Effects of flipped classroom on high-and low-achievers’ english vocabulary learning

The flipped classroom, an approach that extends learning beyond the classroom, has been extensively and empirically researched in the science and math disciplines. However, whether the flipped classroom is feasible in senior high school education—where variation in student performance is of particular concern—has yet to be examined. In this light, this study set out to verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the flipped classroom in high school education, and to compare its effects with conventional lecture-based instruction on high school students with different levels of foreign language (English) vocabulary knowledge. After six weekly sessions, it was found that both methods of instruction were effective in promoting vocabulary gains. However, the flipped classroom was better able to reduce variation among students in a multi-level class. Importantly, although both high and low achievers benefited from the flipped classroom instruction and were left with a positive attitude toward the additional workload it entailed, the effect of the flipped classroom seems to be more manifest in low achievers. Based on the above findings and the results of questionnaire data, the pedagogical implications are discussed.