THE EFFECTS OF THE MNEMONIC KEYWORD METHOD ON 8TH GRADERS’ L2 VOCABULARY LEARNING
The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of the mnemonic keyword method, which is one of the vocabulary learning strategies, plus the context method on L2 vocabulary learning of 8th graders in comparison with rote rehearsal plus the context method. Forty-five Turkish L1 learners of English as a foreign language with the same level of English proficiency in two intact classes at Konya Abidin Saniye Ercal secondary school were randomly assigned as the mnemonic keyword group and the L1 translation group. Before the instruction period a multiple choice vocabulary test, which was developed by the researchers, was given as the pre-test and after the instruction period, which lasted 3 week, the same test was given as the posttest. The results of the statistical analysis conducted using the t-test on the SPSS 18 revealed that the difference between the two groups’ scores was statistically significant in favor of the experimental group, which employed the mnemonic keyword method combined with the context method.