The Mnemonic Keyword Method: Effects on the Vocabulary Acquisition and Retention

Abstract

The objectives of the study were to introduce the technique called "Mnemonic Keyword Method (MKM)" to low proficiency English learners, and to explore the effectiveness of the method in terms of short-term and long-term retention. The sample was purposefully drawn from one intact class consisting of 44 students. They were first-year university students studying a non-credit English remedial course. The materials used in the study consisted of 40 target words, with half of them taught using MKM and the other half with mixed methods, namely contextual clues, word structure analysis, and opposite word-pairs. Students' retention was measured by using a 40-item-vocabulary test and two cued-recall sheets. The results from the vocabulary test and the cued-recall sheets showed that compared to those mixed methods, words taught by MKM could be better recalled both in short-term and long-term memory.

The Effect of Mnemonic Keyword Techniques Instruction on Vocabulary Achievement and vocabulary Size of Iranian EFL Learners

“…Many methodology scholars have had attempts to come up with the best instructional procedures that lead to more effective vocabulary learning and achievement in a second or foreign language. Certain vocabulary learning and teaching techniques which are covered under the general term of mnemonic methods refer to some ways of boosting learning and recall of vocabulary items that are routed in ancient civilizations of the old world (Siriganjanavong, 2013). Solso (1995; as cited in Pillai, 2017) defines mnemonic methods as "techniques or devices, such as a rhyme or an image, that serve to enhance the storage and the recall of information contained in memory and they can be either verbal or visual in nature" (p. 62).…”

The Use of Keyword and Imagery Mnemonic for Vocabularies Learning for AFL Students

“…Experts provide a similar definition of mnemonics that mnemonics are techniques or a verbal and visual device that can increase a person's memory capacity and remember new information easily (Solso 1995 in Siriganjanavong, 2013). Rieder-Bünemann (2012) calls mnemonics as mnemotechnics for thinking that mnemonics are a technique or tool that can aid a person's memory (Ożańska-Ponikwia, t.t.…”

“…The majority of empirical studies about mnemonics and their application to second language learning show that keywords is a powerful method of memorizing compare to other mnemonics. Here is the results of keywords studies which show that beginner students who are less skilled can save a lot of foreign language vocabularies for short and long term memory (Siriganjanavong, 2013) .…”

“…Whereas Vanlee Siriganjanavong revealed that the mnemonic method can help beginner EFL students maintain their English vocabularis memories for short and long term memories (Siriganjanavong, 2013). This is because the mnemonic method combines a person's verbal with visual simultaneously so that knowledge of the vocabulary can remain a long time in someone's memory.…”

Eficacia de la mnemotecnia de la palabra clave en el recuerdo a largo plazo de palabras de un segundo idioma

“…Existe un grupo de trabajos en los que la MPC es más eficaz que otros métodos a largo plazo (Carney & Levin, 1988;Zhang & Schumm, 2000;Campos et al, 2010;2011;Saricoban & Basibek, 2012;Tavakoli & Gerami, 2013;Siriganjanavong, 2013), pero también existen trabajos donde la eficacia a largo plazo del método se cuestiona (Wang et al, 1992;Wang & Thomas, 1995;Thomas & Wang, 1996;Wieczynski & Blick, 1996;vanHell & Mahn, 1997;Campos et al, 2003).…”