The Effect of Reading-based Activities on Vocabulary Learning: Pre-Intermediate EFL Learners in Focus

The present research examined the effect of reading-based activities on Iranian EFL learners’ vocabulary learning. To do this, 57 students of a language institute in Kerman were selected based on available sampling. After homogenizing them, 50 pre-intermediate students were put into two groups (25 students in each group). The study is a quasi-experimental one and the students took the pretest and posttest of vocabulary knowledge. These tests contained two parts: The first part pertained to the comprehension of vocabulary multiple-choice items; the second part was associated with production of vocabulary consisting of fill-in-the-blank items. Both tests were extracted from their textbook. The students of the experimental group were provided with related reading activities. The reading activities required the students pre-read passages at home that relate to the reading comprehension activities during classroom on the following day, and the reading engages the students to pre-read passages before the reading activity. However, the students of the control group received the traditional instruction on vocabulary and they were not given any related reading activities. At the end of term, the post test was administered and the collected data was descriptively and inferentially analyzed. The results revealed that reading-based activities had a significant effect on pre-intermediate EFL learners’ vocabulary learning. The finding indicates the value of reading-based activities leads the researchers to focus on increasing learners’ vocabulary in EFL classrooms through designing a variety of tasks.