Context Clue Strategies for Business English Vocabulary and Engagement Among EFL Undergraduates

The purpose of this study was to: (1) assess the effectiveness of context clue strategies in learning Business English vocabulary, (2) compare students' vocabulary comprehension before and after instruction, and (3) examine students' perceptions and engagement. This quasi-experimental study used a one-group pretest-posttest design with 30 third-semester business administration students selected through purposive sampling. The intervention was conducted over six weeks (three hours per week), covering Business Result Pre-intermediate (Units 1–6). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, paired t-tests, and effect size calculations. Statistical results showed: (1) Strategy performance (E₁/E₂ = 85.67/82.23) surpassed the criterion of 80/80; (2) Post-instruction scores (M = 24.67, SD = 2.85) were significantly higher than pre-instruction scores (M = 18.73, SD = 3.42), t = -8.94, p < .001, with a very large effect size (Cohen's d = 1.94); and (3) Students expressed strongly agreed regarding the strategy's effectiveness (M = 4.24, SD = 0.65) and demonstrated high levels of engagement (M = 4.18, SD = 0.63). The findings demonstrate that context clue strategies significantly contribute to business English vocabulary learning and enhance student engagement.