EFFECTS OF TEACHING VOCABULARY AT ELEMENTARY LEVEL THROUGH THE ECLECTIC APPROACH

Abstract

Vocabulary acquisition is vital to language learning. Vocabulary learning and grammar; vocabulary learning and communications skills; vocabulary learning and comprehension and retention are inseparably unified.A single teaching technique cannot meet the diverse, multifaceted, multilayered and multiplied needs of the learners. So, there is a need for a rich and varied diet. Thus, the current study intendedto measure the effect of teaching vocabulary at elementary level through eclectic approach in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The keypurposes of the study were: to look into the influence of Eclectic Approach on vocabulary building;to delve theconsequence of Eclectic Approach on pronunciation; andto delve the consequence of the Eclectic Approach on students’ retention level.Three teaching techniques: Mother-tongue Equivalence; Repeat-after-me; and Gestures and Mimes were used for teaching vocabulary. The sample of the study consisted of 56schoolboys studying English in eighth Grade at Govt. High School,Timergara, KPK, Pakistan. Pre-test post-test equivalent group design was chosen for the conduction of this research. For formation of two groups, pair random sampling technique was applied. The group under investigation was subjected to the treatment of the Eclectic Approach, while in contrast the control group was taught through conventional lecture method. For the collection of data, teacher-made pretest, posttest and retention test were used. Independent samplet-test was used to analyze the collected data.Thestudy findingsexpounded that the Eclectic Approach of teaching proved far and much better than the traditional approaches for teaching vocabulary. Thus, for effective and productive teaching of vocabulary at all levels of education, the Eclectic Approach of teaching is recommended.