Mnemotechniques Primary School

PRACA DYPLOMOWA
LICENCJACKA
MNEMOTECHNIQUES IN THE PROCESS

OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE (ENGLISH)
EDUCATION IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
STUDENTS
PAULINA LEZISKA
NR ALBUMU: 44555
KIERUNEK: FILOLOGIA
SPECJALNO: FILOLOGIA ANGIELSKA
PROMOTOR: DR HAB. KRZYSZTOF POLOK
BIELSKO-BIAA, 2015
Contents
Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 6
1.
2.
3.
Elementary students' vocabulary learning and teaching ................................................ 8

1.1.
Vocabulary acquisition ........................................................................................... 8
1.2.
The role of memory in vocabulary acquisition ..................................................... 11
Mnemotechniques ........................................................................................................ 13
2.1.
Definition and origins ........................................................................................... 13
2.2.
Distinction ............................................................................................................. 14
2.3.
Features ................................................................................................................. 16
2.4.
Characteristics of chosen mnemonic techniques .................................................. 17
2.4.1.
The Keyword Method .................................................................................... 17
2.4.2.
The Visual Method ........................................................................................ 20
2.4.3.
The Spatial Grouping .................................................................................... 21
2.4.4.
Grouping ........................................................................................................ 21
2.4.5.
The Peg Method ............................................................................................ 22
2.4.6.
The Physical Response Method..................................................................... 23
2.4.7.
The Loci Method ........................................................................................... 23
2.4.8.
The Word Chain ............................................................................................ 24
Method ......................................................................................................................... 25
3.1.
Thesis .................................................................................................................... 25
3.2.
Research questions ................................................................................................ 25
3.3.
Data collection ...................................................................................................... 27
3.3.1.
Subjects.......................................................................................................... 27
3.3.2.
Data gathering tools ....................................................................................... 27
3.4.
4.
The expected results.............................................................................................. 29
Results .......................................................................................................................... 30
4.1.
Information about the participants of the study .................................................... 30
4.2.
The questionnaire .................................................................................................. 31
4.3.
The interview ........................................................................................................ 39
4.4.
Analysis of the results ........................................................................................... 43
4.4.1.
Do teachers in elementary schools use mnemonic techniques? .................... 43
4.4.2.
Which mnemotechniques are used in elementary schools?........................... 43
4.4.3.
Which mnemotechniques can be discovered to be most useful and helpful in
vocabulary teaching and learning for elementary school students? ............................. 43

4.4.4.
Are mnemonic techniques attractive for elementary school students?.......... 44
4.4.5.
Can mnemotechniques replace the traditional ways of teaching and learning
vocabulary? .................................................................................................................. 44
4.5.
Conclusions ........................................................................................................... 45
Final remarks ....................................................................................................................... 46

Summary.............................................................................................................................. 47
Streszczenie ......................................................................................................................... 48
References ........................................................................................................................... 49
Web sources ..................................................................................................................... 49
Book sources .................................................................................................................... 49
Appendices .......................................................................................................................... 51
Appendix 1 ....................................................................................................................... 51
Appendix 2 ....................................................................................................................... 53
Specification of figures and tables in the thesis

Figure 1 Knowing a word ...................................................................................................... 9
Figure 2 The scheme of learning the word "web" using the Keyword Method .................. 18
Figure 3 Learning the word "pato" using the Keyword Method ......................................... 18
Figure 4 Learning the word "cabello" using the Keyword Method
Figure 5 Learning the word "zvonok" using the Keyword Method .................................... 19
Figure 6 Learning family members using Spatial Grouping ............................................... 21
Figure 7 Percentage distribution: work experience of the respondents ............................... 30
Figure 8 Percentage distribution: places where the respondents teach ............................... 31
Figure 9 Percentage distribution: question number 1 .......................................................... 33
Figure 10 Percentage distribution: question number 2 ........................................................ 33
Figure 12 : Percentage distribution: question number 4 ...................................................... 35
Figure 17 Percentage distribution of the mnemotechniques used by the respondents ........ 38
Figure 18 Percentage distribution of the most useful mnemotechniques ............................ 38
Figure 19 Percentage distribution of the teachers using mnemotechniques to teach
vocabulary ........................................................................................................................... 39
Figure 20 Features that make mnemotechniques useful ...................................................... 40
Figure 21 Percentage distribution: interview question number 2 ........................................ 41
Figure 22 Reasons why mnemotechniques cannot replace other methods of teaching
vocabulary ........................................................................................................................... 42
Table 1: Learning new vocabulary using Grouping ............................................................ 22

Table 2: Six-point Likert scale questionnaire used in the study .......................................... 28
Table 3:Number of respondents choosing a given answer in the questionnaire ................. 32
Table 4: Reasons for applying and not applying mnemotechniques ................................... 40
Introduction
Foreign language teachers and learners face a great number of challenges. For most
of elementary school students English lessons are the situations in which they hear and use
a new language for the first time. The teachers are guides, who help them acquire new
knowledge and language skills. They are constantly looking for useful and effective
techniques or methods which facilitate the acquisition of knowledge and help students
remember hundreds of English words. Elementary school students are the learners who
especially need guidance. Teachers should show their students different strategies helpful
in remembering vocabulary items. As learning foreign words by remembering their Polish
translations does not seem to be attractive and encouraging to students, it is important to
provide them with methods that are more interesting and effective.
The paper discusses mnemotechniques which are the memory strategies used in
vocabulary learning and teaching. The work aims at helping to understand
mnemotechniques better and showing their role in vocabulary acquisition.
The major aim of this work is to investigate if mnemonic techniques are a useful
tool in vocabulary teaching and learning for elementary school students. In the study, the
Likert scale questionnaire and the interview are planned to be used to collect the necessary
data.
The first chapter of the paper focuses on the problem of vocabulary acquisition
among elementary school students. It discusses how words are learnt. What is more, the
role of memory in vocabulary acquisition is described.
The next chapter introduces the notion of mnemotechniques. In this part the
definition and origins of mnemonic techniques are provided. The distinction and features
of mnemonics are discussed. The chapter includes the description of the following
mnemotechniques: the Keyword Method, the Visual Method, the Spatial Grouping,
Grouping, the Peg Method, the Physical Response Method, the Loci Method and the Word
Chain.
The third chapter presents the methodological details of the study. The thesis and
the research questions are stated. The chapter includes the description of the data collection
instruments and the subjects taking part in the study. What is more, the expected results are
provided.
6
The last chapter provides necessary information about the results of the research. It
contains the description of the participants of the study and the analysis of the data
collected during the study. The data are presented in the charts, tables and bar graphs and
discussed by the author of the paper. The chapter also includes the conclusions drawn by
the author.
1. Elementary students' vocabulary learning and teaching

In order to investigate the problem of mnemotechniques, which are devices used in
vocabulary learning and teaching, it is vital to discuss the issues connected with vocabulary
acquisition and memory. Teaching vocabulary to elementary school students is considered
important by foreign language teachers. Expanding students' vocabulary is one of the main
goals of foreign language teaching. Majority of language teachers claim, that vocabulary is
the biggest part of language courses (McCarthy, 1990: 6). Teachers are aware of the fact
that when learners lack vocabulary, the communications stops (Allen, 1983: 5). Following
Szpotowicz and Szulc-Kurpaska (2009: 98), young students are interested in learning new
vocabulary items and that children enjoy exercises connected with pronunciation of foreign
words. Young learners are aware of the importance of learning foreign words, as they carry
meaning and help to name concrete objects which surround children in their everyday life.
1.1.
Vocabulary acquisition
The word acquisition process is complex. A word is acquired at different levels:

passively and actively. The receptive (passive) knowledge of the word means that the
student is able to recognize the word when he or she hears it. It implies the ability of the
learner to link the sound of a given word with its image (a picture) or meaning (when the
word is abstract). On the other hand, the active knowledge of the word is the ability to
recall the sound representing a given word and its appropriate pronunciation. Passive and
active knowledge are often acquired one after another (Szpotowicz, Szulc-Kurpaska,
2009:99). The learner who establishes the passive level of word knowledge finds it easier
to recall the word and produce it. It has to be underlined that the learner's passive lexicon
has more words than active lexicon, as it is more difficult for the student to produce the
word than to only recognize it.
Vocabulary items need to be taught for comprehension and production, which are
two different skills connected with distinctive psychological processes. There are various
methods and techniques that can enhance those processes. Szpotowicz (2008: 106-108)
claims, that learner's production ought to be encouraged no matter how good or bad their
pronunciation and grammar is. According to the author, the techniques such as semantic
mapping (learners brainstorm the associations with a given word and then put them in the
diagram), ordering (learners arrange a list of the words, the order of the words help them
link new information with the new- creating memory links) and communicative activities
(which can access existing vocabulary or extend vocabulary) enhance vocabulary
production. When it comes to storing words in memory it can be enhanced by
mnemotechniques such as Loci or the Keyword Method which would be discussed in the
following chapter.
According to Thornbury (2002: 16), knowing a word includes the knowledge of its
form and meaning. The author indicates, that knowing the meaning of the word means not
only to know the dictionary meaning, but also to know its collocations, connotations,
register or cultural accretions.
Figure 1 Knowing a word (after Thornbury, 2002: 16)
Similarly, Kuczyski (2005: 123) claims, that a learner who knows a lexical item,
knows its two forms: graphemic and phonemic, meaning: connotative and denotative,
colligation and pragmatic aspects of its usage. According to Carter (1987: 152), a word
occurs in a semantic space. A learner who knows a word, knows which parts of the space
are occupied and are not occupied by a given word. The author indicates, that
comprehending and producing words are two distinct skills. The production is generally
more demanding and difficult. The knowledge of syntagmatic and paradigmatic relations is
also underlined here. Szpotowicz and Szulc-Kurpaska (2009: 99) indicate, that the word is
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fully acquired when a learner knows and understands the meaning, is able to recall its
sound and pronounce it correctly. The ability to read and write it is also important.
A learner also needs to use it in a right context remembering about the grammar
and in a proper function. In their work the authors (2009: 99) present how learners usually
learn new vocabulary in foreign language classroom:
1. Learning to associate a given picture with the sound of a word

2. Remembering the meaning of the word
3. Repeating the word to produce the sound correctly
4. Saying the word as a reaction to stimulus (for example a picture)
5. Learning the spelling
6. Being able to recall the spelling and the word's written form.
Those stages are not permanent. The process of vocabulary acquisition often takes
many lessons or even years. What is more, some acquired words can be difficult to retrieve
if they are not practiced.
The authors also give the sequence of steps (stages) that they recommend to follow
while teaching vocabulary. The stages are the following: clear presentation, frequent
practice, ongoing reinforcement. The presentation must be clear for the students. The
teacher has to check if the meaning of the word in the mother tongue is known to the
learners before the further practice. The correct pronunciation has to be modelled by
repeating the word in chorus and individually. Activities that help in practicing vocabulary
should follow the presentation instantly. Those activities should be attractive and amusing
to the learners. Practice activities should also involve their imagination and be memorable
to children. The lesson during which a given set of words is used should be preceded by a
short revision of the vocabulary (for example: a short practice task). Reinforcement and
repetition are vital parts of teaching vocabulary. The words should be practiced in different
contexts, as students learn them better when they use the same vocabulary items in various
situations. This kind of practice makes it easier to them to retrieve the vocabulary form
their memory.
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1.2.
The role of memory in vocabulary acquisition
The role of memory in vocabulary acquisition is vital, as it is responsible for

remembering, lexical coding, storing and recall of words (Szpotowicz, Szulc-Kurpaska,
2008: 102). The problem of vocabulary learning and teaching cannot be discussed without
taking the ways of remembering, recall and recognition into account. Vocabulary
knowledge is dependent on memory more than other elements of a language.
Children at elementary school level become able to commit information to memory
and to organize the knowledge to be stored (Dakowska, 2007: 167). Szpotowicz and SzulcKurpaska (2009: 102) claim, that young learners remember concrete words better.
Remembering abstract words seems to be a difficult task for them, due to their poor
abstract thinking abilities. One explanation of the problem is the hypothesis that learners
find it easier to generate mental images for concrete words. It might be due to the fact that
concrete words are connected not only with the verbal, but also with the visual system.
Young learner's memory is involuntary, which means that a student at a young age is not
able to select the material consciously and spend time working on remembering it. That is
why the teacher needs to prepare language material which catches the learners' attention
and make learning more interesting for them. Children often learn words by heart, because
they cannot find any associations or connections in language, therefore in opposition to
adults or teenagers they might forget vocabulary items. Young learners concentrate on
concrete words, not on abstract ideas, which are more difficult for them to remember.
To master a vocabulary item a learner needs to not only to learn the word, but also
to remember it. According to Thornbury (2002: 23) learning means remembering and the
vocabulary knowledge is connected with accumulating items. As vocabulary knowledge is
connected with memory it is important to discuss how memory works. Researchers
distinguish between such systems as: the short-term store, working memory and long-term
memory.
The short-term store (or short term memory) is the capacity of the brain to hold a
small amount of information for a short period of time (up to few seconds). Thornbury
(2002: 23) claims, that it is the kind of memory that enables to hold in memory a telephone
number before dialling it or to repeat the word said by the teacher. It is obvious that
learning vocabulary requires more than holding vocabulary items for few seconds. Words
to be learnt need to be integrated into long-term memory in order to be remembered for a
longer time.
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The function of the working memory is to concentrate on the items long enough to
use them or to perform an action on them. Learning, comprehension and reasoning are
dependent on working memory. A learner can use working memory to manipulate or
compare items which can come from the long-term memory or external sources. The
information stays in the working memory for about twenty seconds. The articulatory loop
and the mental sketch pad are linked to the working memory. The articulatory loop helps in
manipulating a phonological representation of the sound, whereas the mental sketch pad
refers to images (for example: visual mnemotechniques) which can be placed here.
The long-term memory has a large capacity and its information are durable over
time, unlike the working or short term memory, where information remains for 20 to 30
seconds. Thornbury (2002: 24) indicates, that even though the vocabulary item remains
there for more than a couple of seconds, it can be quickly forgotten. The student may not
remember it during the next lesson. Transforming the vocabulary to be learnt into never
forgotten seems to be a great challenge for foreign language learners. The author draws
attention to various principles which help to commit the material into the long term
memory. Thornbury underlines the importance of repetition and retrieval, which are vital
in successful vocabulary learning and help in later recall of the words. Using the
vocabulary items, especially in an interesting way helps to add them to long-term memory.
Attention and imagining are also vital to remembering vocabulary items. A high degree of
attention often results in improved recall, whereas using imagination makes it easier for a
learner to visualize the word and remember it. What is more, the author claims, that
mnemonics are helpful in vocabulary learning processes.
Oxford (1990: 39, in Szpotowicz, 2008: 104) notices that memory strategies,
among all language learning strategies, are the most helpful in acquiring and remembering
word meanings and can facilitate language learning. The author underlines the fact that
they make it possible for the students to store and retrieve information. What is more,
memory strategies aid moving the material from the knowledge to practical skills. When a
given skill is mastered, it is more likely to be remembered.
Szpotowicz and Szulc-Kurpaska (2009: 102) also mention mnemotechniques, as
these vocabulary learning strategies which facilitate acquisition and recall of words. In
their work mnemonics such as the Story Method, the Place Method and the Pegword
Method are described and discussed.
The mnemotechniques mentioned above are the strategies in vocabulary learning and
teaching which will be discussed in the next chapter.
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2. Mnemotechniques
The following chapter deals with mnemotechniques in foreign language education in
elementary school students. Learning new vocabulary is of great significance to language
learners, especially for those at elementary level, as it helps them familiarize with the new
language. One of the ways to help the learners in committing words to memory is by using
mnemonics. The chapter provides definition of the notion of mnemotechniques, as well as
its origins. Another important aspect discussed in the chapter is a distinction of
mnemonics. It includes a thorough description, the main principles and assumptions of the
following mnemonic techniques: the Keyword Method, the Visual Method, the Spatial
Grouping and Grouping, the Peg Method, the Physical Response Method, the Loci Method
and the Word Chain.
2.1.
Definition and origins
The thesis focuses on mnemonic techniques in foreign language education, so it is

vital to provide the definition of the term and the characteristic features of the devices. The
word mnemonic (an adjective or a noun) means: used for helping one to remember [1].
Mnemonic devices are procedures that make stimuli easier to remember. They use mental
imagery, both verbal and visual (Thompson, 1987: 43). According to Thornbury (2002:
25), mnemonics are tricks that aid retrieving items stored in memory which are not yet
spontaneously retrievable. Learning a foreign language is always connected with
memorizing and retrieving language routines, so those memory tricks might be useful for
language learners. According to Thompson (1987: 43), they make learning faster and help
individuals recall better thanks to the retrieval cues they provide. Using mnemonics, pupils
learn how to link a new information to the information already known and stored in their
long-term memory. Mnemonic devices are adjustable to individual learning differences
and once learnt by the student, they are hard to forget.
Hunter (1972, in Kamiska, 2004: 10) claims that a method called Loci, probably
the oldest mnemonic method, was invented by Simonides around 500 B.C. During a
banquet he was invited to, the walls collapsed and the guests who were inside the building
were killed. It was difficult to recognize the bodies, but Simonides observed people during
his performance and remembered the positions occupied by them. Therefore, he was able
13
to identify the bodies, because he searched in the correct places. Simonides came to the
conclusion, that associating names, ideas, words or objects with fixed positions in space
can be helpful in memorizing them. For centuries, this ancient technique was used for
remembering massive amount of material. The Loci method was a powerful memory aid,
especially when the printed word didnt exist. Thanks to the method, ancient stories and
myths were stored in peoples memories. The next section will include a broader
description of the method.
2.2.
Distinction
There is a variety of different mnemotechniques, so it is vital to systematize them.

Researchers who tried to classify the memory aids find it difficult to establish a regular
scheme. Thompson (1987: 44-48), proposed the following classification:
Linguistic Mnemonics (they include: the Peg Method, the Keyword Method). They
require connecting a new word with one already known or with a word in mother
tongue.
The Spatial Mnemonics (the Loci Method, Spatial Grouping), which deal with
associating the object in a given place.
Visual Methods (Pictures, Visualization) which require creating mental images or

pairing pictures with foreign words.
The Physical Response Method, that involves physical activity to remember a given
word better.
Verbal Elaboration Methods (Grouping, the Word Chain), that require organizing
material by grouping, associating words in a list with the preceding and the
following one.
Kamiska (2004: 11-13) in her work presents several distinctions that help to classify
mnemotechniques. The first one separates memory aids into two general types: internal
and external ones. Internal memory aids involve reliance on one's mental activity. People
often use them, when they do not want to rely on external prompts. A good example of
internal memory aid can be repetition or mental rehearsing. External memory aids, on the
other hand are concrete, physical objects. They are also used in everyday life. Simple
actions like making lists or putting an object in one special place fall under this category.
14
Another division distinguishes between organizational and encoding mnemonic

techniques. The former include organizing operations that connect pieces of information
which may appear unrelated. A chain-type mnemonic in which one has to make
associations that connect different words (the first one with the second one, the second one
with the third and so on) could be an example of organizational mnemonic.
There is one more distinction of mnemonic strategies splitting them into verbal and
imagery. Separation of verbal mnemonic devices from imagery ones seems quite obvious,
but it is not always applicable. Some verbal ones can be changed into imagery mnemonics.
A good example is provided in Kamiskas work (2004: 13): a student who uses a
keyword technique to remember the word dorm and associates it with Polish word
dom (because dorm is a house for students) can easily imagine a dorm as a students
house. In this case, verbal mnemonic transforms into an imagery mnemonic device, as the
mental image is created.
The distinction between retrieval and encoding mnemonics cannot be omitted.
Retrieval strategies help when people have problems with reconstructing a situation or a
fact from the past. The cognitive interview is an example of a retrieval mnemonic
technique. This strategy helps an eyewitness to recall the details of an event (a crime). The
eyewitness is asked several specific questions and the interviewer describes general
memory retrieval techniques to him or her. The eyewitness is encouraged to reinstate in
their mind the context that surrounds the particular event from the past, and is asked to
report everything, even the details that seem unimportant. The person is also told to recall
the events in the reverse order and from different perspectives (Geiselman, Fisher, 1985:
403). It forces the person to concentrate and recreate the context of the situation. Encoding
mnemonics on the other hand, are connected with fitting abstract material into an
organizational scheme, so the information can be recalled in the future.
The paragraphs show that there are different distinctions of mnemonic techniques.
This chapter focuses on several of them, but it should be borne in mind, that researchers
who are interested in the topic provide many more. However, it is easy to notice that
creating one consistent scheme on which everyone would agree is nearly impossible.
15
2.3.
Features
Mnemotechniques share various features. The four characteristic properties which

were described by Belleza (1981, 1987, in Kamiska, 2004: 14-16) are the following:
constructability, associability, discriminability and, finally, invertibility.
The property of constructability indicates that the mental cues have to be easily
produced while learning and the retrieval of them during the recall should be effortless.
The cue should be accessible both at the time of study and a test. In addition, cues during
the recall and the cues encoded during the learning must be the same or as similar as
possible. A student who learns the word web and associates it with a Polish word eb
should use the same association during both stages of remembering, as applying analogous
strategies during learning and retrieval is more effective than using different strategies.
Associability is another criterion that refers to the ease with which the learner can
associate the mental cues with the material to be learned. It means that mnemonic
techniques must acknowledge the formation of memorable images that include the cue and
the new information. When the mental cues are familiar to the learner, they enhance the
effectiveness of the association (for example: when using the Loci Method an object is
associated with a familiar place in the learner's town or house). Vivid images are
remembered better than those less lively. What is more, the word floor will be more
easily associated with the locus house, than for example the word horse, as mental
cues are more easily associated with the vocabulary items to be learned when they are
already connected with one another.
The next distinctive feature is discriminability. It refers to the fact that the cues
used by the learner ought to be distinctive. The encoded information can be easily
confused, that is why it is important to use different mental cue for each item. The learner
who applies the Keyword Method should avoid using the same keyword for different
words. Using different colors of paper for word lists or loci located mentally far apart can
enhance learning and facilitate discriminability.
The last property, invertibility, deals with creating a code that must be a successful
cue that would help to recall the item. Kamiska (2004: 16) provides the following
example. The word honesty can be encoded phonetically as honey. The learner recalls
the word or the image of honey during the recall. When the student is able to transform
honey into honesty (not into bee or hive), the mental cue has the invertible quality.
16
All those properties are vital when describing mnemonic techniques, as they show
what is essential if they are to function effectively.
2.4.
Characteristics of chosen mnemonic techniques
2.4.1.
The Keyword Method
The Keyword Method (also called the Keyword Technique) is probably the most
popular, as well as most investigated mnemotechnique (Thompson, 1987: 44). It was
developed by Atkinson (1975) when psychologists researched the subject of mental
imagery (Kamiska, 2004: 49). The technique involves creating an image which links the
pronunciation of an L2 word with the meaning of a L1 word (Thornbury, 2002: 145). The
keyword is a word in the native language which sounds similar to a foreign one. It has no
other relationship with the foreign word except for the similarity in sound. The Keyword
Technique divides the study of a word into two stages. The first one requires the learner to
associate the spoken foreign word with a native language belonging vocabulary item,
which sounds similar to a part of the foreign word. The item here is the keyword and in
this stage the words are conned by a similarity in sound- a learner forms an acoustic link.
In the second stage the mnemonic or imagery link is formed. The student creates a mental
image that interacts with the word in native language. This mnemonic technique is
described as a chain of two links that connect a foreign word with its translation in the
mother tongue (Atkinson 1975: 391).
This section discusses different examples of using the Keyword Technique
provided by several authors. They present learning not only English, but also Spanish,
Maori, Russian and German vocabulary. The chosen examples provided by researchers
interested in the topic of the Keyword Technique are clear and help to understand how the
method can be used and how it is applied. Thornbury (2002: 145) provides the following
example: when learning a word aroha (love in Maori), the author pictured a Cupid with a
bow and arrow, because the word sounded like word arrow + -er. To learn the German
word Ei which means egg, one can establish an acoustic link with the word eye and
imagine an egg with an eye in the middle of it, and the Spanish word pan which means
bread, can be grasped by imagining a pan with a loaf of bread in it (Thompson, 1897: 44).
Kamiska (2004: 49) describes how an English word vulture can be learned using the
17
keyword technique. The learner can associate the word with Polish walcz (the acoustic
link). The next step is imagining a person who is fighting a vulture (mental image). Figure
2 presents how the word web is learned with the use of the Keyword Method.
Figure 2 The scheme of learning the word "web" using the Keyword Method (after Kamiska, 2004: 49)
Atkinson (1975: 392) considers a few examples from Spanish and Russian. Those
languages were used for most of his research on the Keyword Method. In Spanish the word
pato means duck. It is pronounced like pot-o, so in this example, the English word
pot can be a keyword. A learner can create a funny mental image of a duck wearing a pot
as a hat.
Figure 3 Learning the word "pato" using the Keyword Method (after Atkinson, 1975: 392)
18
One more example is also from Spanish: the word for horse is cabello (pronunciation
something like: cob-eye-yo). The part of this Spanish word is similar to an English word
eye. Eye is employed as a keyword and one can imagine a giant eye which is kicked by a
horse or a horse with one, big eye.
Figure 4 Learning the word "cabello" using the Keyword Method (after Atkinson, 1975: 392)
The Russian word for bell is zwonk and is pronounced like zwahn-oak with the last
syllable stressed. The syllable contains a sound that reminds of the English word oak.
Using oak as a keyword, learner can create variety of mental images. An oak with little
bells instead of acorns can be one of the examples.
Figure 5 Learning the word "zvonok" using the Keyword Method (after Atkinson, 1975: 392)
19
The method is applied by introducing to the learners a series of spoken foreign words
together with their pronunciation. While pronouncing, the keyword and the translation are
presented. At the time, a learner has to associate the sound of a given foreign word with the
keyword and produce a mental image that connects the translation of the word with a
keyword (Atkinson, Raugh, 1975: 130).
In the method, selecting a keyword is an important aspect. Finding keywords takes
time and requires practice (Thornbury, 2002: 145). According to Atkinson and Raugh
(1975: 127), a keyword is considered to be good when it satisfies the following criteria:
It sounds as much as it is possible like a part of foreign word (not necessarily the
whole word);
It is easy to find a memorable imagery link that connects the keyword with its
translation;
The keyword differs from the other keywords used in the text vocabulary.
Other studies emphasized another factors that influence the effectiveness of keywords, but
the first two criteria mentioned above are considered as the most important (Kamiska,
2004: 52). The first one allows flexibility when it comes to the choice of keywords and the
second one must be fulfilled to make the mental image as easy to remember as possible.
2.4.2. The Visual Method

The Visual Method is also called Pictorial Method or Imagery. The method requires
a learner to imagine or draw a picture that will help to recall the vocabulary item which has
to be learned. The picture must have a strong association with the foreign word (Kamiska,
2004: 20). It does not have the meaning of the word, but must remind strongly of it
(Holden, 1999: 45). Pairing pictures with foreign words results in better recall than pairing
them with their translations (Thomas, 1987: 45). Kamiska (2004: 40) provides the
following example: one can learn the word kindness by associating it with Mother
Theresa of Calcutta. The teacher can also bring realia to the classroom to demonstrate the
meaning of some words. For instance, a brick can be used to present the adjective heavy
and a feather can represent light (Kamiska, 2004: 40). Also Allen (1983: 24) underlines
the value of using real objects during the lesson. What is more, the author claims that they
are better than pictures. Such objects like: doors, floors, clocks, windows, walls might be
helpful for the learners, because they can touch them, walk or point to them. Showing only
20
pictures in textbooks is called a waste of excellent opportunities, as pictures are

considered to be less helpful than things themselves. It is important to remember about a
few exceptions which include body parts and pieces of clothing worn by members of the
class. Calling attention to their clothes or body parts may make them uncomfortable.
2.4.3. The Spatial Grouping

Rearranging words to form a pattern seems to improve recall. Opposed to listing
words in only one column, arranging them in distinctive patterns on a page or putting them
in several columns appears to be helpful for learners (Thompson, 1987: 45). To use this
method, one should write words in different ways which would be helpful in remembering
and recalling. A learner has to draw pictures using words (Holden, 1999: 46). For
instance, one can learn the body parts, directions or family members using the Spatial
Grouping.
Figure 6 Learning family members using Spatial Grouping (after Holden, 1999: 46)
Figure 6 shows how one can learn family members using this mnemotechnique. The
words: sister, brother, mother, father, grandmother, grandfather are placed on a family tree.
2.4.4. Grouping
The material organized in some fashion is easily stored and retrieved from longterm memory. Learners can use the organization of knowledge to their benefit. To organize
the items to be learned, one should make them fit into a framework- pre-existing or new
one, which would connect the new material into a unit which is arranged in some fashion
(Thompson, 1987: 46). Grouping appears to be a good example of organizing vocabulary
21
items. To use this method, one should separate the words to be learned into easy to
remember units or groups (Holden, 1999: 43). For instance: topic (family, animals,
environment), grammatical function (verb, adjective), synonyms or opposites.
GROUP
EXAMPLES OF WORDS
family
mother, father, sister, brother, uncle, aunt
adjectives
bitter, shy, dark, heavy, fast, long
synonyms
beautiful, attractive, lovely, pretty, stunning
opposites
fast-slow, big-small, bad-good, false-true
Table 1: Learning new vocabulary using Grouping (after Holden, 1999: 43)
Thompson (1987: 46) mentions the studies in which subjects were given a list of words to
study and then asked to recall as many of them as they can. The studies showed, that if
items to be learned are organized in some fashion before memorization, the recall is
enhanced. Grouping words in mother tongue improves recall, so it would also be helpful in
learning vocabulary in the foreign language.
2.4.5.
The Peg Method
The peg method is the memory aid which involves linking unrelated vocabulary
items with memorized pegs or hooks. Those pegs can vary from words that rhyme to
numbers. A popular rhyme: one is a bun, two is a shoe, three is a tree, four is a door, five
is a hive, six are sticks, seven is heaven, eight is a gate, nine is a line, ten is a hen contains
a set of pegs. If the student is required to memorize a list of words, he or she learns the first
vocabulary item by creating a picture of it and a bun, the second one with a shoe and so on
(if the firs word is cat and the second is fox, one can imagine a cat eating a bun and
then a fox wearing shoes) (Thompson, 198: 447). Holden (1999: 45) provides another
example of pegs, namely, the days of the week (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday).
Learners can associate them with different types of weather and imagine the sky on a given
day. For instance: Monday- muggy, Tuesday-torpid, Wednesday- windy, Thursday22
thundering. Pegs, in order to be helpful, should be remembered automatically, so other

possible pegs are the names of family members, own telephone number, the months of the
year or even rooms of the house.
2.4.6.
The Physical Response Method
The Physical Response Method requires its user to move their body or parts of their
body in a certain way which illustrates the meaning of the word to be learned (Kamiska,
2004: 43). Performing a physical activity that represents a given vocabulary item results in
a better recall that repeating the word (Thompson, 1987: 45). Some methods used in the
classroom, such as the Physical Response Method include physical activity. Its elements
are employed especially when learning and practicing verbs (Kamiska, 2004: 43). To
memorize the word tiptoe, the learner can get up on the tiptoes and dance like a ballerina
or slink like a thief (Holden, 1999: 45). Students can also perform actions like closing the
window, waving their hands or even pretending that they are cooking or drinking to
memorize verbs. Facial expressions can also be treated as a physical activity, so learners
can practice adjectives that express opinions and moods (angry, sad, happy, irritated, etc.)
using this technique. It is helpful in recalling new vocabulary (Holden, 1999: 45).
2.4.7. The Loci Method

The Loci Method dates back to the Romans. This ancient technique was used to
memorize speeches (Yates, 1966: 2). To use this method, a learner has to imagine a
familiar location, place (house, room, street) or even a route one often travels along. Then,
the items to be remembered should be placed in those locations. To recall the words, one
has to imagine walking along the places and mentally explore each one, so that the
vocabulary item placed in each location can be retrieved (Thompson, 1987: 44).
According to Holden (1999: 44), user of this method should associate foreign words with
parts, sections of a given place, such as rooms in a house or buildings. A learner may, for
example, match the words with shops along the street and associate the items with each of
them. While recalling the shops in order, one also recalls words matched with them.
Connecting the vocabulary items with places by sound or similarity facilitates recall.
23
2.4.8. The Word Chain

The method is a variation of shiritori- a Japanese game (Holden, 1999: 45). In
contrast to mnemotechniques described earlier, the user of the method does not associate
new words with such cues as familiar place or pegword (Thomas, 1987: 46). One is
required to create a chain that consists of foreign words to be learned. Vocabulary items
are connected by the way they are spelled, the last letter of a preceding word is matched
with the first letter of the following one (Holden 1999: 45). For instance: cow, weasel,
lizard, dog, goat, tiger, rabbit The method can be used also by those, who prefer mental
images. To learn new words in a list, one should associate the preceding word with the
following word by forming mental picture that connects them. To learn the words:
lighthouse, ship, sea, one has to imagine a lighthouse which guides a ship and a ship which
sails on the sea.
This chapter focused on the problem of chosen mnemonic techniques which aid
vocabulary learning. When discussing mnemonics it is vital to concentrate on their main
assumptions and to analyze examples that illustrate how they can be used. The following
mnemotechniques: the Keyword Method, the Visual Method, the Spatial Grouping and
Grouping, the Peg Method, the Physical Response Method, the Loci Method and the Word
Chain were chosen, because they are easy to understand and to use, so they would suit
primary school students' needs. Mnemonics presented above require pupils to use their
own imagination (creating mental pictures), draw, perform body movements and arrange
the knowledge in a specific pattern, so they may be an attractive alternative to the
traditional vocabulary learning strategies.
24
3. Method
Mnemotechniques can be used in foreign language teaching and learning processes.
The aim of the study is to investigate the problem of using mnemonic devices by English
teachers in Polish elementary schools. The following chapter presents the methodological
details of the study. It introduces the thesis and the research questions, as well as
information concerning the method of collecting data. In order to discover if
mnemotechniques are used in foreign language education in elementary schools, which
mnemonics are most frequently used, how they are used and finally- if they are a useful
tool in vocabulary learning and teaching, it is vital to ask English teachers about their
attitude towards the issue.
3.1.
Thesis
The thesis of the diploma the work is the following: Mnemotechniques are a useful
tool in vocabulary learning and teaching for elementary school students.
The aim of the work is to investigate if employing mnemonic techniques as foreign
language vocabulary teaching and learning strategies help pupils to remember and recall
the items of a language.
3.2.
Research questions
The main research question is the following: Are mnemontechniques a useful tool
in vocabulary learning and teaching for elementary school students? In order to be able to
answer the main research question the following sub-questions have to be considered:
1. Do teachers in elementary schools use mnemonic techniques?

The first question is vital to the study, because it is important to investigate if
mnemotechniques are used by English teachers during their classes in elementary schools.
Do the teachers introduce mnemonic devices to their students and explain how they can be
used? Do they consider them useful in foreign language teaching? What is their experience
with the usage of mnemonics? How often do they employ mnemonic techniques during
25
their lessons? Another significant aspect to be considered is the way of introducing

mnemotechniques and if the teachers make their students aware that the methods they are
using are called mnemonic techniques. On the other hand, some teachers may not be
interested in using mnemonics during their classes. In this case, it is vital to find the reason
why those teachers avoid the usage of the devices.
2. Which mnemotechniques are used in elementary schools?

The second question concerns different kinds of mnemonic techniques used by the teachers
of elementary schools. It is important to investigate which kinds of mnemotechniques are
preferred by the teachers of primary schools (linguistic, spatial, visual mnemonics, the
physical response, verbal elaboration methods). Which mnemonics are most frequently
used?
3. Which mnemotechniques can be discovered to be most useful and helpful in

vocabulary teaching and learning for elementary school students?
It has to be answered which mnemonic techniques are most popular among English
teachers. Is there one, main mnemonic device which is used by most of the teachers? It is
also vital to investigate which mnemonic technique is considered by the teachers as the
most useful for foreign language learners and which one is considered as the most helpful
for the students in acquiring the vocabulary. Which mnemotechnique enhances vocabulary
acquisition? The reasons of choosing a given mnemonic technique as the most useful or
helpful should be indicated. What is more, it has to be answered if the teachers choose
mnemonic techniques according to the type of their students and taking into consideration
students' multiple inteligences.
4. Are mnemonic techniques attractive for elementary school students?

This question concerns the students' interest in using mnemonic techniques. It is vital to
discover if students consider mnemotechniques an attractive way of learning vocabulary.
Do mnemonic techniques motivate pupils to learn new vocabulary? The teachers should
also be asked about the influence of using mnemotechniques on students' grades, and the
level of interest during the lesson when mnemonics (for example: the Physical Response
Method, the Spatial Grouping or Visual Methods) are used.
26
5. Can mnemotechniques replace the traditional ways of teaching and learning

vocabulary?
The last question is also vital to the study. It is important not only to discover if
mnemonics are a useful tool in vocabulary learning and teaching, but also if they can be
used instead of traditional ways of learning and teaching vocabulary.
3.3.
Data collection
The purpose of the research is to investigate the teachers' interest in the usage of
mnemotechniques during English classes at elementary school level. It is designed in order
to find answers to the research questions stated above. In the research the instruments
which would be used to collect the data are the questionnaire and the interview which
would provide necessary information about using mnemonic techniques to teach
vocabulary by English teachers. The following section contains the details about the
subjects (respondents- English teachers) and the research method instruments used in the
study.
3.3.1.
Subjects
The subjects are randomly selected elementary level teachers. Twenty teachers of
elementary schools would be asked questions concerning using mnemotechniques in
foreign (English) language education. Twenty female teachers would participate in the
study. The main reason for choosing women only to participate in this study is that there is
a majority of female teachers in Poland, especially in elementary schools. They would be
selected from Silesian elementary schools. Their work experience varies between one and
more than eleven years. They teach students from first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth
grade of elementary schools. All teachers will answer questions concerning mnemonic
techniques included in the questionnaire and in the interview.
3.3.2. Data gathering tools

Deciding about the research method seems to be a hard task. Finally, The Likert
scale questionnaire was chosen for this study. The most important reason for choosing the
27
Likert scale questionnaire for the research data collection tool was that it is the most
suitable way to collect information concerning using mnemotechniques by English
teachers in elementary schools. It is a psychometric scale that has multiple categories
from which respondents choose to indicate their opinions, attitudes or feelings about a
particular issue [2], so it allows the respondents to answer according to their opinion.
This kind of questionnaire is the best data-gathering tool for this study. One advantage of
Likert-scale questionnaire is that necessary data can be collected from a large number of
teachers in a relatively quick way. What is more, the provided data can be successfully
contrasted and compared. The respondents (English teachers) will be given several
questions concerning their attitude towards issues connected with using mnemotechniques.
The questionnaire would include six-point scale, where the highest number, the more the
respondent agrees with the statement. It allows the respondents to express their opinion
about a given issue.
Strongly
Disagree
Slightly
Slightly
Agree
Strongly
disagree
agree
disagree
agree
Table 2: Six-point Likert scale questionnaire used in the study
Some of the statements include sub-questions which require the respondents to give details
of a given issue and therefore provide information necessary for the study. The subquestions regard mainly different mnemonic techniques.
The interview consists of three open questions to be answered by randomly selected
teachers of English working for elementary schools. Those questions could not be included
in the Likert scale questionnaire, as they require more detailed answers that cannot be
measured by the 1-6 or yes/no scale. The first question will help to discover if the teachers
use mnemonic techniques and what are the reasons for applying or not applying them. The
question number 2 concerns the issue of choosing the right mnemotechniques taking the
individual needs as well as learning styles of the students into account. The last question is
also significant, as it will help to answer if the traditional methods of teaching vocabulary
28
used by the English teachers in elementary schools can be replaced by teaching vocabulary
using mnemonic techniques.
The Likert-scale questionnaire and the interview with the teachers used in the study will
allow to look more deeply into the problem and provide a lot of details concerning the use
of mnemonic techniques in elementary schools. The statements in the questionnaire and
questions in the interview are constructed in a way which will help to answer the main
research question as well as sub-questions stated above.
3.4.
The expected results
The Likert scale questionnaire, as well as the questions included in the interview
are designed to provide information necessary for the study. Using mnemonic techniques
in the process of foreign language education in elementary school students appears to be a
complex issue, that is why it is difficult to predict the results of the study. The
questionnaire and the interview will help to discover if the teachers use mnemonics to
teach vocabulary and if they find them useful. What is more, aspects of introducing
mnemotechniques as well as their attractiveness and motivational role will be investigated.
Another aim of the research is to discover how often mnemotechniques are used by the
teachers. The results of the research will show which mnemotechniques from a given list
(the Keyword Method, the Visual Method, the Spatial Grouping, Grouping, the Peg
Method, the Physical Response Method, the Loci Method and the Word Chain) are the
most frequently used and considered as the most useful and helpful.
The teachers would also be asked several questions concerning the use of
mnemotechniques at elementary level. The interview will provide necessary data
connected with choosing the right mnemonic technique for the given type of student. The
answers given by the teachers will show if mnemonic techniques can be an alternative way
of teaching English vocabulary to elementary school students.
Stating the research questions as well as designing the Likert-scale questionnaire
was necessary before investigating the problem of using mnemotechniques by English
teachers in elementary schools. All of the elements would be helpful in carrying out the
research and answering the research questions posted in the study. The following chapter
includes an examination and a discussion of the results of the research.
29
4. Results
This chapter presents the discussion and the analysis of the research conducted to
investigate the problem of mnemonic techniques in the process of foreign (English)
education in elementary school students. The aim of the study is to show, that mnemonics
are useful tools in vocabulary learning and teaching for elementary school students. In this
chapter, the results of the questionnaire and the interview will be presented and interpreted.
What is more, all the research questions will be answered and discussed.
4.1.
Information about the participants of the study
Before filling the questionnaire, the respondents were requested to indicate their
gender, work experience, the city where they work and if they teach lower primary
students, upper primary students or both. 100% of the participants were female teachers.
What is more, 100% of the teachers teach both lower and upper primary students.
Work experience of the teachers varies between 1 year and more than 11 years.
Figure 7 shows the number and the percentage of the teachers and their years of
experience.
Work experience
50%
10%
1-5 years
6-10 years
11 and more years
40%
Figure 7 Percentage distribution: work experience of the respondents
According to the data presented above, most of the participants of the study are
teachers with work experience longer than 11 years (50%). 40% of the participants
indicated, that their work experience varies between 6 and 10 years. The smallest group of
30
the teachers (10%) were women with a relatively short work experience, that is from 1 to
5 years.
The respondents were required to indicate the place where they teach. The teachers
could choose from the following categories: village, city: 10 000-50 000 people, city:
50 000-100 000 people and city: 100 000 and more. The percentage of the respondents
teaching in a given area are presented in Figure 8.
35%
25%
Village
City: 10 000-50 000 people
City: 50 000-100 000 people
City: 100 000 and more
0%
40%
Figure 8 Percentage distribution: places where the respondents teach
Most of the teachers (40%) who participated in the study work in cities with a population
of 10 000 to 50 000 people. 35% of the respondents teach in schools located in a larger
city. The smallest group of the teachers work in schools located in villages.
4.2.
The questionnaire
As it was indicated in the previous chapter, twenty female teachers participated in

the study. The participants answered ten questions included in the questionnaire. Most of
the questions required the respondents to answer according to the scale (1-6), in which: 1
means strongly disagree and 6 strongly agree. One of the questions (the question number
8) required an answers, where 1 means never and 6 means very frequently. The two last
questions included yes/no answer. Questions from 1 to 7 in a form of short statements were
aimed at discovering the teachers attitude towards mnemonic techniques. Question
number 8 examined the frequency of using mnemotechniques by the teachers during their
31
classes. In the last two questions the respondents had to evaluate mnemonic techniques
and indicate which mnemonics are used by them. The table below shows how many
answers were given in each category.
Strongly Disagree Slightly Slightly

disagree agree
disagree
Number Question
Agree
Strongly
agree
I use mnemonic techniques to

teach vocabulary.
13
I find mnemotechniques useful in

foreign language teaching.
10
I always introduce the name and

explain the rules of a given
mnemotechnique before using it
during the lesson.
Using mnemotechniques makes

the lesson more attractive to
students/rises the students' interest
in the lesson.
10
Mnemotechniques motivate
students to learn new vocabulary.
Using mnemotechniques in
teaching vocabulary improves
students' grades.
Mnemotechniques are the main

techniques/methods of teaching
vocabulary used by me.
10
Never
Very
rarely
Rarely
Occasionally Frequently Very

frequently
How often do you use

mnemotechniques?
10
Table 3:Number of respondents choosing a given answer in the questionnaire
Before investigating the problem of mnemonic techniques it is vital to find out if

the respondents use them during their classes in elementary schools. The chart (Figure 9)
presents the percentage distribution of answers to question number 1 given by the
respondents.
32
Strongly
disagree
0%
Strongly
agree
10%
Question number 1
Disagree
5%
Slightly
disagree
10%
Slightly
agree
0%
Agree
75%
Figure 9 Percentage distribution: question number 1
75% of the respondents agree with the following statement: I use mnemonic techniques to
teach vocabulary. 10% of the participants strongly agree. On the other hand, 10% claim
that they slightly disagree and 5% indicates that they disagree. There is no person who
strongly disagrees. From the presented data it can be assumed that most of the teachers use
mnemonics to teach vocabulary to elementary school students.
The second statement included in the questionnaire helped to discover if the
teachers consider mnemotechniques useful in foreign language teaching. The necessary
data are presented in the chart below (Figure 10).
Strongly
disagree
0%
Question number
2
Disagree
5%
Strongly
agree
30%
Slightly
disagree
10%
Slightly
agree
5%
Agree
50%
Half of the respondents agrees with the statement. What is more, 30% of the teachers
strongly agree that mnemonic techniques are useful in foreign language teaching. Another
5% of the respondents slightly agree, while 10% slightly disagree and 5% disagree with
33
the statement. Summing up, most of the teachers agree that mnemonics are helpful in
teaching vocabulary to elementary school students.
The next question concerns the rules and the explanation of a given mnemonic
device provided by teachers. The answers are presented in the chart below (Figure 11).
Question number 3
Strongly
disagree
9%
Slightly agree
46%
Disagree
27%
Slightly
disagree
18%
46% of the respondents claim that they slightly agree with the statement. 27% of the
teachers disagree, 18% slightly disagree and 9% strongly disagree. It means, that almost
half of the respondents give the name and the explanation of mnemotechniques used
during the lessons. The rest might not pay attention to explaining the rules of
mnemotechniques.
Another important aspect which is vital for the study is the influence of using
mnemonics on students grades, the learners interest in the lesson and their motivation.
The next three questions are strictly connected with the issues and presented in the Figure
12, Figure 13 and Figure 14.
34
Strongly
disagree
0%
Strongly
agree
15%
Slightly
disagree
0%
Question number 4
Disagree
0%
Slightly agree
35%
Agree
50%
Figure 12 : Percentage distribution: question number 4
According to the chart, half of the respondents agrees with the statement that using
mnemonic techniques rises students interest during the lesson. 15% of the teachers claim
that they strongly agree and 35% that they slightly agree. None of the respondents
disagrees.
Strongly
disagree
0%
Question number 5
Slightly
disagree
20%
Strongly agree
15%
Agree
30%
Disagree
0%
Slightly agree
35%
The chart shows, that 35% of the teachers slightly agree that mnemonic techniques have a
motivational role in vocabulary learning and teaching. 30% of the respondents agree and
15% strongly agree with the hypothesis. Part of the asked teachers (which is 20%) slightly
disagrees with the statement. It means, that they are sceptic when it comes to the relation
between mnemotechniques and motivation or the they have not tried to make use of
35
mnemonic techniques as a motivational tool.

The teachers were required to express their opinions about the role of
mnemotechniques in improving students grades. The data are shown in the chart below.
Question number 6
Strongly
disagre
0% agree
Strongly
Disagee
4%
Slightly
disagree
15%
27%
Slightly agree
35%
Agree
19%
Most of the teachers agree with the statement: 35% chooses the answer: slightly agree,
27%: strongly agree and 19%: agree. A part of the respondents (15%) claims, that they
slightly disagree. 4% of the teachers do not believe that using mnemotechniques can
improve students grades.
In the question number 7 the teachers were asked if mnemonic techniques are the
main techniques used by them. The answers are presented in the chart below.
Strongly
agree
0%
Question number 7
Agree
15%
Strongly
disagree
10%
Disagree
15%
Slightly agree
10%
Slightly
disagree
50%
36
Only 10 and 15% of the respondents agree with the statement. 50% of the teachers slightly
disagree, 15% disagree and 10% strongly disagree, which means that most of the teachers
claim that mnemonics are not the main techniques/methods used to teach vocabulary.
The teachers were asked about the frequency of using mnemonic techniques to
teach vocabulary during their classes. The results are presented in Figure 16.
Very
frequently
0%
Very
Question number 8 rarely
Never
0%
Frequently
60%
5%
Rarely
5%
Occasionally
30%
The data show that many teachers frequently use mnemonics (60%). 30% of the
respondents claim to use them occasionally. 5% apply these techniques rarely and 5% very
rarely. The provided data helped to discover that mnemonics are used by most of the
teachers teaching in elementary schools.
The second part of the questionnaire required the respondents to evaluate the
mnemonic techniques chosen by the author of the diploma work, which were also
described in the second chapter: the Keyword Method, the Visual Method, the Spatial
Grouping, Grouping, the Peg Method, the Physical Response Method, the Loci Method
and the Word Chain. The questions were the following: Which of these mnemotechniques
do you use? Do you consider these mnemotechniques useful and helpful in teaching and
learning vocabulary? Those question helped to discover which mnemonic techniques are
the most frequently used by the teachers of elementary schools and which
mnemotechniques are the most useful and helpful for elementary school students. The two
bar graphs (Figure 17 and Figure 18) below show the results.
37
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
YES
NO
Figure 17 Percentage distribution of the mnemotechniques used by the respondents
The Physical Response Method is the mnemotechnique that is very frequently used by
English teachers. 95% of the respondents claim to use it. The Visual Method and Grouping
(both 90%) is also common. 65% of the teachers apply the Loci Method during their
classes. The Keyword Method, which is one of the most popular mnemotechniques for
teaching vocabulary is used by 55% of the teachers who took part in the study. The two
methods which are rarely applied by the respondents are the Word Chain (40%) and the
Peg Method (35%).
Figure 18 presents which mnemotechniques are and are not considered by the
respondents as the most useful and helpful in teaching and learning vocabulary.
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
YES
NO
Figure 18 Percentage distribution of the most useful mnemotechniques
38
The results overlap with those connected with the previous question. Grouping (95%) the
Physical Response Method (95%), the Visual Method (90%), the Spatial Grouping (80%),
and the Loci Method (70%) are chosen to be the most useful and helpful mnemonic
techniques in vocabulary teaching and learning. Even the teachers who claimed not to use
some mnemonics admitted that they might be useful tools in teaching elementary level
students. the Word Chain (60% of the teachers claiming that this mnemotechnique is not
useful) and the Peg Method (55% answers for NO) according to the results, are considered
as the least useful in foreign language education.
4.3.
The interview
The teachers were also asked three questions included in the interview. The
interviewees answered according to their beliefs and their experience. The responses were
clear and provided the data necessary for the study.
The first question concerns using mnemotechniques and the factors that make a given
mnemonic useful. Two of the interviewees answered, that they usually do not use
mnemonic techniques (Figure 19).
10%
I choose to use
mnemotechniques
I do not choose to
use
mnemotechniques
90%
.
Figure 19 Percentage distribution of the teachers using mnemotechniques to teach vocabulary
They indicated, that applying mnemonics to teach vocabulary is too time-consuming.

What is more, the teachers claimed, that some of the mnemotechniques seem to be too
difficult to understand for elementary school students and some of them may have
problems with using them. However, most of the asked teachers confirm using
mnemotechniques during their lessons. Among the reasons of applying these methods, they
mention that mnemonics boost long-term memory, make the classes more interesting,
39
develop students creativity and motivate the students to learn vocabulary. They indicate,
that using mnemotechniques is connected with active acquisition of knowledge. Table 4
presents the answers given by the respondents.
Reasons for not applying mnemotechniques:
Reasons for applying mnemotechniques:
Too time-consuming
Boost long-term memory
Too difficult for elementary school
Active acquisition of knowledge
students
Making students more creative
Improving the ability to organize the

information
Enhancing the retrieval
Making the classes more interesting
Motivation for students
Table 4: Reasons for applying and not applying mnemotechniques
The teachers also had to indicate what makes the mnemotechniques useful. The
answers are presented in Figure 20.
Using humour
Interesting
Including movement and action
Not too complicated
Vivid
Number of interviewees
mentioning a given feature
Including images
Easy to remember
Simple
Creative
0
10
15
20
Figure 20 Features that make mnemotechniques useful
Most of the teachers believe that a useful mnemonic technique is the one that has a visual
element. The interviewees claim, that mnemonics should also be easy to remember (16
40
answers) and simple (15 answers). 9 teachers mentioned, that a useful mnemonic includes
action or movement. Among other answers there appeared the following features: using
humor, interesting, not too complicated, vivid and creative.
The next question is strictly connected with choosing mnemonic techniques
according to the students preferences, types and multiple intelligences. Majority of the
interviewees replied that students multiple intelligences should influence the choice of
mnemotechniques.
10% Question number 2

Agree
90%
Disagree
Figure 21 Percentage distribution: interview question number 2
The teachers who agreed with the statement, claimed, that mnemonic techniques are most
effective when they are applied according to students intelligences. Teachers who know
their students can easily choose a mnemonic that would suit the learners and facilitate
vocabulary acquisition. The interviewees gave some examples. One of them mentioned,
that kinesthetic learners might be interested in mnemonics that include actions and
movements. For them, the Physical Response Method would be the most suitable. Half of
the interviewed teachers claimed, that if the students are visual learners all mnemonics
connected with showing pictures or even creating mental images would be helpful in the
acquisition of vocabulary. Mnemotechniqes such as the Visual Method or even the Spatial
Grouping would be the most attractive for those type of learners. Three of the teachers
mentioned about students with verbal-linguistic intelligence who would be interested in the
Word Chain technique.
On the other hand, two of the interviewed teachers were of a different opinion. The
first teacher claimed, that mnemonics should be applied no matter which intelligences
dominate in the classroom. The interviewee explained, that according to her experience
different mnemonics were used for students with various intelligences and she was
satisfied with the results. The second respondent was against using mnemonic techniques
41
for elementary school students in general. The teacher added, that choosing the right
mnemonic technique according to students types and intelligences can be a difficult task,
especially for the beginner teachers, as it takes a lot of time and effort to learn about all the
individual preferences of students.
The last question was also vital to the study. The interviewees were required to
wonder if mnemonic techniques could replace the traditional ways of teaching vocabulary
to elementary school students. 100% of the teachers claimed, that mnemonic techniques
cannot be the only methods used to teach and learn foreign language vocabulary. All the
interviewees answered, that mnemonic devices should not replace other ways of
vocabulary learning and teaching, but should complement them. The teachers provided
different reasons, which are presented in Figure 22.
Using mnemotechniques too much can

lead to confusion
Some of the mnemonic techniques are
short-term strategies
Some words are learnt best in context
Applying mnemonics can be timeconsuming
Number of interviewees
mentioning a given reason
Using mnemotechniques requires a

certain amount of training (and
It is difficult to teach some vocabulary
items using mnemotechniques
Some mnemotechniques can be
problematic for young learners
Figure 22 Reasons why mnemotechniques cannot replace other methods of teaching vocabulary
As the bar graph shows, the answer which indicates that it is difficult to teach some
vocabulary items using mnemotechniques (6 answers) appeared the most frequently.
Another reasons which occurred several times were the following: applying mnemonics
can be time-consuming (4 answers), using mnemonics too much can lead to confusion and
some mnemonics can be problematic for young learners (3 answers for each reasons). The
teachers also mentioned, that some words are learnt best in context , using
mnemotechniques requires training and some of those mnemonics are short-term.
It can be concluded that even the teachers who claim to use mnemotechniques and
42
consider them to be a useful tool in teaching vocabulary also believe that mnemonics
should not replace other approaches to vocabulary learning and teaching. They assume that
it would be a difficult task to apply only mnemotechniques to teach vocabulary to
elementary school students.
4.4.
Analysis of the results
4.4.1. Do teachers in elementary schools use mnemonic techniques?

According to the results many teachers working in elementary schools use
mnemonic techniques to teach vocabulary. The data obtained from the questionnaire
(questions 1 and 8) and the interview (question number 1) showed that majority (90%) of
the teachers use mnemonic devices. What is more, most of them apply them frequently and
try to explain the rules to the students. On the other hand, the participants of the study
claim that mnemonics are not the main techniques of teaching vocabulary used by them
(question number 7), which means that for those teachers mnemotechniques complement
other techniques of teaching vocabulary.
4.4.2. Which mnemotechniques are used in elementary schools?
The research shows (question number 9), that the mnemonics which are most
willingly used by the teachers of English are the following: the Physical Response Method,
the Visual Method, Grouping, the Loci Method and the Keyword Method. It can be
noticed, that for the elementary school students the teachers choose mostly visual, spatial,
verbal mnemonics and those connected with body movement and actions.
4.4.3. Which mnemotechniques can be discovered to be most useful and helpful

in vocabulary teaching and learning for elementary school students?
Most of the teachers who took part in the study claimed, that mnemotechniques are
useful in foreign language learning (question 2). Mnemotechniques such as: Grouping ,the
Physical Response Method, the Visual Method, the Spatial Grouping and the Loci Method
are considered by the English teachers as the most useful and helpful in teaching and
learning vocabulary (question number 10). These mnemotechniques facilitate vocabulary
43
acquisition and enhance the retrieval. It was also discovered, that a useful mnemonic
should be: creative, simple, easy to remember, not too complicated, humorous and
interesting for young learners. The mnemotechniques should also include images, use
movement and action. What is more, mnemonics should be applied according to students
multiple intelligences, what makes the usage of mnemotechnique even more effective and
interesting.
4.4.4. Are mnemonic techniques attractive for elementary school students?
The research shows, that using mnemonics makes the lessons more attractive and
interesting for the students. Some of the teachers are of the opinion, that mnemonics may
motivate students to learn new vocabulary. It should be underlined, that using mnemonics
may be an interesting alternative for traditional methods of teaching and learning
vocabulary. Most of the teachers claim, that mnemonics improve their students grades, so
it can be another reason for applying them during their classes.
4.4.5. Can mnemotechniques replace the traditional ways of teaching and
learning vocabulary?
Undoubtedly, mnemonics are attractive and useful methods for teaching and
learning vocabulary, what has hopefully been shown in the paper. What is more, they are
popular among English teachers. However, it is vital to wonder if mnemotechniques can
replace other methods for vocabulary learning and teaching. All the teachers who
participated in the study unanimously claimed that mnemotechniques could not replace
other approaches and techniques to teaching and learning vocabulary (question number 3
from the interview). Mnemotechniqes, although very useful, should have the
complementing role in vocabulary teaching and learning. There are various reasons why
applying mnemonics as the only techniques can be a difficult for teachers and learners. The
study shows that there are some reasons which show why using mnemonics exclusively
might be problematic. Firstly, the application of mnemotechniques is limited. Sometimes it
is difficult to teach and learn some vocabulary using mnemonic techniques only (for
example some abstract words). What is more, some words are learnt best in more natural,
contextual conditions. Using mnemotechniques can be very time-consuming and
sometimes confusing for children. The teachers who took part in the study mostly agree
that mnemonics are very helpful tools, but when used as additional techniques mostly.
44
4.5.
Conclusions
The study conducted by the author of the diploma work showed, that mnemonic
techniques are a useful tool in vocabulary learning and teaching for elementary school
students.
Mnemonics can improve students grades, motivate them to learn new
vocabulary and be an attractive part of the lesson. Most of the teachers claim to use them
during their classes to teach vocabulary, because the techniques boost long-term memory
and are forms of active acquisition of knowledge. Mnemonics improve the ability to
organize the information, enhance the retrieval and help students to be more creative.
Mnemotechniques such as the Physical Response Method, the Visual Method and the
Keyword Method are very frequently used by teachers in elementary schools. Those
techniques are considered to be helpful for young learners in vocabulary acquisition. What
is more, mnemonic techniques are the most effective when used according to student
leading intelligences. Although, the study helped to discover the disadvantage of using
mnemonic techniques. Namely, they cannot replace other methods of teaching and learning
foreign vocabulary. On the other hand, they are extremely useful as these techniques that
complement vocabulary teaching.
45
Final remarks
The problem of using mnemotechniques in teaching and learning English as a
foreign language in elementary schools appears to be a complex issue, that is why the
author of the paper decided to investigate the problem more deeply. The author chose the
subject as the field of the study to encourage foreign language teachers, as well as foreign
language learners to use mnemonic techniques in the process of foreign language
education.
When writing the thesis, the author had to face some obstacles. Firstly, finding
appropriate works connected strictly with mnemonic techniques was a difficult task. There
are still not enough works which discuss the problem of mnemotechniques as the tool used
to teach and learn foreign language vocabulary. Most of them included information about
the Keyword Method, which appears to be the most popular mnemonic device. Mnemonics
such as the Word Chain or the Spatial Grouping were discussed only by some authors.
What is more, the study required finding twenty teachers willing to help with the research.
It has to be indicated, that not all of the teachers agreed to fill in the questionnaire and
answer the questions included in the interview. Some of the teachers claimed that they do
not have time.
The paper includes all the information necessary for understanding what the
mnemonic techniques are and how they can be used by teachers and learners. Although
there are works which discuss the problem, none of them shows which mnemonics are the
most popular and frequently used by the teachers from elementary schools. It gathers the
necessary knowledge connected with mnemotechniques in one paper and explains the issue
in a clear way. The work aims at showing teachers that mnemonics, although sometimes
underestimated, can be helpful in teaching vocabulary to their students.
46
Summary
This paper elaborates on the topic of mnemonic techniques in the process of foreign
language education in elementary school students. The aim of the work is to show that
mnemonic techniques are tools which help the learners acquire English vocabulary. The
theoretical part of the work discusses the complex problem of vocabulary acquisition and
the role of memory. It also provides definitions, origins, distinction and features of
mnemonics, as well as the description of eight mnemotechniques: the Keyword Method,
the Visual Method, the Spatial Grouping, Grouping, the Peg Method, the Physical
Response Method, the Loci Method and the Word Chain. The main assumptions of the
techniques and examples are presented. The study conducted by the author helped to
collect the necessary data. The questionnaire and the interview were applied as data
collection tools. The subjects were randomly selected elementary level teachers who
answered the questions included in the questionnaire and the interview. The research
revealed, that mnemonics are frequently and willingly used by the teachers of elementary
schools. The Physical Response Method, the Visual Method, Grouping, the Loci Method
and the Keyword Method were discovered to be the most popular and helpful
mnemotechniques used by the teachers of English in elementary schools.
47
Streszczenie
Niniejsza praca podejmuje tematyk stosowania technik pamiciowych w
nauczaniu oraz uczeniu si sownictwa w jzyku angielskim przez nauczycieli i uczniw
szk podstawowych. S one pomocne w przyswajaniu, a take zapamitywaniu nowych
sw. Cz teoretyczna pracy zawiera informacje dotyczce procesu akwizycji
sownictwa, a take roli pamici w uczeniu si sw. W pracy zostaje wyjanione pojcie
techniki pamiciowej, a take przedstawiona geneza technik. Rozdzia drugi zawiera opis,
a take przykady mnemotechnik. S to midzy innymi metoda sw kluczowych,
acuchowa metoda zapamitywania, metoda wizualna, metoda miejsc, grupowanie,
metoda reagowania caym ciaem. Gwnym celem pracy byo ukazanie, e techniki
pamiciowe s uytecznymi narzdziami, jeeli chodzi o nauk oraz nauczanie
sownictwa. Kolejnym celem byo zbadanie, ktre z mnemotechnik s najczciej
stosowane wrd nauczycieli jzyka angielskiego, ktre z nich s najbardziej pomocne
oraz czy moliwym jest zastpienie tradycyjnych metod nauczania i uczenia si
sownictwa
technikami
pamiciowymi.
Badania
zostay
przeprowadzone
wrd
dwudziestu nauczycieli szk podstawowych. Anonimowa ankieta oraz wywiad z

nauczycielami posuyy jako narzdzia pomocne w gromadzeniu potrzebnych danych.
Wyniki bada zostay przeanalizowane i ukazane za pomoc wykresw oraz tabel. Autorka
pracy na ich podstawie wycigna odpowiednie wnioski i zaprezentowaa je w
podsumowaniu pracy.
48
References
Web sources
[1] http://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/mnemonic (accessed on 19 December 2014)
[2] Nemoto, T., Beglar, D. (2014), Developing Likert-scale questionnaires, Retrieved
from http://jalt-publications.org/proceedings/issues/2014-08_2013.1 (accessed on 13
February 2015)
Book sources
Allen, V.F. (1983), Techniques in Teaching Vocabulary, Oxford University Press: Oxford
Atkinson, R.C. (1975), Mnemotechnics in Second Language Learning, [in:] American
Psychologist, 30, pp 821-828
Atkinson, R.C., Raugh, M.R. (1975), An application of the mnemonic keyword method to
the acquisition of Russian vocabulary, [in:] Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human
Learning and Memory, 104, pp 126-133
Belleza, F.S. (1981), Mnemonic devices: Classification, characteristics, and criteria, [in:]
Review of Educational Research, 51, pp 247-275
Carter, R. (1987), Vocabulary, Applied Linguistic Perspectives, Routledge: New York.
Dakowska, M. (2007), Teaching English as a Foreign Language, Wydawnictwo Naukowe
PWN: Warszawa
Geiselman, R. Edward; Fisher, Ronald P.; MacKinnon, David P.; Holland, Heidi L. (1985),
Eyewitness memory enhancement in the police interview: Cognitive retrieval mnemonics
versus hypnosis, [in:] Journal of Applied Psychology, Vol 70(2), pp 401-412
Holden, W. R. (1999), Learning to learn: 15 vocabulary acquisition activities, [in:] Modern
English Teacher, 8 (1), pp 42, 47
Kamiska, P.M. (2004), Mnemonic Devices in Language Learning, Wydawnictwo
Naukowe Uniwersytetu Szczeciskiego: Szczecin
49
Kuczyski, M. (2005), Background Knowledge and Second Language Vocabulary,

Oficyna Wydawnicza Uniwersytetu Zielonogrskiego: Zielona Gra
McCarthy, M. (1990), Vocabulary, Oxford University Press: Oxford.
Nunan, D. (1992), Research Methods in Language Learning, Cambridge University Press:
New York
Szpotowicz, M. & Szulc-Kurpaska, M. (2009), Teaching English to Young Learners.
Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN: Warszawa
Szpotowicz, M. (2008), Second Language Learning Processes in Lower Primary Children,
WUW: Warszawa
Thompson, I. (1987), Memory in Language Learning, [in:] Wenden, A., Rubin, J. (eds),
Learner Strategies in Language Learning, Prentice Hall International: London, pp 43-55
Thornbury, S. (2002), How to Teach Vocabulary, Pearson Education Limited: Harlow
Yates, F. (1966), The Art of Memory, Routledge and Kegan Paul: London
50
Appendices
Appendix 1
Questionnaire
The purpose of the questionnaire is to collect information necessary for the BA Thesis. The
questionnaire is anonymous and volunatry and intended for scientific purposes. After all,
all the evidence will be destroyed.
Gender:
Male
Work experience:
1-5 years
School location:
Students (upper
primary/lover primary
students/both)
Female
Village
6-10 years
11 and more
City: 10.000- City: 50.000- City: 100.000

50.000 people
100.000
and more
people
people
Upper primary
students
Lower primary
students
Both
Strongly Disagree Slightly Slightly

disagree agree
disagree
Number Question
1
I use mnemonic techniques to

teach vocabulary.
I find mnemotechniques useful in

foreign language teaching.
I always introduce the name and

explain the rules of a given
mnemotechnique before using it
during the lesson.
Using mnemotechniques makes

the lesson more attractive to
students/rises the students' interest
in the lesson.
Agree
Strongly
agree
Mnemotechniques motivate
students to learn new vocabulary.
Using mnemotechniques in
teaching vocabulary improves
students' grades.
Mnemotechniques are the main

techniques/methods of teaching
vocabulary used by me.
Never
How often do you use

mnemotechniques?
Which of these mnemotechniques

do you use?
Very
rarely
Rarely
Occasionally Frequently Very

frequently
YES
NO
YES
NO
The Keyword Method

The Visual Method
The Spatial Grouping
Grouping
The Peg Method
The Loci Method
The Word Chain
10
Do you consider these

mnemotechniques useful and
helpful in teaching and learning
vocabulary?
The Keyword Method
The Visual Method
The Spatial Grouping
Grouping
The Peg Method
The Loci Method
The Word Chain
Appendix 2
Interview
1. Why do you choose to use/ not to use mnemonics? What makes a given mnemonic
technique useful?
2. Should the type of the students and students multiple intelligences influence the
choice of mnemonic techniques?
3. Can mnemonic techniques replace the traditional ways of teaching and learning
vocabulary? Why/why not?

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PRACA DYPLOMOWA

MNEMOTECHNIQUES IN THE PROCESS

PROMOTOR: DR HAB. KRZYSZTOF POLOK

Elementary students' vocabulary learning and teaching ................................................ 8

Vocabulary acquisition ........................................................................................... 8

The role of memory in vocabulary acquisition ..................................................... 11

Definition and origins ........................................................................................... 13

Characteristics of chosen mnemonic techniques .................................................. 17

The Keyword Method .................................................................................... 17

The Visual Method ........................................................................................ 20

The Spatial Grouping .................................................................................... 21

The Peg Method ............................................................................................ 22

The Physical Response Method..................................................................... 23

The Loci Method ........................................................................................... 23

The Word Chain ............................................................................................ 24

Research questions ................................................................................................ 25

Data collection ...................................................................................................... 27

Data gathering tools ....................................................................................... 27

The expected results.............................................................................................. 29

Information about the participants of the study .................................................... 30

The questionnaire .................................................................................................. 31

The interview ........................................................................................................ 39

Analysis of the results ........................................................................................... 43

Do teachers in elementary schools use mnemonic techniques? .................... 43

Which mnemotechniques are used in elementary schools?........................... 43

Which mnemotechniques can be discovered to be most useful and helpful in

vocabulary teaching and learning for elementary school students? ............................. 43

Are mnemonic techniques attractive for elementary school students?.......... 44

Can mnemotechniques replace the traditional ways of teaching and learning

Final remarks ....................................................................................................................... 46

Specification of figures and tables in the thesis

Table 1: Learning new vocabulary using Grouping ............................................................ 22

1. Elementary students' vocabulary learning and teaching

The word acquisition process is complex. A word is acquired at different levels:

Figure 1 Knowing a word (after Thornbury, 2002: 16)

1. Learning to associate a given picture with the sound of a word

The role of memory in vocabulary acquisition

The role of memory in vocabulary acquisition is vital, as it is responsible for

Definition and origins

The thesis focuses on mnemonic techniques in foreign language education, so it is

There is a variety of different mnemotechniques, so it is vital to systematize them.

Visual Methods (Pictures, Visualization) which require creating mental images or

Another division distinguishes between organizational and encoding mnemonic

Mnemotechniques share various features. The four characteristic properties which

Characteristics of chosen mnemonic techniques

The Keyword Method

2.4.2. The Visual Method

pictures in textbooks is called a waste of excellent opportunities, as pictures are

2.4.3. The Spatial Grouping

mother, father, sister, brother, uncle, aunt

bitter, shy, dark, heavy, fast, long

beautiful, attractive, lovely, pretty, stunning

fast-slow, big-small, bad-good, false-true

The Peg Method

thundering. Pegs, in order to be helpful, should be remembered automatically, so other

The Physical Response Method

2.4.7. The Loci Method

2.4.8. The Word Chain

1. Do teachers in elementary schools use mnemonic techniques?

their lessons? Another significant aspect to be considered is the way of introducing

2. Which mnemotechniques are used in elementary schools?

3. Which mnemotechniques can be discovered to be most useful and helpful in

4. Are mnemonic techniques attractive for elementary school students?