The Effects Of Semantic Category Under Rote Rehearsal Versus Sentential Context Condition On L2 Lexical Learning

The present study addresses two important issues in the field of L2 vocabulary acquisition: whether new words should be organized in semantically related groups or semantically unrelated groups for L2 learners and whether new words are better learnt by L2 learners with the meaning-inferring or context method than with the rote rehearsal method under the intentional-learning situation.The design used for this study was a one-group quasi-experimental one with alternating time series. 45 freshmen majoring in law participated in two experiments. For the first experiment, 40 artificial labels borrowed from Finkbeiner and Nicol's (2003) study with slight adaptations were divided into 4 ten-word groups either semantically related or unrelated. The subjects were instructed in four separate sessions to infer the meanings of these artificial words embedded in meaningful and pregnant sentential contexts group by group before their guesses were verified or corrected. After that, an irrelevant reading task was assigned to the participants. Then immediate tests in the form of L2-L1 translations were administered. Eventually, a week after each group of words were learnt, delayed tests were given. In experiment two, another 40 artificial labels created after Finkbeiner and Nicol's were also put into 4 ten-word groups either semantically related or unrelated after they were paired with familiar Chinese concepts. These labels together with their Chinese equivalents were presented to the subjects in a de-contextualized manner group by group in four more different sessions. An equal amount of time was spent by the subjects repeating the novel words orally, memorizing the form and meaning by heart and doing some irrelevant reading before the same format of tests as in experiment one were given.Through a statistical analysis of all the data collected, it revealed that new semantically unrelated words learnt whether with the sentential context or rote rehearsal method has led to significantly better short-term and long-term retention of meanings in L1 than semantically related words, indicating a semantic interference effect. Additionally, it showed that the rote rehearsal method is superior to the sentential context method when it comes to getting acquainted with new words. These findings were discussed from the perspective of interference theory, distinctiveness hypothesis as well as the quality and quantity of memorizing activity.On the basis of these findings, implications were generated for L2 course book writers, teachers as well as learners. One that is of paramount importance is that course book writers and teachers should avoid introducing new words of semantic association together in the same lesson or class to learners because it impedes learning. Another is that the rote rehearsal method is still a very effective and efficient approach for L2 learners to deal with new words and enlarge the size of vocabulary in response to urgent needs. Therefore, it remains to explore how to make best use of this method to enhance L2 vocabulary acquisition.