Article JELITA: Journal of English Language Teaching and Literature Volume 6. Number 2. August 2025, pages 547-563 Engaging L2 Learners: Exploring TeachersAo Perceptions of Vocabulary Cards P-ISSN 2721-1096 E-ISSN 2721-1916 Natalia Puspitasari Universitas Kristen Duta Wacana. Indonesia Lemmuela Alvita Kurniawati Universitas Kristen Duta Wacana. Indonesia Abstract This study examines two primary aspects: the extent to which teachers utilize vocabulary cards to enhance L2 learners' speaking skills and how teachers perceive the use of vocabulary cards for this purpose. Involving three English teachers at a private English course in Yogyakarta. Indonesia, this study employed a qualitative research method that included interviews and observations. The teacher participants were selected based on their use of vocabulary cards as instructional media and their willingness to be involved in this study. The observations were conducted for two consecutive days, and the data were collected from the interview results, with the observation notes coded and generated into some themes. The study found that teachers employ vocabulary cards to help students understand new materials and improve their speaking skills. Teachers perceive vocabulary cards as making learning more enjoyable and significantly increasing students' vocabulary repertoire. Several implications arise from this study. Vocabulary cards can enhance L2 students' speaking abilities by making new material more Teachers positively perceive vocabulary cards as they create a more engaging learning environment and enrich students' vocabulary more effectively. Future research should investigate the effectiveness of vocabulary cards across various levels of English proficiency to determine their impact on learners at different stages of language Additionally, using other data collection techniques, such as questionnaires and surveys, could provide a more comprehensive understanding of their effectiveness in diverse learning contexts. Keywords L2 Students. Speaking. Vocabulary Cards. Vocabulary Repertoire Corresponding author: Lemmuela Alvita Kurniawati. Universitas Kristen Duta Wacana. Yogyakarta. Indonesia Email: pipitkh@staff. Journal of English Language Teaching and Literature (JELITA) ISSN:2721-1096 (Prin. , 2721-1916 (Onlin. INTRODUCTION In many countries. English is actively taught as an essential part of education to prepare students for globalization and internationalization. Therefore, the school curriculum incorporates English as a Foreign Language (FL) or Second Language (SL) subjects for the students (Shinde & Karekatti, 2. Teaching speaking might be the most critical priority for teachers because English is considered an international language that everyone in the world studies and masters (Arifiah & Binawan, 2. In this context. English teachers should utilize engaging teaching materials, such as vocabulary cards, to motivate students to participate in speaking activities. Wahyudin et al. argued that vocabulary is one of the most important aspects for students learning English. Mastering vocabulary encourages and motivates students to learn and improve their English proficiency. In other words, students who want to learn English must still study and improve their vocabulary knowledge. otherwise, they will need more vocabulary knowledge and help speaking English. Therefore, implementing a vocabulary learning strategy is crucial for teachers to help students achieve their learning Wahyudin et al. also emphasized that students must use strategies when learning vocabulary. They identify four strategies for learning vocabulary: . cognitive strategies, which require student involvement in the learning method. metacognitive strategies, which involve teachers in monitoring, decision-making, and evaluating to improve student learning. remembering strategy, which students always use when remembering the new words, and . determination strategy, where students learn and discover new words. Second language (L. researchers have widely recognized the vital role of vocabulary in language acquisition. Sheridan and Markslag . stated that vocabulary mastery is one of the most critical steps in all English language learning sequences, so teachers and students must take the time to study and review vocabulary with high frequency using vocabulary cards as an instructional medium. Teaching vocabulary is a crucial way to develop students' vocabulary knowledge and vocabulary skills. The depth of students' understanding of these aspects requires effective and practical teaching methods (Rasouli & Jafari, 2. Joyce . argued that the time invested in learning vocabulary significantly influences vocabulary acquisition, leading to better Therefore, teachers must encourage students to use this strategy to build vocabulary learning habits and improve their vocabulary mastery. Yang et al. argued that L2 teachers have an essential task in developing vocabulary knowledge and other literacy skills. The process of teaching and learning vocabulary for L2 students was driven by several factors, especially previous first language (L. experience, their L2 proficiency seen from how the word was taught or learned, and the intrinsic difficulty of the word. Yu and Trainin . emphasized the role of technology in helping students understand words more effectively through digital means such as hyperglosses, electronic dictionaries, text messaging, and online games. Vocabulary cards are examples of learning media that could benefit students in the teaching and learning process. Susanti et al. argued that there are benefits to using Volume 6. Number 2. August 2025 | 548 Journal of English Language Teaching and Literature (JELITA) ISSN:2721-1096 (Prin. , 2721-1916 (Onlin. vocabulary cards, such as improving language skills and the ability to write stories, memorize, and analyze problems from texts. Besides that, vocabulary cards are also useful in increasing studentsAo self-confidence, developing more effective communication skills, and enhancing studentsAo creativity. Wilkinson . argued that there are two other benefits of vocabulary as an instructional medium. First, vocabulary cards are a convenient, time-efficient, and effective method for learning vocabulary. Second, students can correlate the meaning of a word in L1 form and its L2 form. Recognizing the importance of vocabulary to L2 studentsAo speaking skills, this study investigates teachersAo perceptions of using vocabulary cards to teach speaking in one of the well-established English courses in Yogyakarta. The importance of this research lies in understanding teachersAo perceptions. Several studies have explored perceptions of using instructional media for teaching speaking in the Indonesian context, such as those by Sukarno et al . Suherman and Wathoni . , and Danibao et al . Moreover, in the international context, several studies investigated teachersAo perceptions of teaching speaking, including studies by Arastirma and ynretmen . Chiem . and Nguyen and Nguyen . The present study focuses on teachersAo perceptions of using vocabulary cards to teach speaking, building on previous studies in the Indonesian context that generally discuss the use of instructional media to teach Therefore, this research investigates teachers' perceptions of using vocabulary cards to develop speaking skills for L2 learners. Afna . suggests that the more vocabulary students master, the greater the possibility of speaking fluency. If students do not master vocabulary well, they cannot communicate well. The researchers chose Indonesian English teachers in English language courses as the context of the research because of their unique strategies in teaching speaking tailored to studentsAo needs, such as using printed instructional media, realia, and vocabulary cards to attract students to learn and improve their speaking skills in this English course. This reason was in line with a previous study conducted by Supriatin and Rizkilillah . who conducted a study in an English course in Indonesia. They noted that English courses in Indonesia employed their teaching methods, often integrating instructional media to facilitate student mastery of English. For example, they use vocabulary cards to increase studentsAo vocabulary mastery and motivate students to engage in speaking activities. Similar results were found in the Thai context, where English teachers in English language courses also tailored their teaching strategies to meet studentsAo needs (Low. Based on the above rationale, this study addresses two research questions. The first is. AuTo what extent do teachers use vocabulary cards to teach speaking to L2 learners?Ay The second is. AuHow do teachers perceive the use of vocabulary cards in teaching speaking to L2 learners?Ay. By employing a qualitative method, this present study aimed to answer the two questions. Volume 6. Number 2. August 2025 | 549 Journal of English Language Teaching and Literature (JELITA) ISSN:2721-1096 (Prin. , 2721-1916 (Onlin. LITERATURE REVIEW Vocabulary learning could be taught using creative teaching methods, such as vocabulary cards. Vocabulary cards were a set of cards equipped with a word. However, vocabulary cards could be changed according to the student's elementary, intermediate, or advanced (Aba, 2. Herlina and Dewi . mentioned that vocabulary cards contain one or two vocabulary words. Vocabulary cards were a practical and implementable medium. Based on these characteristics, it could be seen that vocabulary cards containing this vocabulary were a tool that could remind or direct students when practicing speaking in class. Ridwan and Nurhaeni . argued that students could use vocabulary cards to improve their speaking skills by remembering vocabulary when they practice speaking. Based on this explanation, speaking ability was a communication skill that must continue to be enhanced in teaching and learning. This was because, when studying in class, students were hesitant to speak up and voice their opinions. After all, they feel embarrassed when expressing their views in front of their friends and teachers. Another factor that could prevent students from speaking in front of many people was that they felt worried about saying something wrong and immediately losing their self-confidence. Therefore, teachers could use vocabulary cards that were easy to remember during the teaching and learning process to improve students' speaking skills. Susanti et al. stated that there were benefits that could be felt from using vocabulary cards, including improving language skills, writing stories, memorizing and analysing problems, and vocabulary knowledge. Apart from that, vocabulary cards were also helpful in increasing students' self-confidence, developing more effective communication skills, and enhancing students' creativity. Wilkinson . argued that there were two other benefits from vocabulary as an instructional medium that students could receive and feel. Firstly, vocabulary cards were considered a convenient, timeefficient, and effective method for learning vocabulary. Second, students also said remembering L1 forms and L2 meanings separately was a positive characteristic of vocabulary cards. According to Liansari and Azizah . , using various ways to deliver lesson material that could make students feel happy and enthusiastic, one way was by using the right approach and supplementing it with the use of appropriate learning media that supported teaching and learning activities, for example, vocabulary cards. Chaya and Inpin . explained that implementing vocabulary cards as a medium in the teaching and learning process was an effective educational tool for improving students' English skills, especially speaking skills and vocabulary mastery. According to Purnami . , using vocabulary card media can make the teaching and learning process for L2 students more efficient. This is because the media can attract students' attention, allowing them to quickly understand it. Fahkrunisa and Ananda . argued that to develop vocabulary, students must be proficient in remembering the vocabulary. However, in general, the existing memorization techniques were less effective, so the most appropriate method for memorizing vocabulary was to use vocabulary cards. Vocabulary cards were an example Volume 6. Number 2. August 2025 | 550 Journal of English Language Teaching and Literature (JELITA) ISSN:2721-1096 (Prin. , 2721-1916 (Onlin. of a learning medium in the teaching and learning process that could benefit students. Besides helping students memorize vocabulary more easily, vocabulary cards would also aid in understanding the correct pronunciation. Farida et al. stated that vocabulary cards could help increase students' vocabulary. The increase in student scores proves that students felt enthusiastic and enjoyed the learning process using vocabulary cards. According to Sheridan and Markslag, . , vocabulary mastery is one of the most essential steps in all English language learning sequences, so teachers and students must take the time to study and review vocabulary with high frequency using vocabulary cards as an instructional medium. There were effective learning strategies in vocabulary, one of which was a cooperative learning strategy deliberately created to effectively involve students in vocabulary learning and keep them actively engaged in the teaching and learning process. This allows students to build meaningful connections between their experiences and target vocabulary, enabling them to practice speaking and discussing word knowledge (Kurniawati et al. , 2. Razali et al. argued that the application of card games in the English language teaching and learning process, using vocabulary cards as a teaching medium, shows that students' vocabulary retention abilities were better than just the teacher's explanation in front of the class. Apart from that, students could also participate in the teaching and learning process enthusiastically because the process was enjoyable and could be done at any time. Skills in maintaining vocabulary were essential for students so they could utilize them in learning English, such as reading, speaking, and writing. Although previous studies have explored the positive perceptions of using vocabulary cards in various educational contexts, particularly in enhancing speaking skills and vocabulary retention, a gap remains in research regarding the use of vocabulary cards in English courses within the Indonesian context. Specifically, studies examining how teachers use vocabulary cards to teach speaking to L2 learners, as well as the teachers' perspectives on the use of vocabulary cards for teaching speaking in the Indonesian context, are limited. In addition, while several studies have examined the perceptions of using vocabulary cards in English Language Teaching (ELT) in international contextsAisuch as in Turkey (Istifci, 2. Japan (Taynton & Yamada, 2. Iran (Honarmand et al. , and Malaysia (Lukas et al. , 2. Aithere is still a significant gap in research specifically focused on the Indonesian context. Previous studies have demonstrated that vocabulary cards can enhance student engagement, motivation, and speaking skills, particularly in contexts where the learner's proficiency level is not widely varied. However, there is limited research investigating how vocabulary cards are perceived and utilized in English courses in Indonesia, especially in contexts with various proficiency levels among learners. This gap highlights the need for an investigation into how vocabulary cards can enhance L2 speaking skills and the teachersAo perceptions on the use of vocabulary cards in teaching L2 speaking. Volume 6. Number 2. August 2025 | 551 Journal of English Language Teaching and Literature (JELITA) ISSN:2721-1096 (Prin. , 2721-1916 (Onlin. RESEARCH METHOD This study employed a qualitative method. A qualitative method is defined as research conducted repeatedly, with differences added to the research results. This method does not analyze numerical data but focuses on understanding phenomena through a conceptual framework (Aspers & Corte, 2. Qualitative research provides valuable insights into a phenomenon, which are useful for the research process. The purpose of using this design was to deepen researchers' understanding of the philosophical paradigm, which forms the foundation of this qualitative research method, and to facilitate comparisons and identify differences in the selected research results. The interpretive paradigm supports the qualitative method by creating a perspective on the world where reality or a phenomenon is constructed (Thanh & Thanh, 2. Previous studies on perceptions have predominantly employed qualitative methods, which influenced the choice of method for this study. Additionally, the data obtained could be explored more deeply by investigating it using qualitative methods. This research employed the interpretivist paradigm, which views reality in a different manner than the positivist paradigm. By employing interpretivist paradigms, the researchers draw on their experiences to analyze and interpret the meaning of the phenomenon during data collection. Therefore, this study employed an interpretive paradigm to gain a deeper understanding of English teachersAo perceptions of using vocabulary cards to teach speaking to L2 learners. This research was conducted at one of the well-known English courses in Yogyakarta. Three teachers from the course participated in this study. The researcher involved these three teachers for several reasons. First, the researchers contacted seven teachers who used vocabulary cards as instructional media in the classroom. However, only three were willing to participate in the study. Second, one teacher had yet to start teaching again because that teacher had just had their contract extended. Third, the researchers conducted data collection within a limited timeframe. This study employed two instruments: an interview checklist and an observation The interview checklist was adapted from Sari et al. It includes questions about teachersAo perceptions of using vocabulary cards in a speaking class. The observation checklist was adapted from Subban et al. about the use of vocabulary cards in the classroom to enhance studentsAo speaking skills. The interview checklist consists of seven questions and is divided into three parts, , . the perceptions of using vocabulary cards in the classroom, . the benefits of using vocabulary cards for studentsAo speaking skills, and . the challenges in implementing vocabulary cards in the class. The questions in the interview checklist were translated from English to Indonesian, aiming to facilitate teachers' responses and avoid misunderstandings, as well as facilitate researchers' understanding when analyzing the The observation checklist consists of six statements, i. , . How teachers use vocabulary cards to assign students to make good sentences in English, . How teachers use vocabulary cards in the classroom, . How teachers use vocabulary cards to convey Volume 6. Number 2. August 2025 | 552 Journal of English Language Teaching and Literature (JELITA) ISSN:2721-1096 (Prin. , 2721-1916 (Onlin. an understanding of the materials, . How teachers help students to develop speaking skills by practising using vocabulary cards, . How teachers provide feedback to students based on activities that use vocabulary cards, and . How the use of vocabulary cards can make students actively participate in teaching and learning activities in the classroom. The interview checklist explored the teachersAo perspectives on using vocabulary cards for L2 learners. The observation checklist was used to assess how the teachers utilized vocabulary cards in the classroom. As an initial step, the researchers contacted seven teachers to ask about their willingness to participate in the present study. Only three teachers were willing to Then, the researchers contacted the course director for permission to conduct the research. After receiving permission from the course director, the researchers made an appointment for observation and interviews. Then, the researchers began to conduct the observations. Observations were conducted from 23 February to 24, 2024. On the first day, the researchers conducted observations in two classes: Elementary (EL) 3 and English for Active Communication (EAC) 2. The EL 3 class consisted of approximately fifteen high school-level students, and EAC 2 consisted of around nine university students. The researchers observed English for Junior High School (SL) 4 on the second day. This class consisted of around fifteen junior high school students. The researchers conducted interviews over two days, 25 February and 26 February. After collecting all the interview data, they transcribed and translated the recordings into English. The transcriptions were analyzed and used to create themes using thematic The detailed data analysis sequence is illustrated in Figure 1. Figure 1. Sequence of data collection and analysis Volume 6. Number 2. August 2025 | 553 Journal of English Language Teaching and Literature (JELITA) ISSN:2721-1096 (Prin. , 2721-1916 (Onlin. Based on the knowledge of researchers, ethical considerations are principles that researchers should adhere to when conducting research. This current research uses specific ethical considerations to protect participantsAo data. To conduct research without coercion from researchers toward participants, the researchers employed four principles: autonomy, anonymity, beneficence, and justice. Based on Fouka and Mantzorou . , autonomy should be well protected. This means that the participantAos data will be confidential to avoid the possibility of defamation. Anonymity refers to the protection of secret information by not inquiring into an individual's ethnic or cultural background or other sensitive details from sources. Beneficence is an affirmation of the usefulness of this temporary research (Akaranga & Makau, 2. The last principle, justice, was applied during the interview. The researchers respected the participantsAo privacy by obtaining their permission to be interviewed. FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION Findings Research question 1: To what extent do teachers use vocabulary cards to teach speaking to L2 learners? Based on the observations, two emerging themes for the extent of using vocabulary cards to teach speaking are as follows. Table 1. The emerging themes regarding the extent of using vocabulary cards to teach speaking to L2 learners. Theme 1 Teachers use vocabulary cards to help students understand new materials being discussed in class. Theme 2 Teachers use vocabulary cards to help students improve their speaking Theme 1: Teachers use vocabulary cards to help students understand new materials being discussed in class. The first theme that could be identified was the use of vocabulary cards to help students understand new material being discussed in class. During class observations, teachers often used vocabulary cards to deliver new material. The observation report on 23 February in the EL 3 class found that: The teacher provided a brief overview of todayAos material. The teacher tested students by asking questions and using vocabulary cards to review studentsAo understanding of the material they had just studied. Then, students were asked to pair up and given the task of creating sentences from cards that were different from before, but still vocabulary cards that the teacher had distributed, and then presented them in front of the class. The teacher gave feedback to the students. Volume 6. Number 2. August 2025 | 554 Journal of English Language Teaching and Literature (JELITA) ISSN:2721-1096 (Prin. , 2721-1916 (Onlin. Teachers always used vocabulary cards as a learning medium during the teaching (Obsv/EL3/newma. The observation report on 23 February in the EAC 2 class found that: The teacher explained todayAos material about the present continuous tense. Every time the teacher explained the formula, he gave an example. After giving an example, the teacher always tested the students by showing cards to them to find out how much the students understood the material being taught. The students were asked to guess the verb in the cards shown. At the end of the lesson, the teacher asked students to play cards in groups, with each group consisting of three The students were asked to make present continuous tense sentences orally using the verbs on the cards. (Obsv/EAC2/newma. The observation report on 24 February in the SL2 class found that: The teacher explained the material about describing a person. The teacher gave several examples and then asked the students to describe their friends in class using vocabulary cards. Students were asked to create sentences describing their friends using the verbs on the cards. (Obsv/SL2/newma. In conclusion, the findings suggest that teachers consistently utilized vocabulary cards as an effective tool to help students grasp new material in class. The teachers employed various classroom activities, including vocabulary cards, such as pair work, group exercises, and oral presentations. The teachers used vocabulary cards to enhance studentsAo understanding and retention of new concepts. Therefore, from the findings, vocabulary cards can be valuable in facilitating interactive learning environments. Theme 2: Teachers use vocabulary cards to help students improve their speaking skills. The second theme was teachers using vocabulary cards to help students improve their speaking skills. Vocabulary cards also helped students practice their speaking skills. The teachers would spend time during the teaching and learning process to provide students with speaking practice. The observation report on 23 February in the EL 3 class found that: After discussing homework and explaining the new material, the teacher distributed vocabulary cards and asked the students to create sentences using the vocabulary This activity aimed to train studentsAo speaking skills. Students, in turn, made their sentences. The teacher gave feedback to the students based on the sentences they made. (Obsv/EL3/speakin. The observation report on 23 February in the EAC 2 class found that: Before the class ends, the teacher asks students to practice speaking by playing vocabulary cards in groups. Each group consists of three people, and the game is played similarly to rummy cards. Each person took turns making sentences from the existing verbs orally. This game was fifteen minutes long. (Obsv/EAC2/speakin. The observation report on 24 February in the SL 2 class found that: Volume 6. Number 2. August 2025 | 555 Journal of English Language Teaching and Literature (JELITA) ISSN:2721-1096 (Prin. , 2721-1916 (Onlin. For the exit ticket, the teacher asked students to make a line and a sentence based on the vocabulary cards. The student who could answer could leave the class. They had to make a sentence correctly to leave the class, and they were allowed to try again and again until they made a grammatically correct sentence. (Obsv/SL2/speakin. The findings demonstrate that the teachers effectively used vocabulary cards to improve studentsAo speaking skills. The teachers employed various interactive activities, including sentence construction, group games, and exit tickets. Vocabulary cards provided students with opportunities to practice their speaking skills. Therefore, vocabulary cards are crucial in facilitating practical and engaging speaking practice in the Research question 2: How did teachers perceive vocabulary cards to teach speaking for L2 learners? Based on the researcherAos observations, two themes emerged regarding how teachers perceived vocabulary cards for teaching speaking to L2 learners, as shown in the table below. Table 2. The emerging themes regarding how teachers perceive vocabulary cards teach speaking for L2 learners Theme 1 Vocabulary cards make learning speaking more fun. Theme 2 Vocabulary cards increase students Aovocabulary repertoire. Theme 1: Vocabulary cards make learning speaking more fun. The participants mentioned that using vocabulary cards as a teaching medium made learning more fun and enjoyable. The teacher participants agreed that vocabulary cards made learning speaking more fun because students were enthusiastic when learning by using vocabulary cards. Having vocabulary cards made it easier for students to remember vocabulary they had forgotten, and having vocabulary cards could motivate students to learn to speak. PJ, one of the teachers, said that: AuIt was fun because using cards provided more visuals, and students could imagine the words themselves. With vocabulary cards, when the teacher asked them to make a sentence, students sometimes thought of funny or unusual This could lighten the mood and make the activity enjoyable. Ay (PJ/fu. AP, one of the teachers, said that: AuYes, of course, vocabulary cards made learning to speak more fun because students could build more varied conversations using the words on the cards. This way, students did not feel burdened or bored when practicing speaking. They were not limited to the vocabulary they already knew and could expand their conversations beyond what the teacher had taught them. Ay (AP/fu. MM, one of the teachers, said that: Volume 6. Number 2. August 2025 | 556 Journal of English Language Teaching and Literature (JELITA) ISSN:2721-1096 (Prin. , 2721-1916 (Onlin. AuYes. I think vocabulary cards are more fun and beneficial for students, especially beginners or young learners, because they provide clear vocabulary that helps spark studentsAo ideas when making sentences. Ay (MM/fu. In conclusion, the findings highlight that vocabulary cards enhance the enjoyment of learning speaking skills. The teacher participants observed that students were more enthusiastic and motivated when using vocabulary cards, making the learning process more engaging. Vocabulary cards helped students recall forgotten words and encouraged them to think creatively, thereby expanding their conversations. As a result, vocabulary cards proved to be an effective tool in making speaking practice more enjoyable and Theme 2: Vocabulary cards increase students' vocabulary repertoire. The second theme was that vocabulary cards increase students' vocabulary Vocabulary was the most critical aspect of learning to speak, as it formed the basis for fluency in speaking, requiring students to remember a large number of vocabulary words. The teacher participants agreed that learning vocabulary cards could help students expand their vocabulary. According to PJ, a teacher who teaches EAC class, vocabulary cards could improve students' vocabulary and make it easier for them to practice speaking. He said: AuI think vocabulary cards can improve students' vocabulary because they help students focus more on learning. This way, students understand and remember new words more quickly. This makes it easier for them to speak in class during Ay (PJ/repertoir. AP, who teaches in EL3, shared a similar view to PJ. He stated: AuI think using vocabulary cards helps improve studentsAo vocabulary because they might not encounter these words in daily conversations. Vocabulary cards also help students practice conversations in a non-competitive and engaging When students are interested, they are more likely to try harder. Ay (PJ/repertoir. MM, who taught SL 2 class, said: AuI think vocabulary cards help a lot in mastering vocabulary. They are also beneficial if students forget English words. With vocabulary cards, students can remember the words on the cards, making it easier for them to speak. Ay (MM/repertoir. In conclusion, the findings reveal that vocabulary cards effectively increase students' vocabulary repertoire. Teacher participants observed that vocabulary cards helped students focus on learning and remember new words more quickly. Additionally, these cards introduce words students use in daily conversations. The use of vocabulary cards also makes learning a more engaging and motivating experience. Volume 6. Number 2. August 2025 | 557 Journal of English Language Teaching and Literature (JELITA) ISSN:2721-1096 (Prin. , 2721-1916 (Onlin. Discussion Based on findings from the observation, teachers used vocabulary cards to help students understand the new materials being discussed in class. This was in line with the findings from previous researchers (Komachali, 2012. and Hamer and Rohimajaya, 2. who conducted research on vocabulary cards in the Indonesian context. The results showed that vocabulary cards helped teachers deliver material to students, making it easier for students to understand and memorize new material. Additionally, research conducted in the Indonesian context (Widiastuti, 2. has shown that using vocabulary cards makes it easier for students to understand and remember new material and Research conducted by Herlina and Dewi . found that vocabulary cards helped students understand new material better and more effectively. Moreover, research in the Iranian context (Komachali, 2. showed that vocabulary cards were beneficial for teachers as a medium for delivering new materials and for students as a learning medium that can make it easier for students to understand the new material that has been Therefore, this research result aligns with previous studies suggesting that teachers use vocabulary cards to explain material, enabling students to understand new concepts taught through vocabulary cards as a medium. Moreover, the results from the observation reports showed that teachers used vocabulary cards to improve studentsAo speaking skills. This finding aligns with previous research conducted by Ridwan and Nurhaeni . Susanti et al. Werdiningsih and Prawira . Taynton and Yamada . and Chaya and Inpin . Ridwan and Nurhaeni . conducted research in the Indonesian context. The findings showed that using vocabulary cards can improve studentsAo speaking skills. Research conducted by Susanti et al. and Werdiningsih and Prawira . showed that studentsAo speaking skills improved by using vocabulary cards, and the use of vocabulary cards can improve studentsAo speaking skills. In the Japanese context. Taynton and Yamada . stated that vocabulary cards were one of the most popular media in Japan, and they were used to help improve studentsAo speaking skills. In the Thai context. Chaya and Inpin . conducted similar research on vocabulary cards. The findings showed that vocabulary cards help students develop their speaking skills. Therefore, the results of this study are consistent with those of previous research on using vocabulary cards to enhance studentsAo speaking skills. The interview results showed that vocabulary cards could make learning more fun. These findings align with previous research by Purnami . Kholifah and Gularso . Kurniawati et al. Liansari and Azizah . Hartfill et al. Rostampour and Branch . , and Purnami . They investigated the use of vocabulary cards in the classroom and found that fun learning is essential in the teaching and learning process. Teachers are encouraged to use engaging activities, such as vocabulary cards, to create a fun learning environment. Kholifah and Gularso . found vocabulary learning more enjoyable and engaging by using vocabulary cards. Vocabulary cards made the teaching and learning process less boring and easier to Liansari and Azizah . found that using vocabulary cards made learning Volume 6. Number 2. August 2025 | 558 Journal of English Language Teaching and Literature (JELITA) ISSN:2721-1096 (Prin. , 2721-1916 (Onlin. English fun, helping students become more active, confident, and willing to speak in front of the class. Hartfill et al. discovered that vocabulary cards were a more enjoyable learning medium than others, leading to greater student interest and activity. Rostampour and Branch . found that teaching media, such as vocabulary cards, is a fun way for students to learn. Thus, this research is consistent with previous studies, as it demonstrates that vocabulary cards are an engaging medium for students in the classroom. Additionally, this finding can be interpreted through the lens of Constructivist Learning Theory Vygotsky . , which suggests that learners build knowledge more effectively when they are actively engaged and when learning activities are enjoyable and The use of vocabulary cards, therefore, creates an environment where students are motivated to participate actively to improve their engagement and retention of the Based on the interview results, it can be concluded that vocabulary cards increase students' vocabulary repertoire. These findings align with previous studies by Fahkrunisa and Ananda . Atmaja and Sonia . Farida et al. Lukas et al. and Fahkrunisa and Ananda . , who investigated the use of vocabulary cards in the Indonesian context, showed that vocabulary cards could increase studentsAo vocabulary. Atmaja and Sonia, . who conducted similar research in Indonesia found that students who used vocabulary cards achieved higher grades than those who did not. This demonstrates that vocabulary cards effectively enhance studentsAo vocabulary, which is crucial for language learning. Farida et al. also found that students mastered their vocabulary by participating in classroom activities. Vocabulary cards helped students recognize and memorize words quickly. Lukas et al. , . , who conducted research in Malaysia, found that the teaching and learning process, which utilized media such as vocabulary cards, helped students increase their vocabulary more quickly than those without any media. Therefore, this research supports previous studies, showing that using vocabulary cards in the teaching and learning process can increase studentsAo vocabulary CONCLUSION From the findings, the researchers discovered that teachers utilize vocabulary cards to aid students in understanding new materials discussed in class and to enhance their speaking skills. Secondly, related to teachersAo perceptions regarding the use of vocabulary cards to teach speaking, the researcher found that vocabulary cards make learning to speak more fun and could increase studentsAo vocabulary repertoire. There are several implications. First, vocabulary cards can improve L2 studentsAo speaking skills. Using these vocabulary cards, students can understand new material more easily when teachers present it and quickly remember new vocabulary. Second, teachersAo use of vocabulary cards as media has received a positive perception. This is supported by the results of this research, which indicate that using vocabulary cards enhances the learning atmosphere. Additionally, the use of vocabulary cards can increase the richness of studentsAo vocabulary more quickly than not using any media. Volume 6. Number 2. August 2025 | 559 Journal of English Language Teaching and Literature (JELITA) ISSN:2721-1096 (Prin. , 2721-1916 (Onlin. This research makes several contributions to existing research on teachersAo perceptions of using vocabulary cards to develop speaking skills for L2 learners. First, research on teachersAo perceptions of using vocabulary cards in speaking skills for L2 learners is quite rare. Therefore, the findings of this research can provide valuable information for anyone researching a similar topic. Hence, teachers can utilize this media as a teaching tool to enhance speaking skills. In addition, the findings from this research can provide insight for pre-service English teachers on the use of vocabulary cards to improve speaking skills for L2 learners. Despite its implications and contributions, this study has several limitations. First, the observations may be limited in richness because the number of classes observed is The data may be more useful if the researcher makes more than three observations. Second, this research was conducted within a limited timeframe, resulting in a small number of participants. A final limitation is that the results of this study cannot be generalized due to the nature of the qualitative research methods employed. The results of this study may not apply to other contexts or participants. There are some recommendations for further research that can be carried out based on the results and limitations of this study. First, future research should investigate the effectiveness of vocabulary cards across various levels of English proficiency to determine their impact on learners at different stages of language development. Secondly, future research may use other data collection techniques, such as questionnaires and surveys, to obtain richer and more solid data. Furthermore, future research might be conducted on the same topic with different contexts and participants to see if similar results can be identified and contrasted. REFERENCES