Abstract:
The main objective of this study was to investigate the comparative study on the effects of contextual
and structural methods of vocabulary teaching in Gembe preparatory school focusing on grade 11.To
achieve the intended objective of this study pure experimental research design was used for this study in
which the pre- post test design were used. Methods of teaching vocabulary (independent variable) and
the academic achievement (dependent variable) were the two variables of this study. 75 sample
populations were selected through systematic sampling technique. Before the data were collected by the
pretest the pretest items were triangulated by pilot and Alberta k, 12 and the validity of the test items
were cheeked. After that the data were collected from the pre-post test scores reports. Addition to the
total results of each students in each group and average to get the average results in each group by
dividing the total results to the total numbers of students in each group. These pre-post test score results
were presented side by side for the two groups to know the change that had seen as a result of
independent variable (contextual and structural teaching methods).These results were triangulated in the
SPSS 20 software and analyzed in to mean, standard deviation and Pearson correlation the results were
similar. Based on the analysis made of this study, the findings of this study were identified. The finding
this study were the students that had been taught in the contextual (experimental) group test scores
shows significance differences from the students that had been taught by the structural method in the
post test and the test scores of the students those who had been taught by the contextual vocabulary were
greater than the test scores of students those who had been taught by the structural vocabulary teaching
method. This suggests that teaching vocabulary within the context is more effective than teaching
vocabulary by analyzing over the root words in teaching vocabulary. On the basis of the above findings
the following recommendations were given: knowing a word involves knowing its form and meaning at
the basic level. In deeper aspects it means the abilities to know its meaning. Therefore, both contextual
vocabulary and structural vocabulary teaching methods should be used in teaching vocabulary that
students will understand words meaning, form and structures. Teaching vocabulary prefer wellorganized teachers who provide by incorporating word structure, forms and in context acquisition and
retention of vocabulary items. More researches will be recommended for the future researchers those
who will be interested to conduct on this topic.
