A comparative study on the effects of contextual and structural methods of teaching vocabulary to grade 11 students: Gembe preparatory school in focus.

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.