Spaced Retrieval vs Massed Practice for Primary EFL Vocabulary: A 4-Week Classroom Trial

Abstract

Recall activities form a central part of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) vocabulary teaching. However, it is well known that students in EFL
contexts, especially in primary school, often have difficulties retaining new words over longer periods of time. In the present study, we aimed
to compare spaced retrieval and massed practice in a classroom setting over a period of four weeks. A total of 60 pupils aged 9–10 years
were randomly assigned to two equal-sized groups. Participants in the spaced retrieval group practiced their target words in three 15-minute
sessions distributed over the four weeks. In contrast, the massed practice group learned their words in one 45-minute session in the first week.
Both groups used the same materials and were taught under the same conditions. Vocabulary performance was assessed in weekly tests and
a delayed post-test given two weeks after the last session.
The data show that the spaced retrieval group outperformed the massed practice group in each test, and also had a significantly higher average
delayed post-test performance (82.3 % vs 63.4 %). The current results demonstrate the superiority of spaced retrieval for durable word learning
and provide teachers with practical information for the design of classroom interventions to support more efficient EFL vocabulary learning in
primary school. In particular, teachers may consider implementing short, distributed recall sessions in their classrooms instead of more frequent
intensive one-off vocabulary exercises.