The Effectiveness of Applying the Pictorial Method in Increasing Learner’s Knowledge of Persian Vocabulary

Abstract

Vocabulary plays an important role in language learning by enhancing learners`` knowledge of the language and considerably impacts all language skills. In addition, vocabulary is now considered a language skill that needs to be brought into sharper focus. This is why teachers should adopt an appropriate method for teaching vocabulary. The pictorial method is one of the most popular methods in the field of language teaching. The present study aims to examine the effect of the pictorial method in teaching vocabulary to Persian learners at the elementary level. The population included sixty Korean-speaking Persian learners who were studying Persian Language or Iranian Studies at the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies. The research sample was randomly selected and the applicants were divided in to control and experimental groups. At first, a test was given to the applicants to determine new words. A pretest was then conducted. Both groups performed almost identically in the pretest. After wards, the experimental groups were taught passages using pictures for ten sessions, each of which lasted 90 minutes. The control group was taught the passages without any pictures. After the posttest, the scores of both groups were compared using statistical analysis. The t-test results revealed that the experimental group outperformed the control group. These findings supported the hypothesis that using pictures while teaching vocabulary would considerably improve the Persian vocabulary knowledge of Korean-speaking learners. It is suggested that more pictures be used in Persian language books for speakers of the Korean language in order to enhance the effectiveness of their Persian studies.