Iranian Elementary EFL Learners Research Articles

Vocabulary Learning and Recall of Iranian Elementary EFL Learners in Audiolingual and Total Physical Response Methods

This research aimed at studying the efficacy of Audiolingual and Total Physical Response (TPR) methods in helping the Iranian Elementary EFL learners learn and recall new vocabulary items. In the Audiolingual method new vocabulary is taught through repetition, mimicry, and memorization (Richards & Rodgers, 1986), while in TPR this is done through synchronization of the new vocabulary items with the learners’ body movements (Asher, 1965 & 1977). Sixty elementary male students participated in this study in two groups of 30. Both groups took the Nelson test, a vocabulary test, and recall test at the beginning of the research program. T- test analyses revealed no significant differences between the two groups in any of the three tests. One group (exp 1) received its vocabulary lessons in the Audiolingual method and the other group (exp 2) did this in TPR. The students covered six units of the book “Headway, Elementary” in 15 sessions. After the treatment, they took the same vocabulary and recall tests they had taken at the outset of the study. T-tests on the data gathered from the two groups on pre-tests and post-tests of vocabulary and recall revealed significant differences between the two groups after the treatment. These analyses showed that the subjects who received their vocabulary lessons in TPR out-performed those who received their vocabulary lessons in the Audiolingual method, both in vocabulary learning and vocabulary recall.