Quantitative research findings regarding teaching vocabulary to Arab learners of English

1. Vocabulary Building
country participants results researcher
Oman 34 low intermediate
learners at SQU in a 14-
week reading course
Using simplified version of Mayor of Casterbridge;
mean gain of five new words, with “average pick-up
rate of about one new word in every five”;
Horst, Cobb & Meara
1998
UAE Dubai Women’s College
foundation learners during
1 semester
80 new words acquired after 16 weeks of instruction
or 2.86 % improvement in posttest; 113 of 295
participants showed zero growth; the rest learnt
about 30 new words.
Watts 2011
KSA 143 female freshmen at
KSU 50 lessons for a 12
week course.
A mixed approach (*) was more effective than
textbook only in post-test results; experimental
group scored 62.90 mean on post-test, but control
group only 47.93
Al Jarf 2006
Oman grade 5 teacher and pupils Pictures & games help learners to focus their
attention and associate new vocabulary with
meaning, as well as increase the enjoyment factor.
Al Ja’afari 2009
* mixed approach: multimedia, flash cards, mnemonic strategies (keyword, mind mapping), dictionary use, extensive reading plus
vocabulary builder textbook