Investigating the Influence of Two Memory Strategies on Long-Term Vocabulary Retention: Semantic Mapping versus Wordlists
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Date
2017-02
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The British University in Dubai (BUiD)
Abstract
Semantic mapping is the study of lexical items by creating a relationship between the target words and some inter-related words using visuals in the form of maps or graphs, while wordlists are the study of lexical items in lists and sentences by explaining the meaning of the new words in the target language, English. The aim of this research is to investigate the effectiveness of semantic mapping and wordlists on students’ development and retention of L2 vocabulary. The researcher at the outset of the experiment hypothesizes that the students instructed in semantic mapping outperform those who employ wordlists. This is as a result of the network built in students’ mental lexicon and the visual aids used in L2 vocabulary teaching.
To test the hypothesis of the research, four ESL classes from two different research sites forming a total of 60 participants, 10th graders, were randomly chosen as the main sample of this research. Also, the four ESL classes were randomly divided into two control groups and two experimental groups. After that, a pre-test in a multiple-choice format was run to ascertain whether the participants have the same low level of the target words prior to the experiment to assure their homogeneity. The target words, forty words, were selected by the class teachers from the 10th graders’ course book and then used by the researcher for the purpose of conducting the research experiment.
Six weeks later, the same test was re-administered but with the content of the test re-organized to measure participants’ development and retention of the target words at the end of the experiment. Another test, a delayed post-test, was administered three days after the post-test to enhance the reliability of the research tools and results. The results revealed a big difference in participants’ knowledge level of the target words before and after the experiment, and this difference was statistically significant for the participants who employed semantic mapping strategy.
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Keywords
long-term vocabulary retention, semantic mapping, L2 vocabulary