The context and the keyword methods: A method-comparative study in second language vocabulary acquisition

A review of second-language (German) teaching methods was presented and the concomitant vocabulary teaching approaches (or the lack thereof) were discussed. In addition, research in English vocabulary instruction and the theoretical constructs on which they were based were presented. Two methods of vocabulary instruction, i.e. the Keyword method and Context method, for which method-comparative studies have been performed in English, were tested in German vocabulary instruction.;One hundred and fifty college students took part in the experiment. The Keyword and Context methods, in this case a Sentence Provided Condition, were tested for three levels of learner proficiency, Level I (first year), Level II (second year) and Level III (third year). Twenty-four items (12 nouns and 12 verbs) were taught to learners at each level. The criterion tests consisted of an English recall and German recall test. The dependent measure of the English recall test was subjects' recall of the English word given the German word. The dependent measure of the German recall test was the production of the German word to fit a German context (sentence). A posttest of identical format was administered three weeks after the initial test.;A 3 (Treatment) x 3 (Level of Proficiency) x 2 (Test and Posttest) least squares analysis of variance with repeated measures in the last variable was employed to test the data. The major results of the English recall test and posttest indicated no main effect for either Treatment or Level. Data for the German recall test showed a main effect for Treatment and Level and a significant Treatment x Test interaction.;The results of this study were discussed and recommendations for additional research were made.