Abstract

This paper aims to examine the effect on vocabulary acquisition of teaching new words via two different methods. According to the findings of Tinkham (1993), introducing new English words with semantic relatedness at the same time may actually hinder young learners to remember and retain the meaning of the target words. One class, including 31 sixth graders in Hangzhou Greentown Yuhua Primary School, were taught 40 carefully selected words either in semantic sets or semantically unrelated sets. The experiment was consisted of several steps, in which pre-tests were given before each presentation of these selected English words and the same post-tests were repeated as an immediate one just after the presentation and as a delayed test with a reshuffled order to prevent any memory effects as practiced in the field. All these were designed to evaluate the effectiveness of both teaching methods. Then what under the investigation was the effect of these two methods on post-tests completion and the scores which participants obtained in test paper. According to the statistical analysis, learning new words in semantically unrelated sets proves to be better than in semantically related sets. The gap was obvious in the long term. Furthermore, according to the test observation, the time that those young learners spent on the post-tests was much longer for the semantically related vocabulary items, which indicated a slower recall of the target words. 

The result of this paper, contrary to frequent practice in many English textbooks and classes, revealed that presenting new words in the same semantic set may cause interference because of cross-association and may even hinder learning of English vocabulary. Therefore such practice, teaching English words in semantic sets, needs to be questioned and further tested. At the same time, the author attempted to explore the possibility of an alternative method of selection and presentation to make learning of English words easier, which may involve introducing vocabulary in semantically unrelated sets. But still it needs further developing and utilizing.

Keywords: Interference theory; semantic sets; semantically unrelated sets; vocabulary acquisition

Contents

Abstract

摘  要

1. Introduction-1

1.1 Researches Abroad-1

1.1.1 Arguments for Presenting Vocabulary in Semantic Sets-1

1.1.2 Arguments against Presenting Vocabulary in Semantic Sets-2

1.1.3 The Problems Existing in Previous Studies-4

1.1 Researches at Home-4

2. Research-6

2.1 Research Questiones and Hypothesis-6

2.2 Experiment-6

2.2.1 Participants-6

2.2.2 Materials and Instruments-6

2.2.3 Procedure-7

3. Results-9

3.1 Effects of Vocabulary Presentation-9

3.2 Length of Test Completion-11

4. Discussion-13

4. Conclusion and implications-14

Appendix A. Sets of Words Used in the Experiment-16

Appendix B. A sample of flashcards used in the experiment-17

References-18