THE EFFECT OF SEMANTIC MAPPING STRATEGY ON EFL LEARNERS' VOCABULARY LEARNING

Learning vocabulary is very important factor in developing a foreign language, so EFL teachers always try to use new techniques and methods that help their students to enhance their vocabulary competence. This study tries to investigate the effect of teaching vocabulary through semantic mapping strategy on Iranian EFL vocabulary learning. This study conducted in Guilan university of Iran. Thirty out of 40 male students with intermediate language proficiency level that homogenized with Nelson Proficiency Test participated in this study. The age range of students was between 23-27. Thirty students randomly assigned into two groups, 15 students in control group and 15 students in experimental group. In order to assess students' vocabulary knowledge and also, to ensure the homogeneity of two groups a teacher-made vocabulary test as a pre- test was given to the two groups. Instruction for two groups lasted for three weeks. While students of experimental group practiced new vocabularies through semantic mapping strategy, but the control group followed their traditional approach. After six sessions, a post-test was given to the students of both classes to see if this method affected students' knowledge of vocabulary. Results based on comparing the mean scores of two groups on post-test by applying t-test, demonstrated that proper use of semantic mapping strategy can lead to successful teaching and learning of new vocabularies.