The Effect of Hemispheric Dominance on Learning Vocabulary Strategies among Iranian EFL Learners

Abstract

Vocabulary is one of the skills that students need for success in their studies and as some teachers believe, the students have different vocabulary skills and they use different strategies when they try to recall new vocabularies. The purpose of the study is to investigate the variable impact of two types of vocabulary instruction including context clues, and word parts on adult students' competence in the first place and studying the relationship between the effect of left or right hemispheric dominance on teaching vocabulary leaning strategies. Ninety students from six intact classes were selected for the purpose of this study. The participants consist of female Iranian EFL learners at intermediate level. Each intact class was randomly selected as an experimental group and a control group. Their level of English proficiency was determined on the basis of their scores on the TOEFL proficiency test. After hemispheric dominance questionnaire was administered, the learners in experimental group were divided into right-hemisphere and left-hemisphere group. The experimental group were taught context clue and word part vocabulary strategy while it was not the case for the control group. The results showed that teaching vocabulary strategies play a significant role in developing the level of the learners’ vocabulary knowledge. Furthermore, left-dominant learners had better performance in learning vocabulary after they were taught vocabulary strategies, in comparison to right-dominant learners. As a conclusion, it can be said that investigating hemispheric dominance and learning styles from the aspects of curriculum, teaching process and teachers will contribute significantly to the Iranian Education.