Memorization versus Semantic Mapping in L2 Vocabulary Acquisition - Assignment Example

Memorization versus Semantic Mapping in L2 Vocabulary Acquisition Name: Course: Tutor: Institution: City and State: Date: 1. What is the problem that is addressed in this research? The learning of English as a foreign language offers the context of this study that highlights the teaching methods utilized by school curriculum in the learning of vocabulary. It seeks to investigate the comparison between the rote memorization and semantic mapping approaches to learning of vocabularies in schools (Roya & Samira 2013 p.199). Processing of vocabulary takes two forms, the implicit and explicit learning approaches. Implicit learning involves unconscious and unintentional learning of new words in the course reading or interactions involving speaking. The explicit approach on the other hand involves intentional attention to vocabularies and the research of their meaning. Teachers face a dilemma in identifying the appropriate approach to vocabulary learning since both possess their unique merits. In addition to the dilemma between these two approaches, the research addresses the levels of vocabulary development among students. The process of word knowledge discussed involves three levels; recognizing the word meaning, recalling the meaning and remembering the form. The study offers an insight on the memory systems within the human mind that enable learners remember the meaning of new words. The working memory connects new information to the long-term memory for storage purposes but requires a systematic process of acquiring the information. The information therefore requires an organized sequence of learning to ensure only a limited number of words reach the working memory at a time. The study focuses mainly on cognitive strategies that make learning of new vocabulary effective. The strategies include note taking, imagery, repetition, auditory, contextualization, inference, deduction, grouping, translation, and elaboration among others. The research offers an overview of the main cognitive strategies investigated by this research including the semantic mapping and the rote memorization. Rote memorization involves the repetition of words to embed them into the learner’s memory (Roya & Samira 2013 p.200). The research observes that this mode of learning emerges as a necessity of learning some subjects but poses a danger to the learning process since it involves memorization of words without understanding their purpose. Semantic mapping on the other hand involves the use of the visual approach by displaying vocabularies in related categories. It therefore relies on the previous knowledge of the words to deduct the relationship between the given words. This approach encourages the deepened understanding of words and facilitates the registering of this information to the brain. 2. What research perspective or approach is taken to addressing this problem? The research aimed at the investigation of previous research outcomes that suggested that learning strategies involving deeper understanding of words led to greater level of retention. The previous researchers suggested that the semantic mapping approach yielded better results due to the involvement of the mental activity of learners. Memorization on the other hand proved ineffective in ensuring retention of new words. The study therefore sought to fill the gap in comparing the significance of the differences between the output of semantic mapping and rote memorization in learning of vocabularies by EFL learners (Dörnyei 2007 p.143). The research involved fifty-two Iranian learners between the age of 19 and 24. The research involved English translation female students taking the course of Reading Comprehension III at the Islamic Azad University located in North Tehran. The curriculum requires these students to study general English for the first two years of study then proceed to the translation courses, which makes them EFL learners (Dörnyei 2007 p.152). All the involved learners participated in a homogenizing test while thirty-eight of them formed two experimental groups. One of the experimental groups employed the rote memorization while the other used the semantic mapping approach. The study employed three research instruments in data collection among the participants. A standardized test involving multiple choices assisted in homogenizing the learners. It consisted of thirty grammar tools, thirty vocabulary tools and twenty reading tools that helped identify reasons for potential disparities in word knowledge at the end of the study (Dörnyei 2007 p.144). The study involved a multiple-choice pretest to assess the vocabulary knowledge before formation of the treatment groups. The post-test used consisted of forty items randomly picked from words taught within during this treatment. This helped in assessing the effect the adopted cognitive strategies in vocabulary learning. The post-test ensured that the participants used their mental ability to identify the words taught and successfully use them in a practical environment. After administration of the standardized proficiency test, thirty-eight students with a standard language proficiency proceeded with the study. The students randomly formed two treatment groups using different cognitive strategies. The groups had trained teachers to coordinate learning through precise guidelines from the researchers. The researchers monitored the process and gave the teachers feedback on the activities. The study took four months during which the groups used similar study learning materials comprising eight units. The classes took place twice every week for duration of ninety minutes each. The reading assignments in the first treatment group required the students to memorize a number of fifty words after every unit. In the second group, the students formed various sub-groups and each group discussed related words. The teacher introduced the central theme of the topic and the students needed to identify words that related to the theme. Their assignment consisted of related learning rather than memorization of new words (Chapelle & Duff 2003 p.133). The researcher administered a multiple-choice test after every three learning sessions for both classes. The participants also took part in an overall test at the end of the treatment period featuring only words learnt during this period. The research utilized quantitative techniques in the collection of data relating to the two cognitive strategies (Chapelle & Duff 2003 p.124). The analysis of the data then followed by the use of the t-test to measure the difference in results obtained. This involved computation of mean scores from the pretest and the post-tests through finding the average marks for the students. The averages then undergo the t-test to determine the significance of the difference in both means. This would help identify the approach with the most desirable results hence the most effective learning approach. 3. What findings and conclusions does the author draw from the research? The results of the study indicate the rote memorization as an outdated teaching strategy. Semantic mapping emerged as a superior cognitive strategy due to its ability to facilitate learning through the utilization of the learners’ mental ability (Roya & Samira 2013 p.200). However, the results identified an insignificant difference in the outcomes of these two strategies. The researched assigned a substantial amount of time in designing semantic maps to test their effectiveness. However, the use of this strategy failed to provide a significant improvement in vocabulary learning in comparison to the rote memorization strategy. The rote memorization class performed as remarkably as the mapping group despite the lack of preparation prior to exams. This result rules out the rejection of this strategy as a learning approach of new vocabularies especially for foreign learners. These findings obtained significant influence from the environment of the study, the Iran education system. The system relies significantly on the memorization approach making the rote memorization a familiar strategy in comparison to the semantic mapping. The approach may not be as shallow as the common presumption since the students engage other mnemonic techniques in reinforcing the words retention. Another reason for these findings involves the employment of repetition as the learners that engages the learners and reinforces word retention. The effects the use of cognitive strategies in vocabulary learning faces a number of constraints. The major constraints comprise of the learners’ concentration level and the level of participation in classroom activities (Roya & Samira 2013 p.206). Engagement in class activities facilitates semantic learning through engaging the brainstorming abilities of the learners. The teachers actively facilitated the engagement of students in the complex semantic mapping class whose results failed to yield significantly better results than those of the simple rote memorization strategy. The findings of the research prove the lack of interdependence between the level of word retention and the task involvement. Rote memorization requires a low level of learner’s involvement in academic tasks that occur either in the class environment or outside the learning environment. Semantic mapping on the other hand involves a high level of engagement in complex learning tasks under direct supervision in a learning environment. Despite the difference in complexity of the learning approaches, the findings suggest a relatively equal efficacy in improving vocabulary learning. 4. What evidence does the author present in support of the conclusions? Do you find the evidence convincing or unconvincing? Why? The research uses quantitative techniques in the data collection and analysis (Chapelle & Duff 2003 p.132). Data collection involves strategic sampling where participants emerge from the same university and undertake a similar course. The use of both pre-tests and post-tests for data collection enhances the validity of data collected during the research and the large number of participants involved offers a high level of reliability on the data. The conclusions of the study suggest the lack of difference between the vocabulary learning affected by the semantic maps approach and the rote memorization. The t-test used in the pre-test data analysis proves the presence of an insignificant difference between these two results. The t-test used for the post-test results analysis revealed that t(36) = 0.912, P = 0.368 (two-tailed), reinforcing the conclusion of lack of significant difference. The evidence offered by the study possesses a high level of reliability since the data underwent quantitative analysis and the researcher strategically selected the students involved in the study (Roya & Samira 2013 p.206). 5. Can you identify any assumptions within the approach, conclusions or evidence presented in the article that the reader must agree with in order to accept the validity of the author’s arguments? The results of the study apply to teachers who intend to improve the learning of English language through adopting strategies to increase vocabulary knowledge. The adoption of an effective learning strategy however must begin with the proper analysis of the students and the learning environment (Roya & Samira 2013 p.207). For the effective interpretation of the findings, the study assumes that the teachers assigned to the two groups possess similar skills and identically influence the learning process. The other assumption focuses on the number times the same word appeared in the word lists. The words must appear as single entries rather than in a collection of other words since this influence the learner’s interpretation of the meaning. The learner may have overlooked the meaning of some words and relied on the meaning of simple words to indicate the relationship of the mapped words. Another crucial assumption to the study involves the education system adopted by the schools from which the participants emerged. The interpretation must rely on the assumption that the school curriculum subjected to the students does not already rely on any of the cognitive strategies investigated in the study. Bibliography Chapelle, CA & Duff, PA 2003, ‘Some guidelines for conducting quantitative and qualitative research in TESOL’,TESOL Quarterly, vol. 37, no. 1, pp. 157-178. Dörnyei, Z 2007, Research methods in applied linguistics, Oxford University Press, Oxford. 6 6 Richards, K 2003, Qualitative inquiry in TESOL, Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke, UK. Roya K. and Samira S. 2013. Memorization versus semantic mapping in L2 vocabulary acquisition. ELT Journal. Pp.199-209. Read More