REVISTA KRONOS
INSTITUTO ACADÉMICO DE IDIOMAS REVISTA KRONOS
UNIVERSIDAD CENTRAL DEL ECUADOR 6(2), AGOSTO 2025 - ENERO 2026, PP. 106-119

pISSN 12631-2840
eISSN 2631-2859

kronos.idiomas@uce.edu.ec

DOI: https://doi.org/10.29166/kronos.v6i2.8909
CC BY-NC 4.0 —Licencia Creative Commons Reconocimiento-NoComercial 4.0 Internacional
© 2026 Universidad Central del Ecuador

Gisselle Karina Molina Cabrera | Universidad Nacional de Educación (UNAE)-Ecuador
Hazel Acosta Cadungog | Universidad Nacional de Educación (UNAE)-Ecuador

abstract The primary objective of this study was to investigate the influence of implementing routine-based activities
on vocabulary retention among 13 young learners aged 4 to 5 years attending a private school in Cuenca, Ecuador. To
carry out this study, an Exploratory Action Research design was used to analyze students' initial context and the results
obtained after the intervention. To collect data, pre-tests and post-tests, observation protocols, weekly assessments, and
final interviews were used. To assess students' prior knowledge of the target vocabulary, a pre-test was administered in
the first phase, followed by the second phase, during which subsequent sessions taught the target vocabulary through the
intervention. Each week included five sessions, in which, from session one to four, four words were learned and reinforced
cumulatively, while session five was used to evaluate students' vocabulary retention learned during the week. Observation
protocols were used to monitor students' performance through routine-based assessments. In the last session, a post-test
was implemented to measure students' vocabulary retention, and a final interview was conducted to determine students'
perceptions about the use of this teaching strategy. The findings indicated improvements in vocabulary retention, pronun-
ciation, confidence, and engagement.

keywords Routines, repetition, vocabulary retention, Young EFL learners, exploratory action research.

fecha de recepción 13/07/2025 fecha de aprobación 15/11/2025

Mejorar la retención de vocabulario mediante actividades basadas en rutinas
en niños aprendices de inglés como lengua extranjera.

resumen El objetivo principal de este estudio fue investigar el impacto de la implementación de actividades basadas
en rutinas en la retención de vocabulario de 13 jóvenes estudiantes de 4 a 5 años que asisten a una escuela privada en
Cuenca, Ecuador. Para llevar a cabo este estudio, se utilizó un diseño de Investigación-Acción Exploratoria para analizar
el contexto inicial de los estudiantes y los resultados obtenidos después de la intervención. Para recopilar datos, se uti-
lizaron pre-tests, protocolos de observación, evaluaciones semanales, post-tests y entrevistas finales. Durante la primera
sesión, para evaluar el conocimiento previo de los estudiantes sobre el vocabulario objetivo, se administró un pre-test.
Las sesiones posteriores se utilizaron para enseñar el vocabulario objetivo a través de la intervención. Cada semana
incluyó cinco sesiones, en las cuales, de la sesión uno a la cuatro, se aprendieron y reforzaron acumulativamente cuatro
palabras, mientras que la sesión cinco se utilizó para evaluar la retención de vocabulario de los estudiantes durante la
semana. Se utilizaron protocolos de observación para monitorear el desempeño de los estudiantes mediante el uso de
rutinas. En la última sesión, se implementó un post-test para medir la retención de vocabulario de los estudiantes y se
realizó una entrevista final para determinar las percepciones de los estudiantes sobre el uso de esta estrategia de ense-
ñanza. Los hallazgos incluyeron mejoras en la retención de vocabulario, la pronunciación, la confianza y el compromiso.

palabras clave Rutinas, repetición, retención de vocabulario, jóvenes aprendices de inglés como lengua extranjera,
investigación-acción exploratoria.

Enhancing Vocabulary Retention through Routine-Based
Activities in Young EFL Learners

Molina G. & Acosta H.

107REVISTA KRONOS 6(2), agosto 2025 - enero 2026 | pISSN 12631-2840 | eISSN 2631-2859

INTRODUCTION

Communication is a vital aspect of human nature, as it enables people to share ideas ef-
fectively (Tolliboyeva & Shakarova, 2024). One of its essential components is vocabulary,
which consists of words that can be used to express a significant opinion. This compo-
nent allows humans to understand given ideas. Building one’s vocabulary at a young age
is beneficial as it develops cognitive flexibility (Bialystok, 2018) and literacy skills (Mad-
sen et al., 2022).

Retrieval-based practice, which involves recalling words constantly over time, is one
strategy that can be used to achieve this goal (Adesope et al., 2017). Read (2019) also
mentions that through the implementation of repetitive and meaningful activities, students
can gradually improve their learning and expand their vocabulary. All these elements
should be used when preparing the vocabulary base of young learners.

One of the fundamental principles of the English curriculum proposal is that language
should not be memorized; instead, it should be learned through connection with others and
the sharing of ideas (Ministerio de Educación, Deporte y Cultura, 2016). To achieve this
goal, the curriculum emphasizes the use of the Communicative Approach (ca) that priv-
ileges the use of learner-centered teaching methodologies that develop students’ language
learning and linguistic competencies (Ministerio de Educación, Deporte y Cultura, 2016).

There are specific instructional approaches under the ca such as task-based learning,
content-based instruction and project-based learning (pbl). The pbl is one of the approaches

that reinforces the use of projects as a mechanism to increase students’ exposure
to the language using significant activities, and it is one of the instructional approaches
commonly used in Ecuadorian classrooms (Muñoz & Gonzalez, 2025). Despite the per-
ceived benefits of the pbl, there are some authors who mention that, although pbl can have
various advantages, it may not be beneficial for students due to time constraints (Muñoz
& Gonzalez, 2025). Thus, it is essential to apply a teaching strategy that is consistent in
the classroom, considering retrieval-based practice and engaging activities that can help
young efl students learn English effectively.

In this study, an efl classroom located in Cuenca, Ecuador, was chosen, where a group
of thirteen (13) students, aged 4 to 5 years old, participated. As the prior students’ context
was unknown to the teacher-researcher, their former teacher participated in an interview
in order to understand aspects of the students’ learning in the previous school year. Based
on the previous teacher’s account, students enjoyed English lessons when activities such
as singing songs, playing interactive games, and using colorful flashcards were involved,
implying that students enjoy learning English when activities are interactive and dynamic.
However, it is evident from the interviews conducted with the previous teacher that, de-
spite students’ engagement and enjoyment, they did not remember the words previously
taught to them. Forgetting the vocabulary learned after a certain amount of time has lapsed
suggests that children’s capacity to recall is the gap in current practice that needs explora-
tion to ensure that young learners recall the words they were exposed to before. Moreover,
even though these activities were implemented in the lessons, students tend to forget the
vocabulary when reinforcement was not applied. In this study, the former teacher sug-
gested including vocabulary related to school supplies, as it was not adequately learned
during the previous school year, and due to its relevance for the current academic period.

To ensure that young learners do not forget the vocabulary they are learning, it is im-
perative to introduce a series of words that they encounter on a daily basis, reinforcing the
retention of the meaning of each word learned. To accomplish this, routine-based activities
were employed in this study, yielding positive outcomes not only in students’ vocabulary
retention but also in their confidence, participation, and engagement.

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108 REVISTA KRONOS 6(2), agosto 2025 - enero 2026 | pISSN 12631-2840 | eISSN 2631-2859

To determine the influence of routine-based activities on students’ vocabulary retention,
the Exploratory Action Research (ear) design was employed, which has two phases: the
exploratory phase and the actual action research phase. The first phase was used to ex-
plore students’ initial context before the intervention. The second phase was used to an-
alyze the influence of routine-based activities on vocabulary retention after the study. To
gather students’ data, a combination of quantitative and qualitative data collection meth-
ods was employed. After data collection, the findings revealed that students improved their
vocabulary learning, engagement, and confidence throughout the intervention, which was
confirmed in the final interview, as most students responded positively to the use of rou-
tine-based activities to enhance vocabulary retention and engagement.

This research is relevant to English learning, as it aims to address students’ poor re-
tention, a common issue in language learning. Therefore, consistent and engaging activities
embedded in daily classroom routines are proposed as essential to mitigate this challenge,
which will be analyzed in response to the research question: How does the implementa-
tion of routine-based activities in the classroom influence the retention of vocabulary in
young learners?

LITERATURE REVIEW

Vocabulary Retention.
Remembering words over time is one of the challenges that students face when learning
English (Huyen & Oanh, 2025); consequently, a teaching strategy that incorporates con-
sistent and meaningful activities needs to be implemented. Sousa (2016) supports this
idea, indicating that repetition and contextualized activities are necessary to consolidate
students’ vocabulary learning. Moreover, Janczukowicz (2021) mentions that learning
can be stored in short-term memory if meaningful connections in activities are not con-
sidered in teaching. However, not only consistent, meaningful, and contextualized activi-
ties are vital to raising vocabulary retention, but also the number of words selected to be
taught, as a reduced number of words can be enough for students to retain and reinforce
the vocabulary effectively over time. Peters-Sanders et al. (2020) support this idea in their
study with children, where four words were considered to be instructed through repetition
and explicit teaching each week. Similarly, Coyne et al. (2022) confirm this idea, indicat-
ing that a reduced number of words is relevant for students to raise vocabulary retention.
Thus, consistent, meaningful, and repetitive activities, including a small set of words, are
necessary to achieve retention in young efl learners. Understanding how learners retain
vocabulary is not the only aspect that needs to be considered; analyzing learning theories
is another primary step.
Learning Theories Supporting Language Learning and Retention.
Different studies emphasize Skinner’s perspective on behaviorism, highlighting the im-
portance of continued practice and repetition in learning (Budiman, 2017). Moreover,
this latter term can be applied to various teaching techniques, including drills and guid-
ed practice, which are commonly used due to their benefits for students’ communication
skills (Annisa et al., 2025). The use of drills reinforces responsive skills as students re-
peat the words they are learning on a daily basis. This technique strengthens the capacity
of learners to remember previously learned words. Routines, a teaching strategy known
for incorporating consistent repetition and ongoing practice, are, according to Jeremiah et
al. (2025), a powerful way to enable students to develop habits.

Molina G. & Acosta H.

109REVISTA KRONOS 6(2), agosto 2025 - enero 2026 | pISSN 12631-2840 | eISSN 2631-2859

Piaget identifies distinct stages in the growth process of children, as mentioned in Rabin-
dran and Madanagopal’s (2020) study, who analyze the cognitive development theory. This
study emphasizes the preoperational stage, as the participants of this study belong to this
phase. In this study, Piaget indicates that children at this age communicate through sym-
bolic representations (Rabindran & Madanagopal, 2020). Therefore, colorful and mean-
ingful visuals should be implemented through constant and continued practice, as mental
flexibility can be enhanced through ongoing and repeated reinforcement (Bialystok, 2018).

Zakarneh et al. (2021b) explained their study through a sociocultural perspective,
emphasizing that language learning can be achieved through social interactions among
learners. As Tolliboyeva and Shakarova (2024) state, «communication is essential by
nature» (p. 828); therefore, individuals cannot convey ideas without social interaction,
which is a natural activity. Similarly, Ho (2021) emphasizes the importance of social
interactions in the classroom, as they enable students to learn from one another. These
language learning theories provide a basis for understanding how memory works in the
retention of vocabulary.
The Role of Memory in Vocabulary Retention.
It is essential to understand the memory process when learning vocabulary, as it enables
educators to select the most effective teaching strategy in the classroom (Gordon & Low-
ry, 2024). First, short-term memory enables learners to recognize new words; however,
they tend to forget unfamiliar terms after a period of time (Janczukowicz, 2021). Work-
ing memory refers to the temporary retention used to perform a specific activity, whose
storage can diminish without reinforcement (Wen & Li, 2019). Finally, long-term mem-
ory is the last stage in memory, which requires a deeper internalization of concepts, in-
volving semantic memory and procedural memory as both important components. These
elements allow focus on both meaning and independent use of the language (Sousa, 2016).
One strategy that can be used to achieve this type of memory is retrieval practice, which
allows constant recall of the learned content (Adesope et al., 2017).
Repetition in Language Teaching.
Repetition is contemplated in this study due to its several benefits, which include the de-
velopment of motor skills, the formation of associations, and the establishment of habits
(Annisa et al., 2025). Therefore, in order to apply repetition effectively, it should be per-
sonalized, meaningful, and distributed over time (Revutska, 2020; Sousa, 2016). This
last term is defined by Sousa (2016) as the repetition of information over several weeks
to retain it, which is considered an effective method for vocabulary learning.
Routine-Based Activities as a Teaching Strategy Used to Enhance Vocabulary Retention.
The conceptualization of routine-based activities rests on the premises of classic theorists
such as Piaget, Skinner, and Vygotsky. Skinner emphasized the use of repetition to fix cer-
tain words so that young learners remember the words. Word recall is possible through
visuals, which Piaget strongly suggests. The use of visuals is key towards retention, spe-
cifically for young learners, as association is still very concrete and explicit. Through con-
stant repetition using visuals, young learners are most likely to engage in social interaction,
which Vygotsky highlights in his theory on the importance of social interaction. Young
learners learn well when they interact through the words they produce and the activities
they engage in.

As routines are a powerful teaching strategy used to cultivate a practice and interact
with the environment (Jeremiah et al., 2025), they can be used in classrooms to enhance
students’ confidence and focus (Burden, 2020). According to Read (2019), learning
routines not only improve students’ behavior and participation but also provide teachers

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110 REVISTA KRONOS 6(2), agosto 2025 - enero 2026 | pISSN 12631-2840 | eISSN 2631-2859

with several benefits, such as improved classroom management and increased learners’
attention in the classroom.

When employing routine-based activities, Read (2019) highlights the importance of
considering guidelines in applying the appropriate routine to the group of learners. A cru-
cial point is to determine a suitable routine based on the students’ needs and the language
point that will be taught during the selected time. This routine should be applied during
each lesson and modeled by the teacher, who should support students through nonverbal
or verbal responses until learners have internalized the established procedure.

When students have learned and internalized the routine, teachers should progressive-
ly extend the language points so that children can expand their vocabulary. The implemen-
tation of routines in classrooms is a valuable teaching strategy as it significantly enhances
vocabulary retention in students’ language development. Moreover, it promotes consisten-
cy, reinforces prior knowledge, and helps learners store vocabulary in a meaningful way.

METHODOLOGY

This study employed the ear design, comprising two phases: an exploratory phase and an
actual action research phase. This design was chosen as it aims to understand the class-
room context and situation first, after which the intervention is implemented to observe
changes throughout the intervention (Smith & Rebolledo, 2022), which represents the
principal goal of this research.

In line with this, the study addressed the following sub-questions:

1. In what way do routine-based activities support vocabulary retention?
2. How do young learners respond to and engage with these activities as a daily classroom

strategy?
3. What changes in vocabulary retention are observed after one month of implementation?
Accordingly, the study pursued the following specific objectives:

a. To explain how routine-based activities support vocabulary retention.
b. To examine young learners’ engagement with the implementation of these activities.
c. To determine the differences in vocabulary retention before and after the month-long

intervention.

Exploratory Phase
The participants were 13 first-grade students who are learning English as a foreign lan-
guage. As the prior students’ context was unknown to the teacher-researcher, their former
teacher participated in an interview in order to understand aspects of the students’ learn-
ing during their previous school year. One of the most important ones was that students
enjoyed English lessons when activities such as singing songs, playing interactive games,
and using colorful flashcards were involved. Despite having these activities embedded in
the lessons, students have the tendency to forget the vocabulary when reinforcement was
not applied, which justified the need to implement a teaching strategy that is consistent,
meaningful, and routine-based. Routine-based activities reinforce the words learned pre-
viously through regular drills and association techniques. Furthermore, the target par-
ticipants are young learners who need to establish habitual learning acquired through
repetition and familiarity.

Molina G. & Acosta H.

111REVISTA KRONOS 6(2), agosto 2025 - enero 2026 | pISSN 12631-2840 | eISSN 2631-2859

To measure the level of knowledge about the twelve (12) words that refer to school sup-
plies and as the target vocabulary, a pre-test was administered. In this test, students had
to cross out the school supplies named by the teacher in all 12 cases. After applying the
test, the results revealed that half of the students struggled to remember the words, sig-
nifying poor retention. Thus, an intervention was designed to teach and reinforce vocab-
ulary through routine-based activities. Songs and flashcards were the teaching resources
used in implementing routines to young learners. The repetitive nature of songs reinforc-
es behaviorist theories, which capitalizes on the importance of fixing a word through drills
and imitations. Similarly, flashcards served as scaffolds that provided the visual image that
aided learners to remember the words, affirming Vygotsky’s theory on the «Zone of Prox-
imal Development».
Actual Action Research Phase
The intervention lasted four weeks, comprising 21 sessions, including the initial pre-test
(one separate session), five sessions per week, as well as weekly assessments, observation
protocols, post-tests, and a final interview. The weekly assessment refers to a set of teach-
er-made activities aimed at measuring the number of words learners remember in a week
after the words were taught to them. All scores that learners obtained from the weekly as-
sessment activities were added to determine the increment in their vocabulary.

To triangulate the data from weekly assessment activities, observation protocols were
likewise used to document the behavioral processes of learners while engaging in rou-
tine-based activities. These protocols follow a template, and data are encoded after every
lesson using descriptive and reflective notes. The data collected are analyzed through care-
ful scrutiny and examination of prevalent, recurring, and significant words that emerged
from the data. The use of interviews is another data collection method used during the
exploratory phase, which was intended to determine the current vocabulary of learners
and the class context, ensuring that the proposed intervention is appropriate and relevant.
The appropriateness of the interview guide was confirmed by the interview through an
open discussion of the possible questions that are important to the class context. These two
tools – observation protocol and interview – produced qualitative data; thus, there is no
need for a scoring procedure and piloting for validity, as the former is more appropriate
in quantitative studies.

Each week followed a structured pattern to teach and reinforce the target vocabulary
through routine-based activities during the initial and closing stages of the lessons. Five
sessions were conducted per week. In session 1, two words were learned; in session 2, two
additional words were taught that were cumulative with the previous ones and reinforced.
In session 3, these patterns were repeated, as two additional words were introduced while
the previous ones were reinforced; in session 4, all the words learned during the week
were reinforced. Finally, in session 5, a weekly assessment was used to measure the stu-
dents’ retention level of the target vocabulary learned during the week.

Two routines were considered in this study. One applied at the beginning of the
intervention, which consisted of an engaging song, «The Lion Sleeps Tonight» by The To-
kens, whose lyrics were adapted to incorporate the target vocabulary used in this interven-
tion. This song not only included lyrics in a video but also movements that students had to
imitate while singing. The comprehension check routine consisted of using 12 flashcards
that were placed on the floor. Each student had to go to the front of the class and either
touch the school supplies named by the teacher or respond to the question, «What is this?»
Throughout the intervention, observation protocols were used to gather descriptive and
reflective notes about students’ participation, vocabulary retention, and engagement.

At the end of the four weeks, a post-test identical to the pre-test was administered,
and short individual interviews were conducted. The interview included three simple ques-

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tions, accompanied by emojis (happy, neutral, sad), to allow students to express whether
routines helped them remember vocabulary and whether they enjoyed the activities.

DATA ANALYSES

Pre-test and post-test data were used to compare students’ initial knowledge of the tar-
get vocabulary with their retention after the intervention; the mean, minimum, and max-
imum values of both were included to achieve this goal. Likewise, the standard deviation
of both tests was also included, aiming to indicate the variation of individual scores from
the mean. The weekly formative assessments were used to monitor progress and deter-
mine whether students retained vocabulary from each week; the results were analyzed and
illustrated in Figure 1.

Data was also collected from observation protocols, which were analyzed descriptively
and reflectively. This information is summarized in Table 2, which includes the number of
weeks, the target vocabulary, the remembered words, common difficulties, and key obser-
vations/ progress. Through these observations, students’ engagement and confidence were
analyzed over the weeks. Moreover, the final interview also yielded positive outcomes, as
the students were asked to answer three key questions: whether the routines helped them
remember the target vocabulary. In the final interview, students had to respond using emo-
jis representing specific answers: a «happy face» for a positive answer, a «neutral face» for
an impartial answer, and a «sad face» for a negative answer. All these data collection tools
were used to determine the influence of routine-based activities on students’ vocabulary
retention, engagement, and confidence over the weeks.

RESULTS

The results of the intervention are presented by answering the research questions of
this study.
Influence of Routine-Based Activities on Vocabulary Retention.
To address the question of how routine-based activities affect vocabulary retention, Table
1 presents the pre- and post-test results, comparing the students’ prior knowledge of the
target vocabulary and their performance after the intervention.
Table 1. Pretest and Post-test Scores on Vocabulary Retention
Test Mean SD Maximum Minimum
Pre-test 6.62 2.03 10 3
Post-test 12 0.00 12 12

Note. N = 13 participants. SD = Standard Deviation.
The use of routine-based activities in the classroom led to improvements in students’ vo-
cabulary retention. These outcomes indicate that prior knowledge of school supplies was
limited as evident in the mean pretest score of 6.62. After four weeks of the interven-
tion plan, a post-test was conducted where students’ mean score is 12, an increase of 5.38,
demonstrating good retention of all twelve target words. Moreover, the sd score of the pre-
test was 2.03, indicating a significant variability in students’ initial vocabulary knowledge.
In the post-test, the sd score was 0.00, which means that all students achieved a consis-
tent score after the intervention.

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113REVISTA KRONOS 6(2), agosto 2025 - enero 2026 | pISSN 12631-2840 | eISSN 2631-2859

Routine-Based Activities as Support for Vocabulary Retention.
To address the first sub-question, Figure 1 illustrates the results gathered from weekly for-
mative assessments, which show a significant progression in students’ vocabulary reten-
tion over the weeks. The data also shows a consistent increase in the number of words
from the first until the last week of the intervention stage.
Figure 1. Results from the Weekly Assessments

The observations, presented in Figure 1, also aimed to analyze students’ progression not
only in vocabulary retention but also in engagement and confidence over the course of the
weeks, yielding positive results in all these aspects. Students gradually internalized the ini-
tial (warm-up song) and closing routine (comprehension check), which allowed students
to reinforce the words progressively, leading to an automatic recall by the fourth week.
Students’ Engagement with Routine-Based Activities.
Regarding the second sub-question, Table 2 shows students’ progress and engagement across
sessions. The observations also revealed high levels of participation and enjoyment, espe-
cially when activities were gamified, and a steady move toward independent performance.
Table 2. Vocabulary Retention Progress Across Sessions
Weeks Target Vocabu-

lary
Number of Re-
membered Words

Common Diffi-
culties

Key Observations /
Progress

Week 1 Pencil, eraser, En-
glish book, folder

All Manifested some
pronunciation diffi-
culties

Active participation, and
engagement

Week 2

Notebook, colored
pencils, pencil
case, backpack

Recalled the fol-
lowing words:
easy: backpack,
pencil case
difficult: notebook,
colored pencil

Confusion with or-
der of words Ex.pen-
cil colored instead of
colored pencils.

Improved pronunciation
Increased participation

Week 3 Sharpener, marker,
scissors, glue

All new words
remembered.

Ongoing confusion
with notebook and
colored pencils
during review.

Improvements in vocabu-
lary retention
Peer assistance extended
during word completion
to aid memory recall

Week 4 Reinforcement of
all previous words.

Improved recall
and pronunciation
of all target words.

Only minimal dis-
tractions

Automatic recall and bet-
ter pronunciation
Improved retention. In-
creased confidence.
Singing using target words
initiated independently.

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114 REVISTA KRONOS 6(2), agosto 2025 - enero 2026 | pISSN 12631-2840 | eISSN 2631-2859

Table 2 summarizes the key information obtained from the observations, which demon-
strated a significant change in students’ vocabulary retention, engagement, and confidence
throughout the weeks. During the initial part of the intervention, students were poorly
engaged in the warm-up activity as this routine was unfamiliar to them. However, a sig-
nificant increase in students’ participation and engagement was observed throughout the
sessions. Moreover, as the comprehension check became a friendly competition, students’
participation also improved. Finally, difficulties encountered due to unfamiliarity and con-
fusion with other words, as notebook and pencil case, were overcome and mastered.

Furthermore, through the final interviews, positive results were gathered, as most
students answered affirmatively to three questions, confirming the use of routine-based
activities as an effective way to learn vocabulary, working as an enjoyable teaching strategy,
and allowing students to remember more words than before the intervention.
Vocabulary Retention After One Month of Classroom Implementation.
The results obtained from the pre- and post-tests, as illustrated in Table 1, demonstrate the
effectiveness of implementing routine-based activities in the classroom, as they represent
significant progress in their means, from 6.62 in the pre-test to 12 in the post-test. These
results are affirmed in the final interview facilitated to the students after the month-long
implementation. Table 3 shows the responses of students after the final interviews, where
they responded to the questions by selecting a happy emoji, which means yes, a sad emo-
ji, which means no, and neutral emoji that signifies they are neither happy nor sad about
the activities.
Table 3. Student’s Answers in the Final Interview
Question Yes No Neutral/Cannot

decide
Student response on whether routine-based
activities helped remember target words

11 0 2

Student response to whether they enjoy
routine-based activities

11 1 1

Student response to whether they learn
more words using routine-based activities

9 0 4

Note. N=13. Students were asked to express their answer by selecting any of three choices: happy, sad, or neutral face.

As shown in Table 3, the final interviews resulted in positive outcomes in relation to stu-
dents’ perceptions of routines. Out of 13 participants, nine students selected the «hap-
py face» for all three questions (positive answer), indicating that they felt the routines
helped them remember new English words, they enjoyed the activities, and they recalled
more words than before.

However, some students responded neutrally and negatively to some questions. In
question 1, two students responded neutrally. In question 2, one student had the same
neutral response, while in question 3, four students gave a neutral response. Negative
answers were extremely low, as one student chose this answer for question 2. The data
show that most of the students had positive perceptions of the use of this teaching strategy,
and only very few students experienced a moderate learning experience through the use
of routine-based activities in the classroom.

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115REVISTA KRONOS 6(2), agosto 2025 - enero 2026 | pISSN 12631-2840 | eISSN 2631-2859

DISCUSSION

Different data collection tools were employed to investigate the influence of routine-based
activities on young efl learners, which employed pre-tests, observation protocols, weekly
assessments, post-tests, and final interviews, following the ear cyclical process.
The Influence of Routine-Based Activities on Vocabulary Retention.
As observed in Table 1, a comparison between the results of the pre-test administered at
the beginning and the post-test at the end of the intervention confirmed the effectiveness
of routine-based activities as a teaching strategy in enhancing vocabulary retention, with
an increment in the means from 6.62 in the pre-test to 12 in the post-test. Moreover, a
set of few words was introduced in the application of this teaching strategy, which is one
reason this intervention resulted in positive outcomes. The study of Peters-Sanders et al.
(2020) and Coyne et al. (2022) reinforce this finding, where they emphasize the use of
a small but meaningful set of words to be taught in the lessons. Through repetitive expo-
sure, using a reduced number of words is key to achieving students’ vocabulary retention
over time. In efl classes, teachers can prepare small sets of vocabulary banks which can
serve as a scaffold and student-support materials, helping learners prepare for the words
they are expected to learn on a daily basis.
Vocabulary Retention Through Structured Repetition and Predictable Exposure in Rou-
tine-Based Activities.
The implementation of continued exposure and predictable tasks in routine-based activi-
ties resulted in an effective teaching strategy, as shown in the values when a comparison is
made between pre-test and post-test (Table 1), which confirmed the effectiveness of rou-
tine-based activities in retaining vocabulary. According to Sousa (2016), the use of dis-
tributed practice is key for vocabulary learning, as was confirmed in this study. The use
of the two routines implemented at the beginning and end of the intervention in this study
(warm-up song and comprehension check) helped students remember the words effective-
ly and improve their pronunciation. Therefore, vocabulary retention is not the only aspect
that can be enhanced, as pronunciation and language use can also be strengthened through
the use of these routine-based activities. efl teachers can integrate two consistent activi-
ties that reinforce the vocabulary learners are learning. Through lesson planning, teachers
can embed the key words in the beginning and at the end to ensure that a connection is
established, enabling learners to remember the words throughout the lesson.
Routine-Based Activities Result in Students’ Engagement and Motivation.
Routine-based activities proved to be an effective teaching strategy in enhancing not only
retention but also key aspects of confidence, engagement, and enjoyment. The positive re-
sult is due to the transformation of the classroom into a comfortable space that reduces
discomfort and anxiety. Moreover, the predictability of the activities allowed students to
anticipate the tasks and improve their responses to the instructions, which inevitably re-
sults in a well-managed classroom. Burden (2020) asserts that students’ focus is improved
when students are engaged and less anxious.

Despite the facility that routines provide to learners, some struggle with word recall.
To address this, peer assistance was part of the lesson dynamics, where classmates helped
the others remember by pronouncing the first syllable of the word, demonstrating that
social interaction was also a key aspect in helping students retain the meaning of the words
learned. Further, the finding reaffirms what Ho (2021) has emphasized regarding the role
of peer interaction as key in fostering a supportive classroom.

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116 REVISTA KRONOS 6(2), agosto 2025 - enero 2026 | pISSN 12631-2840 | eISSN 2631-2859

Positive outcomes were also obtained from the final interviews, presented in Table 3, in
which most students responded positively to all questions. However, a small group re-
sponded with neutral and negative responses, indicating that not all students, but rather a
small number, had a moderate experience using this strategy. Therefore, the use of repet-
itive activities helped improve vocabulary learning (Sousa, 2016).

Focus and confidence were also increased through the use of predictable routines,
which confirms Burden’s (2020) study. Also, the use of routine-based activities works as
an effective strategy in enhancing not only retention, but it also develops confidence and
fosters enjoyment in English lessons.
Vocabulary Retention After One month of Routine-based instruction.
The implementation of routine-based activities after one month resulted in positive out-
comes in students’ vocabulary retention and confidence, as they were able to overcome
challenging words encountered throughout the sessions, such as notebook and colored pencil,
which were due to unfamiliarity and interference with other terms. This positive change
occurred due to retrieval practice, as mentioned by Sousa (2016), where students con-
stantly reinforce these words throughout the lesson. Moreover, educators need to under-
stand first how memory processes work in vocabulary retention to choose the appropriate
teaching strategy, including constant and significant practice to achieve this learning goal
(Gordon & Lowry, 2024).

LIMITATIONS AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS

As the present study involved only 13 participants, future research can focus on a larg-
er group of students to determine if the results are consistent. Similarly, administering a
retention test after a considerable period, once the intervention has concluded, should be
considered to determine whether students have retained the target vocabulary, as it was
not considered in this study due to time limitations.

CONCLUSIONS

This study underscores the potential of routine-based activities as an effective strategy for
enhancing English vocabulary retention among young efl learners. The following conclu-
sions are presented according to the research questions that guided the study:

1. Due to the positive results obtained from this intervention, routine-based activities can
be seen as an effective way to retain vocabulary. This teaching strategy was applied for
one month, during which young efl learners participated. The post-test revealed high
levels of retention of the 12 target words used in this study. Moreover, challenging
words such as notebook and colored pencils were overcome throughout the intervention.

2. Students’ engagement and confidence increased through the intervention, which was
evident in classroom observations. Moreover, during the final interview, students
reported that they were able to retain vocabulary effectively, enjoyed the routines,
and remembered more words than before, due to the use of the warm-up song and
comprehension check routines. This result demonstrated that routine-based activities
helped students to feel more engaged and increased their confidence in the classroom.

3. After one month of routine-based activities implementation, different students’ aspects

Molina G. & Acosta H.

117REVISTA KRONOS 6(2), agosto 2025 - enero 2026 | pISSN 12631-2840 | eISSN 2631-2859

were improved. This teaching strategy not only helped students retain the target voca-
bulary but also strengthened their confidence, pronunciation, and participation during
the lessons. Therefore, the use of predictable activities resulted in positive student
outcomes in their learning.

This study indicates and provides evidences that routine-based activities, including songs,
games, and visuals, proved to be effective not only for students’ vocabulary retention but
also for improving other aspects, such as pronunciation, engagement, and confidence.
Through the findings of this study, efl teachers can employ routine-based activities that
help young learners retain and expand their vocabulary in a meaningful and engaging way.

CONTRIBUTOR ROLES

Gisselle Karina Molina Cabrera: Conceptualization, investigation, literature review, data
collection, data analysis, methodology development, original draft writing, results inter-
pretation, review, and editing.

Hazel Acosta Cadungog: Supervision, tutoring, methodological guidance, critical re-
view, academic editing, validation of results, and final manuscript review.

ETHICAL IMPLICATIONS

The authors state that there are no ethical implications associated with this study.

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

The authors declare that there are no financial or non-financial conflicts of interest that
could have influenced the work presented.

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