The effectiveness of computers on vocabulary learning among preschool children: a semiotic approach

Abstract

Semiotics in foreign language learning has recently achieved some prominence as a theoretical foundation for language teaching and learning. Although there have been a number of research on the semiotics in foreign language learning, the practical use of semiotics in preschool classroom environment still remains unanswered. What is more, the effectiveness of computers on vocabulary learning among preschool children is still an obscure area, which attracts the attentions of researchers, scholars and practitioners. Thus, the present study aims to investigate whether there is a significant difference in preschool children’s vocabulary gain depending upon the computer assisted vocabulary instruction or the traditional vocabulary instruction both adopting a semiotic approach. The sample group of the study included 35 preschool children (5-years) who are studying at Balıkesir University Necatibey Faculty of Education Kindergarten. In this quasi-experimental study, the children were assigned to computer assisted vocabulary instruction group (16) or traditional vocabulary instruction group (19), which were the experimental and control groups. Before the experiment, the children were given a pre-test, which measured the number of target vocabulary the children had already known. While the experimental group learned the target vocabulary through computer-assisted instruction, the control group was taught the same target vocabulary via traditional vocabulary instruction. After the experiment, the same test was given to the children as the post-test. The results of the study showed that both instruction types were successful in teaching vocabulary and there was no significant difference between the groups in terms of their vocabulary gain.

Keywords: Vocabulary learning; semiotic approach; computer assisted vocabulary instruction; preschool children; foreign language learning