The Keyword Method of Vocabulary Acquisition: An Experimental Evaluation
Abstract
An experiment assessed the effectiveness of a mnemotechnic (memory technique), the keyword technique, for learning foreign language vocabulary. Participants were 60 Army enlisted personnel, 20 from each of the following ranges of general technical (GT) aptitude: 90 and below, 91-109, and 110 and above. All personnel learned the English translations of 15 Korean vocabulary terms at a self-paced rate. Half the personnel in each group were instructed in the keyword technique and were supplied keywords for each vocabulary item, whereas the remaining personnel served as a control group. According to the most representative criterion, the keyword group performed 79% better than the control group. Although of primary interest to other researchers, this report should also be of direct interest to the Defense Language Institute and the training community.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1980
- Accession Number
- ADA086880
Entities
People
- Douglas Griffith
Organizations
- U.S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences