The effect of cooperative learning approach and semantic mapping strategy on the acquisition of L2 Persian vocabulary

Abstract

Acquiring L2 Persian vocabulary is the main hurdle for foreign students who wish to pursue academic studies in Iranian universities. This study explored the effect of the cooperative learning approach and semantic mapping strategy on the acquisition of L2 Persian vocabulary. The study had a quasi-experimental design and included a control group and three experimental groups. In each group, there were 30 intermediate learners of L2 Persian. The participants took a vocabulary pretest and then read three texts each of which contained 10 potentially unfamiliar words. The control group learned vocabulary through direct oral translation (DT). In the experimental groups, the words were learned through cooperative learning approach (CL), semantic mapping strategy (SM), or cooperative learning approach plus semantic mapping strategy (CLSM). A posttest was used to measure vocabulary learning. Results revealed that, in comparison to the control group, in experimental groups, the learners acquired significantly more vocabulary. In terms of mean score on the posttest, SM group ranked the first. It is recommended that L2 Persian materials developers and instructors consider alternative methods of teaching vocabulary such as semantic mapping strategy and cooperative learning approach.

Keywords

• vocabulary learning
• cooperative learning approach
• semantic mapping strategy
• semantic fields
• schema