Scrutinizing the Supremacy of Age & Proficiency Level in Learning Content Vocabulary via Concept Mapping among Iranian EFL Learners

Abstract

In this study, the researchers investigated the possible effect of teaching content words through using Concept Mapping (CM) strategy plotted on two cognitive variables: language proficiency and age within some eighty Iranian young and old English language learners with higher and lower proficiency levels (Elementary vs. Intermediate) who were conveniently selected and classified into four classes. Their age range varied from 10 to 25 years old. After five sessions of treatment, the researchers gave the post-test. The results could not identify priority in the predictability power for any of the two age and proficiency variables F (2, 77) = 1.96, p < .15, R2 = .04. The findings can be helpful for English teachers as well as syllabus designers to use CM strategies for teaching vocabulary and including such materials in the sources regarding age and proficiency level as cognitive variables related to CM implementation.

Keywords

• age
• content words
• proficiency level
• concept mapping strategies