The Effects of Semantic Mapping on Vocabulary Memorizing
The Effects of Semantic Mapping on Vocabulary Memorizing
The Effects of Semantic Mapping on Vocabulary Memorizing
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Feature 5 <str<strong>on</strong>g>Semantic</str<strong>on</strong>g> mapping for the word “Sumo”<br />
Nati<strong>on</strong> (2001) pointed out in his study that there could be several starting points for semantic<br />
mapping. It can involve the recall <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> a previously read story, a recent or current event, a film, a<br />
unit <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> study or simply learners’ general knowledge <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> a topic. He also cited Stahl and Vancil’s<br />
opini<strong>on</strong>s that the discussi<strong>on</strong> occurring during the building up <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the semantic map that makes the<br />
activity c<strong>on</strong>tribute to vocabulary learning and the skill is important in the way that the teacher<br />
enters into a dialogue with learners, encourages them and supports their participati<strong>on</strong> in the<br />
dialogue.<br />
In the present study, vocabulary will be introduced by using semantic mapping. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> results <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
c<strong>on</strong>structing a semantic map can be seen as the map from the topic Olympics as followed:<br />
Feature 6 <str<strong>on</strong>g>Semantic</str<strong>on</strong>g> mapping for the word “Olympics” (from Johns<strong>on</strong>, Pittelman and<br />
Heimlich, 1986)<br />
In four semantic elaborati<strong>on</strong> techniques (ordering, semantic feature analysis and pictorial<br />
schemata), semantic mapping is commented to be suitable for not <strong>on</strong>ly beginning learners but<br />
also advanced <strong>on</strong>es. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> effectiveness <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> semantic mapping recognized in the previous related<br />
study will be discussed in the following secti<strong>on</strong>.<br />
5. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> previous related studies<br />
Research <strong>on</strong> semantic mapping has been extensively c<strong>on</strong>ducted. Most <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the studies focus <strong>on</strong><br />
using semantic mapping as pre-activities for reading, speaking or writing less<strong>on</strong>s. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> subjects <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
these studies are <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>ten intermediate learners. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> results have shown the significant difference in<br />
vocabulary learning. Learners using semantic mapping could organize words systematically and<br />
recall word meanings easily.<br />
Amer (2002) realized that adult learners are better at remembering words from lists that c<strong>on</strong>tain<br />
semantically related subsets than words from lists <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> unrelated words. In additi<strong>on</strong>, he found out<br />
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