VISUAL-SPATIAL LEARNING TO ENHANCE TEACHING VOCABULARY

Abstract

Visual-spatial learning of students is a key factor in ensuring students' success in learning a second language. Different research papers show that the way vocabulary words are taught can significantly improve students' knowledge, skill development, attitudes, and performance in learning a second language while other research papers reveled that visual-spatial learning positively influenced on vocabulary learning. The current article is based on the problem: how visual-spatial learning can improve vocabulary knowledge through English as a second language lessons with the aid of various kinds of teaching media? A longitudinal study was conducted with fifth-grade students of Eugenio Espejo School in which the above-mentioned teaching media were used to teach English vocabulary words. Vocabulary development of students was compared in two different moments, at the beginning and at the end of a twelve-week period by means of the vocabulary knowledge scale (VKS). 46 fifth-grade students were randomly taken as a sample. Different research methods were used such as literature review and surveys as well as mathematical-statistical procedures to gather, organize and presentation of dataset by means of tables. The data were gathered and process by means of a quantitative questionnaire. The statistical analyses showed that taking the advantages of student visual-spatial intelligent and learning style by means of various kinds of teaching media such as: pictures, concept maps, maps, drawing and video can improve student vocabulary knowledge.