An Investigation into the Impact of Rote and Mnemonic Strategies on Vocabulary Learning of Iranian Elementary EFL Learners

Vocabulary knowledge is a basis for language education and use as well as for achieving higher order language skills. It is also regarded as the key component of language education. It is believed that knowledge of Vocabulary Learning Strategies (VLSs) can be an effective device for understanding vocabulary. In this quasi-experimental study, the participants were divided into experimental and control groups. The Quick Placement Test was used to select sixty Iranian female students. Two strategy types (rote and mnemonic) were employed in the experimental groups and learners were instructed thirty vocabulary items from Barron's 1100 Essential Words during three sessions. These strategies were not instructed for the control group. Finally, an immediate and a delayed posttest were conducted. The collected data were analyzed both descriptively and inferentially through ANCOVA. It was found out that the group which used mnemonic strategy, rather than rote-based learning strategy, had a significantly better performance compared to the control group. This study implies that using VLSs can result in a better retention.