The Effect of the Root/Affix Method of Instruction on the Vocabulary Acquisition of Japanese ESL Learners

This study investigated whether or not the root/affix method of vocabulary acquisition was a more effective tool for teaching vocabulary to Japanese ESL students than other traditional methods. Data were collected by analyzing the gain scores between a vocabulary pretest and a posttest administered to twenty-two students of varying levels at BYU’s English Language Center. In the interim, those in the control group were taught using five different traditional methods of vocabulary instruction, while those in the experimental group received instruction by the root/affix method. Results of the study found no significant difference in the effectiveness of treatment , or ability level, but there was a significant correlation between the type of treatment and the ability of students to perform the tasks of producing vocabulary versus recognizing words. The treatment also seemed to affect students’ ability to recall certain types of root- and affix-based words.

Thesis Author: Clark, Gordon E.

Year Completed: 1991

Thesis Chair: Cheryl Brown