Developing Students’ Vocabulary by Using Build-A-Sentence: Teachers’ Perspective

Abstract

Vocabulary acquisition is crucial for students' academic success, yet many students struggle to expand their word knowledge, which negatively impacts literacy skills. To address this challenge, the Build-A-Sentence instructional technique encourages students to create unique, grammatically accurate sentences using new vocabulary words. This qualitative study employed semi-structured interviews with ten literacy teachers from SDIT Nurul Ilmi and SMPIT Nurul Ilmi Schools to explore their perspectives on implementing this technique. Using inductive thematic analysis, researchers systematically coded and categorized interview data to identify emerging themes and insights. The analysis revealed several key findings: teachers perceived the method as beneficial for fostering intrinsic motivation and student ownership of learning. The generative sentence construction process was viewed as promoting vocabulary retention through deeper cognitive processing. However, the study also uncovered challenges, including difficulties in managing high student error rates and providing sufficient individual feedback during writing assignments. Teachers recommended scaffolding the technique through modeled samples, templates, and targeted small group instruction to mitigate monitoring challenges. The research contributes valuable insights into the strengths, barriers, and best practices of implementing the Build-A-Sentence approach. By highlighting its potential to enhance vocabulary growth, the study offers guidance for developing more effective vocabulary teaching strategies essential for improving literacy and comprehension.