A Comparative Study on the Effect of Blended and Flipped Teaching Strategies on Vocabulary Learning and Retention: Evidence from Iranian Intermediate EFL Learners

With the growing advancements in educational technology and its integration into learning, there has been a rising interest among language education experts in effectively implementing innovative approaches such as flipped and blended classrooms, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there is limited evidence to substantiate the impact of these blended and flipped teaching methods on vocabulary learning and retention. The study compares the effects of blended and flipped learning strategies on Iranian intermediate EFL learners’ vocabulary learning and retention. This study used a quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest control group research design through a convenience non-random sampling method. This research included 120 intermediate EFL learners from a Language Institute in Iran. The paired samples t-test and one-way ANOVA results indicated that blended and flipped learning strategies significantly affected learners’ vocabulary learning and retention. However, the control group did not improve in the post-test. The results also revealed that blended and flipped groups outperformed the control group in the vocabulary post-test. The findings indicated that the blended group outflanked the flipped group. The study’s findings offer valuable insights for language teachers, researchers, and curriculum designers, encouraging them to reevaluate the role of educational technology tools in enhancing classroom-based learning. By comparing blended and flipped learning strategies, the research improved the vocabulary knowledge of intermediate EFL learners and shed light on the distinct effects of these strategies within Iranian English Language Institutes.