Pictologics and its Effects on English Vocabulary Learning of Malaysian Students with Reference to Schema Theory

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of Pictologics (PLS) method developed by Author (2004) on English vocabulary learning by Malaysian year six primary school students (N=118). It also examined the probable gender differences (N=54, p≤.01). In a pretest-posttest control-group design, students in two public schools in Penang, Malaysia, participated in this experiment. They were almost equally divided into the treatment group which received their training with PLS, and the control group that received their training via a conventional method. A 50-item TOEFL vocabulary test was the instrument. The data revealed that students under PLS obtained a significantly higher gain score in the vocabulary test. However, the difference between the vocabulary gain score between the male and female students in the treatment group was not significant. Briefly introducing PLS in light of the schema theory, this paper encourages teachers to be trained and students be taught to sufficiently use the PLS techniques to enhance teaching and learning English vocabulary.

Perception of Future Spanish Primary Education Teachers on Their Multicultural and Multilingual Competencies and the Sustainability of the Educational System

“…However, multilingualism is sometimes considered from the perspective of other subjects [43]. Some studies focus on additional language didactics, sometimes in specific countries [32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40]. Only the article by Vogel [17] focuses on first-language didactics, albeit in the case of Slovenian varieties and not for international students.…”

“…Consequently, the number fell to 14. Eight of them focus on English as an additional language from different perspectives, including learning through curriculum content [32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39]. Three articles deal with the teaching of additional languages: One on the language policy applied by the Belgian government regarding the task-based methodology for teaching Flemish [40]; in another article, Fhonna and Yusuf [41] analyze the methodologies applied in Australia for the didactics of Indonesian as an additional language; and a study in Seychelles evaluates the quality of learners' written productions according to the language in which they write about their knowledge [42].…”