Presenters: Erin, Jack & Cloud (Group E)
Date: June 3, 2011

Related studies in Taiwan

Teachers’ Beliefs and Classroom
Practices
Researcher
Yu-Ru Yang
Year
2009
The Effects of Vocabulary Acquisition through
Story Retelling by Junior High School Students
2007
A Study of Integrating Web-based
Concordancing into Vocabulary Learning for
EFL Primary School Students
2004
Teaching Vocabulary through Drawing: A Case
Study
Li-Tang Yu
Hui-Chen
Huang
Topic
Researcher
Year
Topic
Li-ping Wen
2004
The Effects of English Semantically Related
Word Instruction on Vocabulary Retention of
Junior High School Students in Taiwan
Chiu-lan Yeh
2009
The Effects of Task-Based Instruction on
Vocabulary Learning: A Study of EFL Vocational
High School
Yu-Min Chen 2006
The Effect of Keyword Method on English
Vocabulary Long-Term Retention of Elementary
School Students in Taiwan

The Effects of English Semantically Related
Word Instruction on Vocabulary Retention of
Junior High School Students in Taiwan
Li-ping Wen (2004)

Aim:
to examine if the students memorizing words
arranged semantically performed better than
words arranged randomly

1. Is there any difference in the amount of
retained words between vocabulary learning in the
same semantic field and that in a random field?

2. To what extent do the Ss favor of using semantic
mapping, semantic feature analysis, and word
mapping on vocabulary learning?

3. To what extent do the Ss retained the selected
word list in post-test One and post-test Two?

1. semantic mapping
(related to particular topics)

2. semantic feature analysis
(similar in meaning)

3. word mapping (in pairs)

Students
Experimental Group
(A)
Experimental Group
(B)
Numbers
36
36
Age
Seventh grader
(12~14years old)
Seventh grader
(12~14years old)
Treatment
as SAME as group B
as SAME as group A
1
Word instruction randomly (word list A)
Recall test
2
Word list B + Semantic mapping (B)
Recall test
3
Word list C + Semantic Feature Analysis (C)
Recall test
4
Word list D + Word Mapping (D)
Recall test
5
The same recall test on word list A,B,C & D
6
Questionnaire

RQ1:

RQ2: Ss’ preference of semantically instruction

RQ3: results of delayed-test

1. During experimental period, participants
may encounter the target words outside the
classroom (from the author)

2. Without pre-test, how can the researcher
guarantee that Ss did not know the target
words? (from Erin)

3. Failed to point out the degree of regression
of each instruction (from Erin)

RQ3: results of delayed-test
-5.15
-5.28
-5.43
-5.41

1. teach Ss to learn words in semantically
related groups

2. Ts could make good use of visual aids

3. Ts should examine the effectiveness of the
strategy application
Related studies in Taiwan 2-2-1
Topic
The Effects of
Task-Based Instruction
on Vocabulary Learning: A Study of EFL
Vocational High School
Chiu-lan Yeh (2009)
To explore the effects of task-based
Instruction on vocabulary learning.

To what extent does task-based instruction
make a difference in vocabulary learning?

In which aspects of task-based instruction help
students in vocabulary learning?

To what extent does task-based instruction
make a difference in receptive and productive
vocabulary learning?
Control group
37 students
Experimental group
30 students
Traditional lecture
instruction
Task-based instruction





There were four instruments included in this
study, including
(1) two vocabulary tests,
(2) role-allocation sheets,
(3) task worksheets,
(4) supplement
The First Semester
Procedure (steps)
Control Group
Experimental Group
Weeks
1. Assigning groups
Assigning class A as
control group.
Assigning class B as
experimental group.
Week 1
2. Giving the pretest
Giving 37 participants
a pretest.
Giving 30 participants
a pretest.
Week 2
3. Assigning learners
into small groups
No groups.
Assign 6 small groups
randomly with 5
members per group.
Week 3
4. Teaching duration
Conduct conceptteaching.
Conduct conceptteaching with group
interaction.
Week 3 - Week 12
5. Teaching method
Use traditional lecture Use task-based
instruction.
instruction.
Week 3 – Week12
The Second Semester
Procedure (steps)
Control Group
Experimental Group
Weeks
6. The start of the
English class
Start the first class.
Start the first class.
Week 1
7. Teaching duration
Conduct English
teaching.
Conduct English
teaching with group
interaction.
Week 1 –Week 6
8. Activities duration
English teaching
without activities.
Give every group 3
task.
Week 7 – Week 10
9. The end of teaching End the class and
announce the
posttest date.
End the class and
announce the
Posttest date.
Week 10
10. Posttest
Complete a posttest.
Week 10
Complete a posttest.
1.
2.
3.
No groups.
Use traditional
lecture
English teaching
without
activities.
1. Assign 6 small
groups
randomly with
5 members per
group.
2. Conduct
conceptteaching with
group
interaction.
3. Use taskbased
instruction.

Experimental group were better than the
control group after the intervention of TBI.

Even without significant differences, the
experimental group still gained more mean
scores than the control group one.

The limitation of school teaching hours (2
hrs/week) and large class sizes confined
students’ learning progress.

English teachers’ best choice will be to divide their
students into several small groups with discussing
activities.

Learners had more chances to communicate or
interact with their group members.

The Effect of Keyword Method on English
Vocabulary Long-Term Retention of
Elementary School Students in Taiwan
Chen Yu-Min (2006)

Aim:
to investigate the effect of the keyword
method on elementary school students’ longterm vocabulary learning in Taiwan

1. Which method is superior: rote rehearsal,
keyword-given, or keyword-generated method, as
determined by recall tasks done after the
vocabulary experiments?

2. Which method is more effective for the lowproficiency students on recall tasks after the
vocabulary teaching experiment?

3. What are the subjects’ attitudes toward learning
vocabulary by the keyword method?

1. Use first language

2. a word-form link

3. a meaning link

Students
Experimental
Group (A)
Number 23
s
10~11 years old
Age
Experimental
Group (B)
Control Group
(C)
23
23
10~11 years old
10~11 years old
Keyword-given
Treatme Keywordgenerated method method
nt
Rote rehearsal
method

Thirty prior-knowledge words

Forty experimental words

Multiple-choice test

Questionnaire
Step1
Step2
Step3
Step4
Keyword-generated Teacher
method
taught the
keyword skill
Students
practiced how to
generate keyword
Teacher
Students shared
showed the
their keyword
vocabulary card
Keywordgiven method
Teacher
showed the
vocabulary
card with
keyword
Teacher read the
Teacher told
vocabulary and
students the
students repeated keyword of
vocabulary
Students tried to
connect the
keyword with
vocabulary
Rote rehearsal
method
Teacher
showed the
vocabulary
card.
Teacher read the
Students
vocabulary and
practiced in
students repeated groups
No keywords
were given

RQ1:
Keyword-given group (M=33)
↓
Keyword- generated group (M=26.45)
↓
Rote rehearsal group (M=22.91)

RQ2:
Both keyword methods (the keyword-given
method & the keyword-generated method)
are more effective than the rote method.

RQ3:
The keyword methods built the students’
confidence in vocabulary learning.

1. The result might not be applied to all
elementary schools in Taiwan.

2. There was no extra time to test subjects’
vocabulary pronunciation.

1. The keyword method should be utilized
more in the elementary schools in Taiwan.

2. Using the keyword method can decrease
the burden of English teachers and learners.

3. Connecting a foreign word with familiar
first language is a natural step in foreign
language learning.
Researcher
Li-ping Wen
(2004)
Vocabulary
Instruction
Semantically
elaboration
Methods
Results
‧Junior high school
Pedagogical
implication
1. Semantically
1. Randomly wordlist
instruction >
2. Semantic mapping
randomly
3. Semantically feature 2. The most
analysis
popular: (3)
learn words in
semantically
related groups
‧Junior high school
1. Experimental:
Story retelling after
reading a story
2. Control:
traditional voc.
instruction after
reading a story
1. Stories are
good
materials
2. Apply story
retelling
3. Encourage
role play
4. Word mapping
Yu-ru Yang
(2009)
Story Retelling
1. Effective:
E>C
2. Memory:
E>C
Researcher
Vocabulary
Instruction
Task-Based
Chiu-Lan Yeh Instruction
(2009)
Yu, Li-Tang
(2007)
Web-based
concordacing
Methods
Results
Pedagogical
implication
1. Role-allocation
sheets
2. Task worksheets
3. Supplement
handouts
Effective:
1. E>C
1. Divide students
into small groups.
2. Discuss with
interaction.
1. A Chinese
English
concordancer.
Effective
1.Understanding
the meaning of
words
2. Create the
sentences by the
words
1. Apply Web-based
concordancing in the
classroom
Researcher
Chen Yu-Min
(2006)
Hui-Chen
Huang
(2004)
Vocabulary
Instruction
Methods
Keyword
method
Elementary school
Experimental:
Keyword-given
&
Keyword-generated
Control:
Rote rehearsal method
Drawing
Senior high school
Experimental:
Teaching vocabulary
through drawing
Control:
Traditional teaching
method
Results
1. Effective:
E>C
2. Motivation
E>C
1. Effective:
E>C
2. Memory:
E>C
Pedagogical
implication
The keyword
method should
be utilized more
in the elementary
schools in Taiwan
Teachers are
encouraged to
introduce drawing
to students when
teaching vocabulary
Teachers’ Beliefs
&
Classroom Practices

Vocabulary Teaching Strategies –
A Case Study of Five English Teachers in a
Band 3 School in Hong Kong
-- Tse Ching Yan (2008)

A Study of Junior High School EFL Teachers’
Beliefs and Classroom Practices in Vocabulary
Instruction
-- Show-ling Chen (2004)
Country
Hong Kong
(2008)
Participants
5 English Ts in band 3
Chinese-medium secondary
school
Methods
(1) Video taping ; (2) Questionnaire; (3) Interview
Results
1. Direct teaching (e.g. pictures, real objects, L1 to explain new
words)>
Indirect teaching (e.g., interacting with natives & presentation
and discussion)
2. teach pronunciation & verbal repetition
Pedagogical
implication
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Integrating voc. Learning strategies in curriculum
keeping a voc notebook
Teaching prefixes and suffixes
teaching pronunciation
teaching the skills of guessing
Country
Taiwan (2004)
Methods
(1) classroom observation; (2) questionnaire; (3) interviews
Results
1. Teachers’ beliefs in vocabulary instruction:
Participants
4 junior-highschool English teachers
(a) pronunciation (e.g., pronunciation-spelling & the keyword
method)
(b) meaning (e.g., visual aids, definition/translation, word affixes,
brainstorming & synonyms/antonyms),
(c) usage (in different contexts),
(d) grammar concepts, (e) teaching voc. learning strategies.
2. the practices of vocabulary instruction:
pronunciation modeling, definition/translation, and visual aids
Pedagogical
implication
1. meaningful practice of the instructed words
2. student-centered vocabulary instructional activities or methods
are recommended
3. group-work activities or methods