pedagogy prioritizing vocabulary acquisition over contextual integration, suggesting effective instruction requires simultaneous development of lexical knowledge and strategic application competencies. Successful writers treated technical terms as structural building blocks; struggling writers viewed them as decorative elements—a disconnect indicating traditional ESL curricula may require fundamental recalibration toward integrated meaning-making skills. These findings offer practical implications for ESL pedagogy in Southeast Asian contexts where English serves as the medium of instruction.]]>
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