THE POTENTIAL OF SEMANTIC MAPPING STRATEGY TO ENHANCE VOCABULARY LEARNING

Abstract

Semantic mapping is perceived as an effective strategy for vocabulary mastery, since it presents a mechanism that helps learners connect their prior knowledge to the current knowledge in a hierarchical form to study the relationship between words. This study sought to examine the potential significant impact of teaching semantic mapping on students’ vocabulary learning. The study used quasi-experimental design in which (60) students were randomly assigned into two groups: control group (N = 30) and experimental group (N = 30). Both groups received a pre- and post-vocabulary test to compare the students’ mean scores before and after the training. The results of this study reveal that teaching semantic mapping has a significant effect on vocabulary mastery. The scores of students in the experimental groups vary significantly compared to their control group counterparts. This study recommends the integration of teaching semantic mapping in an EFL classroom, as it helps revive students’ long-term memory and use the learned words when needed. Keywords: Semantic Mapping, Vocabulary Learning, Saudi EFL Students DOI： https://doi.org/10.35741/issn.0258-2724.58.1.77