Vocabulary Acquisition Through Deep Reading: Exploring The Potential Of Poetry With ESL Learners

Abstract

This study investigates the effectiveness of deep reading poetry for English vocabulary acquisition among undergraduate EFL learners at Bishop Heber College, Tiruchirappalli, India, applying Krashen’s “Comprehensible Input Hypothesis”. The experimental group engaged in deep reading activities centred on W.W. Gibson’s poem “The Stone”, while a comparison group received traditional vocabulary instruction. Pre- and post-tests measuring comprehension of 15 target words from the poem revealed significant vocabulary gains in the experimental group, exceeding those of the comparison group, and demonstrating sustained retention in a delayed post-test. Findings suggest that deep reading of poetry provides rich, comprehensible input, fostering incidental vocabulary acquisition and supporting Krashen’s theory. While the focused approach using a single poem allowed for in-depth analysis, future research should explore diverse poetic genres and larger participant groups to broaden the scope of these findings. Vocabulary development and language acquisition. Extensive reading, in particular, has been shown to provide the necessary linguistic input and contextual cues to support vocabulary learning. Poetry, with its rich imagery, concentrated language, and emotional depth, offers a unique opportunity for language learning. This study explores how deep engagement with poetry can facilitate vocabulary acquisition among English as a Second Language learners. While traditional pedagogical approaches have often viewed poetry as inaccessible for language learners, recent studies have highlighted the potential benefits of integrating poetry into language instruction. Poetry can serve as a valuable source of “input-rich” language that exposes learners to a range of linguistic structures, vocabulary, and cultural references. The study discusses that even lexically accessible poetry can present challenges for language learners, necessitating scaffolding and support from teachers to facilitate comprehension and vocabulary development.