THE The Impact of Bilingual-Subtitled English Movies on Vocabulary Mastery

Vocabulary mastery is fundamental to English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learning because it supports communication and overall language proficiency. However, traditional vocabulary instruction often provides limited contextual and multimodal support for Indonesian junior high school learners. This study examined the effectiveness of bilingual-subtitled English movies in enhancing students' vocabulary mastery and explored their perceptions of this instructional medium. Drawing on research on multimedia learning, dual coding, and audiovisual input, the study conceptualizes bilingual subtitles as a pedagogical resource that connects verbal, visual, and contextual information to facilitate vocabulary learning. An explanatory sequential mixed-methods design involved 36 eighth-grade students from SMP Negeri 10 Manokwari. Quantitative data were collected through pre-test and post-test assessments and an ARCS-based questionnaire, while qualitative data were obtained through semi-structured interviews with eight students. Results showed substantial vocabulary improvement, with mean scores increasing from 37.86 (SD = 19.22) to 75.39 (SD = 15.70), p < .001, d = 2.14. Students also reported increased motivation, contextual vocabulary learning, and improved comprehension, although rapid speech presented challenges. The findings support bilingual-subtitled movies as an engaging, context-rich medium for EFL vocabulary instruction.