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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learning also indicated that vocabulary learning was no l<strong>on</strong>ger a student’s self-study but <strong>on</strong>e <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
the key c<strong>on</strong>cepts for language acquisiti<strong>on</strong>.<br />
However, <strong>on</strong>e student admitted that she felt it difficult to follow the c<strong>on</strong>structi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> semantic<br />
maps and could not remember words well with maps. This could be explained that the instructi<strong>on</strong><br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> how to use the semantic mapping was not always clear for all <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the students in the study. This<br />
student might be misunderstood some stages <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> using the semantic mapping. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>refore, the<br />
teacher should be more careful in introducing the semantic mapping to the students. One more<br />
soluti<strong>on</strong> to help the student remember words better with maps could be encouraging her to<br />
involve in regular learning, using both the semantic mapping and the word lists if necessary.<br />
2. Pedagogical implicati<strong>on</strong>s<br />
In this secti<strong>on</strong>, based <strong>on</strong> the findings in the gain in the students’ vocabulary retenti<strong>on</strong> and the<br />
students’ positive attitudes towards using semantic mapping, some implicati<strong>on</strong>s might be<br />
c<strong>on</strong>sidered.<br />
First, the ultimate goal <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> vocabulary instructi<strong>on</strong>s is to help students become independent<br />
learners who have strategies for discovering, remembering, c<strong>on</strong>solidating new words. This goal<br />
cannot be achieved without teachers’ efforts. Teachers should motivate students in their<br />
vocabulary memorizing with different vocabulary tasks. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>y should provide students with not<br />
<strong>on</strong>ly vocabulary knowledge but also the strategies to access, to memorize and to c<strong>on</strong>solidate the<br />
knowledge.<br />
Sec<strong>on</strong>d, to be effective, explicit vocabulary instructi<strong>on</strong>s should be dynamic and include a variety<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> techniques. Specifically, vocabulary instructi<strong>on</strong>s should (1) use both definiti<strong>on</strong>al and<br />
c<strong>on</strong>textual informati<strong>on</strong> about word meanings, (2) involve students’ activity in word memorizing<br />
and (3) use discussi<strong>on</strong> to teach the meanings <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the new words to provide meaningful<br />
informati<strong>on</strong> about the words. It is noticeable that students can use their mother t<strong>on</strong>gue to discuss<br />
the meanings <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the new words. In this case Dash (2000) explained that students’ first language<br />
could be c<strong>on</strong>sidered as a language tool that promote the process <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> L2 penetrating quickly.<br />
3. Limitati<strong>on</strong>s <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the study<br />
Although the research has reached its aims, there were some unavoidable limitati<strong>on</strong>s.<br />
First, because <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the shortage <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> time, it was difficult for the research to reinforce the semantic<br />
mapping through the whole book. In additi<strong>on</strong>, the implementing semantic mapping was short<br />
because it was c<strong>on</strong>ducted in the vocabulary teaching stage during five weeks. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> time limit also<br />
resulted in a small size <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> populati<strong>on</strong> involved in the study. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>refore, in order to generalize the<br />
results for larger groups, the research should be extended its time and the study should have been<br />
involved more participants at different levels.<br />
Sec<strong>on</strong>d, the high school students’ overloaded study might be the factor that affected the results <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
the study because the students were usually under study pressure from studying a lot <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> subjects.<br />
Third, because <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the time limit, there was <strong>on</strong>ly <strong>on</strong>e test <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> vocabulary retenti<strong>on</strong> used in the<br />
present study. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>re should have had some progress tests or delayed tests to measure students’<br />
vocabulary memorizing in l<strong>on</strong>ger intervals <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> time.<br />
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