ELED STUDENTS’ PERCEPTION OF USING INSTAGRAM REELS TO LEARN VOCABULARY FREQUENCY

This study investigates the perceptions of English Language Education Department (ELED) students at the University of Muhammadiyah Malang regarding the use of Instagram Reels as a tool to learn vocabulary frequency. The research adopts a quantitative approach, utilizing a questionnaire distributed to 30 ELED students to assess their engagement with Instagram Reels, perceived effectiveness, and vocabulary retention. The findings reveal that a majority of students (57.9% agree, 36.8% strongly agree) acknowledge Instagram Reels as an effective platform for frequent exposure to new vocabulary, attributing this to its engaging, visual, and repetitive format. The study highlights the platform's role in aiding memory retention, with 57.9% of students agreeing that repeated encounters with vocabulary in Reels improve recall. Additionally, the vocabulary test results demonstrate high accuracy rates (73.7–86.8%) in recognizing and using frequency-related vocabulary learned through Reels.
Despite these positive outcomes, challenges such as sustaining motivation and applying learned vocabulary in real-life contexts were noted. The study concludes that while Instagram Reels serves as a valuable supplementary tool for vocabulary acquisition, its effectiveness is maximized when integrated with structured pedagogical strategies. Recommendations include curating educational Reels content, encouraging active vocabulary usage, and combining digital tools with traditional learning methods. This research contributes to the growing discourse on social media's role in language education, offering practical insights for educators and students alike.