Stahl, S.A., & Vancil,S.J. (1986). Discussion is what makes semantic maps work in vocabulary instruction. The Reading Teacher, 40, 62-67.

 

Introduction:

 

Purpose:  To find out if discussion in vocabulary instruction is the key element in effectiveness of semantic mapping.

 

Question: What makes semantic mapping effective- visual display, the discussion, or combination?

 

Methodology:

 

Participants:  Three intact sixth grade classes in two small rural schools in central Illinois with a total of forty-five students.  Participated schools served predominantly farming communities of mixed socio-economic background.

 

Procedure: Prior to the study all subjects were given the Gates-MacGinitie Reading Tests, Level D, Form 1.  The mean scores placed this group at the 50^th percentile according to test norms in comprehension and at the 68^th percentile in vocabulary.  There were no significant differences among classes.  All the students were given a vocabulary checklist containing the target words and a number of distracters to determine which subjects knew more than four of the target words.  If they checked more than four as known, they were assessed individually to see how extensive their knowledge was.  No subjects had to be eliminated from analysis.  In addition one mainstreamed special education student was eliminated from the analysis, although he participated in the treatment.

            The target words were chosen from a content area work text, the work text contained short passages, about different aspects of weather.  Two sets of six words, one set from each passage were chosen to be taught.

            These words were used to develop 3 post test measures (synonym, cloze, and sentence anomaly).  The three classes were randomly assigned to three different treatments.

One received the fuel treatment using both physical map and extensive class discussion.

In a discussion only class, the words were discussed but no physical map was generated.  In the map class, a physical map similar to that used in the full condition was given to the students- but were not discussed.

            The lessons were conducted over two weeks in April.  All treatments were given by the second author, who practiced the techniques extensively prior to the study.  One week after the last mapping treatment all subjects were given the posttests.

 

Results:

 

            Both cloze and synonym posttest scores were significantly higher in the two groups that used discussion.

            Scores in the two groups using discussion did not differ significantly.  Therefore, discussion, not the presence or absence of a physical map, seems to be the crucial factor in semantic mapping.

            A further investigation was done to see if it helped only children who contribute or whether its effects are distributed among all students.  Classroom teachers recorded how many contributions each student made to the discussion.

 

Discussion:

 

            These results suggest that discussion is a critical element in semantic mapping and may be another characteristic of effective vocabulary instruction.

            One must show  a deeper understanding of a word to produce and answer than to recognize the correct information on a worksheet.  Participation in class discussion forces that active processing.  Semantic mapping may enable children to connect new information  more efficiently to knowledge they already have.

            The teacher is also better able to take care of misunderstandings, clarify ambiguous points and otherwise tailor the instruction more precisely to the learner's needs.

            In an active discussion all students are anticipating being called upon and one hopes, formulating possible  answers.  In semantic mapping, these answers involve thinking about the relations between the target words and students own experiences.  It is this active thinking that leads to effective vocabulary learning.  It may, therefore be this anticipation that accounts for effectiveness of discussion, rather than the discussion itself.