The Influence of Teaching English Using Snowball Throwing at TK An-Naim Lembar

Abstract

This study investigates the influence of the Snowball Throwing cooperative learning model on early childhood English vocabulary acquisition at TK An-Naim Lembar, a pilot driving school (Sekolah Penggerak) implementing the Kurikulum Merdeka in West Nusa Tenggara. Utilizing a quantitative quasi-experimental design with a non-equivalent control group (N=34), participants were divided into an experimental group (n=17) taught using the kinetic Snowball Throwing model and a control group (n=17) instructed through conventional flashcards. Data were collected over four weeks using an oral and pictorial vocabulary assessment measuring receptive and expressive lexical performance. Inferential analysis using an independent samples t-test showed a statistically significant difference in vocabulary gain scores between the two groups (t_{32} = 4.21, p < .001, d = 1.44), with the experimental group demonstrating superior expressive language output and vocabulary retention. These findings indicate that integrating gross motor play into early language teaching lowers affective filters and aligns with the spatial-kinetic characteristics of children in coastal port communities, offering an innovative template for active learning under the Kurikulum Merdeka