A Comparative Study on Passive Vocabulary Growth Through Rote Learning and Multiple Exposures among Iranian EFL Learners

Despite the historical prevalence of rote memorization as a way of vocabulary learning, it has been under severe critics in recent decades. However, some researchers found a positive attitude toward it among English learners as a foreign language (EFL). New trend of vocabulary learning strategies are focused on contextualization, one of which is multiple exposures technique. After all, this question remains as to whether EFL learners should dismiss rote learning thoroughly? This research aimed to have a comparison on the effectiveness of rote learning and multiple exposures in passive vocabulary growth i.e. retention of the first language (L1) equivalents of English words. Nineteen participants both male and female with associate degree in different disciplines who had a considerably low level of English language proficiency were selected and instructed a list of 26 single words, half of them with rote learning, and rest with multiple exposures. It was concluded that passive vocabulary growth (recalling the meaning of words in first language) is significantly higher for the list of words which was instructed through rote learning. Participants' low level of English proficiency and their cultural tendency may account for superiority of rote learning on multiple exposures in this specific condition. This implies that teachers and learners of EFL can take the advantage of rote learning when learners' English proficiency level is low and the purpose of vocabulary learning is merely word recognition and its translation in L1, as well as they should not be deluded by any imprecise claims about the significance of multiple exposures.