Is the “T-Coding Method” a reliable method to learn vocabulary?

Question

In Iran someone named "Mr Taraghghi" has imported a method for learning English vocabulary called "Vocabulary Coding" for Persian native speakers that works like this example:

Consider the word "deliberate". In Persian, "deli" means something depends on the heart and the human's will, and "berate" means "for you". With both parts combined, "deliberate" is like saying: "I have done this work for you with my heart (not casual)", which is similar to the concept of the word "deliberate".

Does anyone have any idea about this method? Any help would be appreciated.

Answer 1

I think this method is better known as the "keyword method" or the "keyword mnemonic". The technique was introduced by Richard C. Atkinson's 1975 article Mnemotechnics in Second Language Learning. There has been research on this method and it appears to be quite effective.

According to Fiona McPherson it works best when:

• you come up with your own connections to the keyword,
• you combine the method with retrieval practice (or spaced repetition).

For research, see for example:

• Hauptmann, Joern: The Effect of the Integrated Keyword Method on Vocabulary Retention and Motivation. Thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Education at the University of Leicester, January 2004.
• Khalafi, Zeynab; Oroji, Mohammad Reza: The Impact of Using Keyword Method on Vocabulary Learning and Retention: A Case of Iranian Intermediate EFL Learners. International Journal of Language and Linguistics, Volume 4, Issue 1 , January 2016, Pages:9-13.
• Taheri, Ali Akbar; Davoudi, Mohammad: The Effect of the Keyword Method on Vocabulary Learning and Long-Term Retention, International Journal of Language and Linguistics, Volume 3, No. 1; March 2016.
• Since some people on Language Learning SE are interested in Japanese: Kobayashi, Rika: The Effectiveness of the Keyword Method in Kanji Acquisition for Second Language Learners, Proceedings of SEATJ (Southeastern Association of Teachers of Japanese) 2010. (Kobayashi finds that the technique works best when learners come up with their own assocations; however, the study was limited in that it involved learning only 10 kanji and it tested retention only up to 1 week.)

Based on this keyword mnemonic, Mohsen Taraghi Gashti came up with his T-coding system, which he claims is much better than the original keyword technique (see the article in the Iran Daily and the abstract from the Jil Jadid conference). He has presented his method at a few conferences, but I have not been able to find any full papers by him. One cannot judge a method's effectiveness based on a single newspaper article and an abstract.

Answer 2

My name is Mohse Taraghi Gashti (TEFL PhD Candidate at Tehran University). If there are any questions, I would be glad to answer accordingly. Here is my e-mail: m.taraghi@yahoo.com. The following is the link to my presentation at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona:https://ijas2016barcelona.sched.org/mobile/#session:192ae33ebcf46ffa84618e08fbe4b35a. The next link guides you to the conference at Texas University: http://www.jil-jadid.org/abstracts/mohsen-taraghi-gashti/ Good Luck!