The Effects of Contextualized and De-contextualized Vocabulary Teaching on Learners’ Memorization and Recognition of Word Meanings

Abstract

When learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL), learners are expected to broaden their lexical repertoire not only to learn and to be able to use unfamiliar words, but also to develop other language skills. This study investigates the effects of contextualized and de-contextualized vocabulary teaching on learners’ memorization and recognition of word meanings, and to evaluate the learners’ attitudes towards the two strategies for teaching vocabulary. Data were collected with two sets of instruments: a test and a delayed test, and an attitude questionnaire. The participants were 39 students, aged 12-13 years old who were studying at a local school in Phetchaburi province in Thailand. The results show that the de-contextualized technique is more effective than the contextualized technique in helping the learners to achieve vocabulary memorization. However, the contextualized technique outperforms the de-contextualized technique in developing vocabulary recognition. The research findings have implications for vocabulary teaching in that word meanings should be taught in isolation as well as in context to focus on both the language features and the appropriateness for use in daily life.