Multimedia-Based Vocabulary Learning through Animated Movies: Effects on EFL Students’ Vocabulary Mastery

Multimedia learning has gained increasing attention as an alternative pedagogical approach because it enables learners to process verbal input alongside visual and auditory support. This study examines whether animated movies can improve EFL students’ vocabulary mastery and explores students’ perceptions of their use in classroom learning. The research was conducted at an SMP Negeri in Banda Aceh using a quantitative experimental design involving two eighth-grade classes: an experimental group and a control group, each consisting of 30 students. The experimental group learned vocabulary through the animated movie Crow: The Legend, while the control group received conventional instruction. Data were collected through pre-tests, post-tests, and a 21-item closed-ended questionnaire measuring students’ responses to animated movie-based learning. The results show that the control group mean increased from 41.33 to 47.00, whereas the experimental group improved from 44.00 to 83.00, with the post-test difference found to be statistically significant. Questionnaire findings also indicate generally positive student perceptions toward the use of animated movies in vocabulary learning. These results suggest that animated movies can function as effective multimedia input for contextualized vocabulary instruction by integrating linguistic and visual information. The study provides empirical evidence that animated films can serve as pedagogically meaningful.