Using Semantic Field Approach in Teaching Vocabulary Comprehension of Prathomsuksa 3 Students at Thairathwitthaya 86 (Banphasakluang) School, Chiang Rai Province, Thailand

Abstract

The research aimed to (1) analyse semantic relations that occur in English Commercial Textbook, “Say hello 3”, (2) investigate students vocabulary achievement after using semantic field approach, and (3) examine students’ satisfaction towards the use of semantic field approach. Employing a mixed-methods approach with an exploratory sequential design, the study investigated the effectiveness of the semantic field approach in teaching English vocabulary to 17 Prathomsuksa 3 students at Thairathwitthaya 86 (Banphasakluang) School. The qualitative phase involved content analysis to identify and categorize vocabulary based on semantic relations, which led to the development of 12 lesson plans that incorporated semantic mapping. The quantitative phase used a One-Group Pretest-Posttest Design, with vocabulary proficiency measured by pre-tests, post-tests, and a retention test administered 28 days later. A questionnaire was used to evaluate student satisfaction. The statistics used to analyze the collected data were the mean, standard deviation, and Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test.

The research results found that:

1. A content analysis of the English textbook “Say hello 3” showed that the majority of semantic relations were based on hyponymy and part-whole relations.
2. There was a statistically significant improvement in students’ vocabulary achievement from the pre-test (Mean = 15.53) to the post-test (Mean = 32.18). Although retention scores (Mean = 29.06) showed a statistically significant decrease from post-test scores, they remained substantially higher than pre-test levels, which indicates durable learning.
3. Students' satisfaction with the semantic field approach was at a high level (Mean = 2.76).