Authentic Short Message Formats in German as a Foreign Language (DaF) Teaching and Their Significance for Vocabulary Work: A Mixed-Methods Study

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Çakmakçı G., Tuğlu Y.

DİYALOG. Interkulturelle Zeitschrift für Germanistik, cilt.14, sa.1, ss.209-230, 2026 (TRDizin)

Özet

This study investigates the pedagogical value of authentic short news formats for vocabulary work in university-level German as a foreign language instruction. It builds on the assumption that vocabulary learning, listening comprehension, and digitally supported learning activities are closely interrelated in higher education and become effective primarily when embedded in integrated instructional designs. Methodologically, the study adopts a mixed-methods pre–post design, triangulating quantitative questionnaire data with qualitative open-ended responses and classroom observation notes. Findings reveal significant changes in learners’ perceptions of the relevance of authentic short news formats and in their evaluation of combining these formats with digital vocabulary activities. At the same time, no significant gains were found in explicit metalinguistic vocabulary knowledge. Qualitative evidence indicates that learners experience vocabulary learning mainly as contextualized language processing, with authentic audio input serving as a framework for meaning-making and comprehension of new lexical items. Overall, the study highlights that authentic short news formats can support vocabulary learning most effectively when systematically integrated into structured teaching and learning processes and aligned with digitally supported tasks.