The paper titled "The Effect of Mnemonic Keyword Strategy Instruction on Vocabulary Retention of Students with Learning Disabilities" investigates the impact of mnemonic keyword strategy on vocabulary learning and retention among Saudi ninth-grade students with learning disabilities. The study was conducted in Asir, Saudi Arabia, involving 40 students divided equally into control and experimental groups. The experimental group received explicit instruction in mnemonic keyword strategies, while the control group followed traditional methods.
The study's purpose was to explore whether mnemonic strategies could enhance vocabulary retention for students with learning disabilities, a group typically challenged by poor memory and limited vocabulary knowledge. The research followed a quasi-experimental design and employed a pre-test, post-test, and delayed test to measure vocabulary achievement. Data were analyzed using Independent Samples T-Tests.
The findings indicated no significant difference between the groups in the pre-test. However, post-test results showed a statistically significant improvement in the experimental group's vocabulary achievement compared to the control group. The delayed test results also favored the experimental group, suggesting that mnemonic keyword strategies effectively transferred vocabulary from short-term to long-term memory.
The study concludes that mnemonic keyword strategies are beneficial for vocabulary retention in students with learning disabilities. The authors recommend integrating such strategies into curricula and suggest further research to explore their impact on other language skills. The study contributes to the understanding of effective vocabulary instruction methods, particularly for learners with special needs.