The Effect of Word Part Strategy Instruction on Vocabulary Knowledge of Thai Primary School Learners

Abstract

Vocabulary learning strategy is essential in vocabulary acquisition, and one of the vital vocabulary strategies is a word part strategy. This quasi-experimental research attempted to investigate the effects of the word parts strategy instruction on vocabulary knowledge among primary school students in a Thai EFL context. It also sought to explore primary school students' attitudes about the use of the word-part strategy instruction on vocabulary acquisition and development. The two-group pre-test and post-test design was employed for this study. The participants consisted of two intact classes divided into experimental and control groups. The experimental participants receiving thorough training on word part strategies comprised 27 students, while the control colleagues who received no additional treatment on word part strategies consisted of 25 students. Three measures of word part knowledge were developed and validated before the data collection. The five-point Likert scale questionnaire was also employed to explore the experimental participants’ attitudes towards implementing word part strategy instruction on vocabulary learning. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the quantitative data. The results showed that the students in the experimental participants with word part strategy instruction outperformed those in the control group. Specifically, the dependent samples t-test analysis revealed the significant improvement between before and after treatment, indicating the positive effect of word part strategies on vocabulary learning among primary school students. The current study also showed that primary school students had a high level of satisfaction with the use of word part strategy instruction. Together, the present findings suggest the efficacy of word part strategies on vocabulary learning and development among primary school learners. Other implications relevant to pedagogical practices and suggestions for further studies are offered.

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