Exploring new applications of the keyword method : Hispanic LEP fifth graders' acquisition of English vocabulary

Abstract

A modified version of the keyword method, using Spanish keywords to acquire English vocabulary, was assessed in this study. LEP Hispanic fifth graders were required to learn ten new English vocabulary words under either keyword method instruction or no-strategy control. A between-subjects design was used to investigate immediate and delayed recall of definitions as well as comprehension and usage. An attempt was made to relate experimental findings of the effectiveness of the keyword method in vocabulary learning more closely to actual classroom practice. The keyword method facilitated students' recall of definitions, and this was true in both immediate and delayed conditions. Despite some theoretically based concerns that the keyword method enhances definition recall at the expense of comprehension, no evidence was found that keyword-mediated gains on remembering the new English vocabulary were obtained at the expense of comprehension. Thus, the keyword method facilitated both recall and comprehension. These results are consistent with previous theoretical assumptions, particularly dual-coding theory (Paivio 1971), which have claimed that the use of mnemonic devices can reduce forgetting over long-retention intervals.