scholarly journals Developing Vocabulary Knowledge among Low Achievers: Mobile Augmented Reality (MAR) Practicality

Author(s):  
Ilyana Jalaluddin ◽  
◽  
Lilliati Ismail ◽  
Ramiza Darmi

Difficulty in learning gives huge impact to the process of language discovery among school children. LINUS students are categorized in this group and regarded as Low Achiever (LA) regardless of their education level. Currently, schools are provided with traditional learning materials such as textbook prepared by the Ministry of Education and it is up to the teachers’ own creativity and initiative to turn the materials into a more interesting learning source [1], [2]. However, depending solely on these learning materials alone is not enough as these children will easily lose their attention as they become bored and finally lost interest to proceed with the learning process [3]. Therefore, there is a need to utilize the elements of technology in order to motivate and facilitate these LINUS students in learning vocabulary in English. This experimental study aimed to explore the effectiveness of using mobile augmented reality (MAR) application in vocabulary learning among LINUS students. 45 students were involved and the development of MAR in vocabulary learning in this study was investigated based on the ADDIE Instructional Design (ID) method as a framework. As a form of measurement, British Picture Vocabulary Scale (BPVS) III was used and findings showed that there was a significant improvement in the post test after 6 months of MAR implementation. Although this study showed an encouraging results, there was still lack of skills in terms of writing the words learnt via augmented reality. The results of this study provide the discussion on the practicality of using Augmented Reality to help the struggling learners to cope with acquiring and learning English language in ESL context.

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 238
Author(s):  
Hamed Barjesteh ◽  
Lida Farsi

The present study aimed to examine the relationship between age range and vocabulary learning among pre-intermediate Iranian EFL learners. To this aim, 50 pre-intermediate Iranian EFL learners, male (N= 20) and female (N=30), were selected from a private language institute based on their performance on the Oxford Placement Test (OPT). They were divided into two groups: teenager and adult learners. Before intervention, a pretest of vocabulary was conducted to determine students’ vocabulary knowledge.  Then, vocabularies were presentenced in dialog, word power and reading texts using a monolingual dictionary in five sessions interval for the both groups. After the intervention, a post-test of vocabulary was administered to examine the possible improvement. The data obtained from the administration of the pre-test and the post-test were analyzed using SPSS software. The results revealed that there was no significant relationship between the performance of teenager and adult groups in their vocabulary learning; and there was no significant difference between the performance of teenager and adult groups in their vocabulary learning. This research potentially has some implications that may help English language teachers, students, EFL learners and educational syllabus designers.


Vocabulary learning is one of the problems in language learning skills. Tackling such problems is to provide useful and effective strategies for enhancing students’ VLSs. Therefore, this study aims to survey vocabulary learning strategies (VLSs) utilized among English as a Foreign Language learners (EFL) in Baghlan University of Afghanistan, and to study the high and least frequently used VLSs that contributes to the learners’ vocabulary knowledge. This study utilizes a descriptive quantitative research method with 67 EFL learners who participated in the survey questionnaire adopted from Oxford (1990) taxonomy of VLS from different faculties of Baghlan University. The findings indicated that EFL learners preferably utilize VLSs at a medium level, and the highly used vocabulary learning strategies are the social strategies through which they ask the native speakers, teachers, and classmates for the meanings of new words in English language conversation. Determination, cognitive, and memory strategies are respectively followed by the learners. Whereas, metacognitive strategies are the least used strategies among EFL learners, the reason is that they only focus on the materials related to examination; explore anything about the new words for learning, and rarely think of their improvement in vocabulary learning.


2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 92
Author(s):  
Maryam AminAfshar ◽  
Ahmad Mojavezi

EFL learners at all ages and proficiency levels are usually confronted with various problems in vocabulary learning and retention. This study sought to introduce strategies for improvement of vocabulary learning and retention. Therefore, the effects of using aural/visual storytelling on Iranian EFL learners’ vocabulary learning and retention were investigated. To do so, 50 intermediate female EFL learners were randomly assigned to two groups. After the administration of teacher made English Vocabulary Test as the pre-test, aural storytelling method was used for the control group, and visual storytelling method was used for the experimental group. After three months of instruction, the aforementioned teacher made English Vocabulary Test, as the post-test, was given to the students of both groups to assess their improvements. Two weeks after post-test, they were given a delayed post-test to measure their retention of English vocabulary knowledge. The reliability of the English Vocabulary Test using Cronbach's Alpha was estimated equal to 0.80. Finally, Using ANCOVA, the results revealed that, the experimental group’s participants outperformed those of control group in both learning and retention of English vocabulary. So, it can be noted that the training program according to visual could have impressive impact on the learning and retention of vocabulary knowledge.


2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 88
Author(s):  
Shiping Duan

Enhancement Techniques are conducive to incidental vocabulary learning. This study investigated the effects of two types of enhancement techniques-multiple-choice glosses (MC) and L1 single-gloss (SG) on L2 incidental learning of new words and retention of them. A total of 89 university learners of English as a Freign Language (EFL) were asked to read the same reading texts with the two types of glossing and no glossing. Vocabulary acquisition was measured with the vocabulary knowledge scale (VKS). The results indicated that there were obvious vocabulary gains for both MC and SG groups. MC glossing is more conducive to incidental vocabulary learning than SG glossing in both immediate and delayed vocabulary post test. What’s more, learners with larger vocabulary size demonstrated much more significant gains than those with small ones.


2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 145
Author(s):  
Liju Xu

The purpose of this paper is to explore the effectiveness of vocabulary enhancement activities on vocabulary learning in an ESP course. In designing the activities, technical terms on journal entries were chosen for the acquisition of language necessary for the successful implementation of accounting major’s professional tasks. The desirable difficulty approach and the four strands principle,focused input, meaning-focused output, language-focused learning and fluency development, were guidelines in combining subject matter and English language learning. To test the result of the activities, the Vocabulary Knowledge Scale was employed to measure students’ knowledge of 50 vocabulary items. Subjects of the ESP course in discussion comprised 200 accounting juniors in Guangdong University of Foreign Studies in China. Half of them in Group A read the texts and did matching exercises and translation exercises. The other half in Group B read the texts and practiced journal entry activity, targeting at accounting concepts and terminologies. The results revealed that Group B gained better results than Group A at a post-test. After the test a reflection on the vocabulary activities was gathered among the participants of Group B. The feedback further proved that the students did benefit from the enhancement activities on selected technical terms.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Prisla Devi Krishnan ◽  
Melor Md Yunus

Emphasis on English language proficiency and digital literacy among Malaysian students in schools have been given utmost priority in the Malaysian Education Transformation (2013 – 2025). With the introduction of Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), (Council of Europe, 2001) the emphasize for low proficient students to acquire vocabulary knowledge is crucial for them to move progressively into the next band as stated in the CEFR global scales. Yet, concerns arises as how the implementation of (CEFR) will impact the low proficient students with almost none to limited vocabulary acquisition. This poses an extremely high risk of these students being left far behind as English is a second language to most students. Thus, the aim of this study is to use blended learning to expand the vocabulary acquisition among low proficient students and enable them to move progressively in the CEFR band. The mixed method study employed questionnaires, face to face interviews, pre and post test and observations to collect data from 20 low proficient students aged 14 from a semi urban secondary school. Data collected were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. The study found that using blended learning not only enhances low proficient students vocabulary count in CEFR English but it also promotes autonomous learning and understanding of sentence structures. Hence, the use of blended learning proves to be a crucial alternative for low proficient students to enhance their vocabulary knowledge and understanding of sentence structures through digital literacy that is capable of motivating and challenging them to achieve their highest potential.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 1227-1247
Author(s):  
Mohd Haniff Mohd Tahir ◽  
Dianna Suzieanna Mohamad Shah ◽  
Mohamad Syafiq Ya Shak ◽  
Intan Safinas Mohd Ariff Albakri ◽  
Airil Haimi Mohd Adnan

Per its English curriculum, vocabulary instruction is only integrated indirectly in the teaching of reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills in Malaysian schools. ESL learners then may overlook the variety of meanings that a word and its spelling can offer. This research aims to describe the effects of the explicit approach of vocabulary instruction on 30 Form Two (eighth grade) students from a suburban school in Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia. A descriptive style was adopted, and specific vocabulary lessons were used to help students learn the target words. Using descriptive statistics, vocabulary pre- and post-test scores were analysed and compared to determine the impact of this approach. The frequency counts, percentages, mean scores, and standard deviation of the students’ evaluation form responses were analysed. Content analysis was used to transcribe, classify, and categorise qualitative data from the interview session. According to the data, the students’ vocabulary scores increased dramatically in the post-test, with a mean gap of 21.9. The students were also enthusiastic about the teacher’s instructions (M=4.48, SD=0.64) and vocabulary lessons (M=4.34, SD=0.59). It is suggested that the explicit approach of vocabulary instruction, which engages students in exciting vocabulary learning techniques as employed by this study could enhance their vocabulary knowledge. 


2011 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 174 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saeed Khazaie ◽  
Saeed Ketabi

As mobile connectedness continues to sweep across the landscape, the value of deploying mobile technology at the service of learning and teaching seems to be both self-evident and unavoidable. To this end, this study employed multimedia to develop three types of vocabulary learning materials. Due to the importance of short-term memory in the realm of vocabulary learning, careful consideration was given to the L2 learners’ different visual and verbal short-term memories. 158 L2 learners aged 18-23 participated in the major phases of vocabulary learning experiment through mobile. Based on their scores on the English Vocabulary and Recall tests and statistical analysis of the results it was revealed that L2 learners with high-visual and high-verbal abilities find it easier to learn the content presented with both pictorial and written annotations. However, L2 learners with low-visual and low-verbal abilities benefit from learning materials presented without annotations. Furthermore, delivery of learning materials with pictorial annotation to learners with high-visual ability and the delivery of learning materials with written annotation to learners with high-verbal ability result in better vocabulary learning. The findings of this study could perform as a roadmap in creating learning materials for mobile learning English language.


2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 54
Author(s):  
Nesreen Saud Alahmadi

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of using the mind mapping strategy on learning vocabulary for Saudi Learners. Fifty female students from the English Language centre at Taibah University in Saudi Arabia were selected to participate in this study. All students were homogenous in terms of their English language proficiency. The students were performing at the intermediate level of the English language. Their level of English language proficiency was determined by the Oxford Placement Test. Participants were divided into two groups: the experimental group and the control group. Twenty-five students in the experimental group were taught vocabulary using the mind mapping strategy for six weeks. The control group was taught using traditional methods of vocabulary teaching, such as memorising. To test the effectiveness of the mind mapping strategy, two types of tests were applied for both groups: a pre-test and a post-test. At the end of the treatment, the results of the post-test showed a significant improvement in Second language (L2) vocabulary acquisition by Saudi learners in the experimental group. The findings of this study indicate some important implications for L2 learning, such as that mind mapping facilitates vocabulary learning by increasing the knowledge and the acquisition of the meanings of the vocabulary words used. It also helped with the vocabulary learning process by increasing the level of the motivation of Saudi students in learning new words.


2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 213
Author(s):  
Maryam Sharafi Nejad ◽  
Shohreh Raftari ◽  
Lin Siew Eng

<p>Based on the findings of previous studies which highlight the role of vocabulary knowledge  in English as a Foreign Language/English as a Second Language (EFL/ESL) learners’  learning process, this study is aimed at exploring<strong> </strong>the effectiveness of critical thinking on vocabulary learning by Malaysian EFL learners. .To achieve the purpose of this study, 60 male undergraduate EFL learners studying English at Asian EFL Academy Language Institute in Pinang were selected after administering Preliminary English Test.To examine whether there is a significant difference between experimental and control group, two parallel versions of Vocabulary Knowledge Scale (Pribakht &amp; Wesche, 1993) were used as pre-test and post-test. The participants in experimental group were instructed on how to employ critical thinking strategies on vocabulary learning. The results of the post-test showed that the experimental group who received formal instruction based on the critical thinking strategies revealed the prominent <a href="https://www.google.com.my/search?newwindow=1&amp;biw=1366&amp;bih=609&amp;q=define+development&amp;sa=X&amp;sqi=2&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjsxaLZw_nLAhVMFJQKHWTjC10Q_SoIHjAA">development</a> and interest in vocabulary learning. The t-test also indicated a significant difference between the performance of the control and experimental group.</p>


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