先前的關鍵字學習法研究顯示，此方法能有效幫助學生記憶單字字義，但是學生學習拼字時使用此方法其測驗結果卻不一致。此外，字母拼讀法研究指出該方法有益拼字能力的養成，然而字母拼讀法於字義上的教學常被忽略。有鑑於此，本研究目的為探討融合「關鍵字學習法」及「字母拼讀法」對於國小學童學習英語單字的效益研究。本研究對象為一百零五位某國小五年級學童，學習三十個英文單字。學童分為三組：關鍵字組、字母拼讀組、及融合關鍵字與字母拼讀學習組，各組學童分別以該組的學習法學習英文單字共三次。每次學習後會有立即的單字學習測驗，測驗項目有「字義」測驗及「英語拼字能力」測驗兩項。一週後學童再接受相同的測驗。本研究之研究問題為：（一）將三組(關鍵字組、字母拼讀組、及融合關鍵字與字母拼讀學習組)進行立即測驗及一週後延宕測驗，何組的字義學習測驗表現最佳?（二）將三組(關鍵字組、字母拼讀組、及融合關鍵字與字母拼讀學習組)進行立即測驗及一週後延宕測驗，何組的英語拼字能力測驗表現最佳? 本研究採用量性統計研究分析方法，以描述性統計及單因子變異數分析計算所得數據。研究結果顯示：（一）「關鍵字學習法」與「融合關鍵字學習法與字母拼讀法」兩組在「字義」的測驗上無論在立即測驗或一週後延宕測驗均顯著優於使用「字母拼讀法」的學童。（二）「字母拼讀法」與「融合關鍵字學習法與字母拼讀法」兩組在「英語拼字能力」的測驗上無論在立即測驗或一週後延宕測驗均顯著優於使用「關鍵字學習法」的學童。綜觀上述結果，融合「關鍵字學習法」與「字母拼讀法」不僅有助於學童於「字義」上的學習，更能提升英語拼字能力。最後，本研究根據實驗結果提出數項在教學上的意涵及對未來研究的建議。

Previous studies revealed beneficial effects of keyword method on learning of word meaning; however, its effect on productive recall performance is inconclusive. On the other hand, studies also suggested that spelling ability can be increased via phonics instruction. However, learning of word meaning of the explicit phonics instruction is prone to be deemphasized. Accordingly, the purpose of this study was to examine the combined effect of the keyword method and phonics instruction on elementary school students’ English vocabulary learning. The participants were 105 elementary school students learning 30 English target words. Three intact EFL classes were randomly assigned to three treatment groups (keyword, phonics, and combined keyword-phonics). These Chinese-speaking students then received 3 days of instruction. Both receptive and productive recall tests were used to measure the learning effects both immediately and one week later. The study investigated two research questions: (1) Which of the three treatment groups (phonics group, keyword group, and combined keyword-phonics group) will perform the best on the immediate and delayed receptive recall tests? (2) Which of the three treatment groups (phonics group, keyword group, and combined keyword-phonics group) will perform the best on the immediate and delayed productive recall tests? The quantitative analysis of the data was performed through descriptive statistics and one-way ANOVA. The results show that (1) the keyword group and the combined keyword-phonics group performed significantly better than the phonics group on the immediate and delayed receptive recall tests, and (2) the phonics group and the combined keyword-phonics group performed significantly better than the keyword group on the immediate and delayed productive recall test. Thus, the finding suggested that the keyword method facilitated students’ learning of word meaning and that the phonics instruction promoted the students’ English spelling abilities. Therefore, combining the two methods not only facilitated students’ learning of word meaning but also enhanced students’ spelling abilities. Based on the findings, teaching implications, limitations of the present study, and suggestions for future study are provided.

Acknowledgements iii
Table of Contents v
Chinese Abstractix
English Abstract xi
Introduction 1
1.1 Background and Rationale 1
1.2 Research Questions and Predictions 7
Literature Review 9
2.1 The Keyword Method 9
2.2 The Theoretical Framework of the Keyword Method 11
2.2.1 Information-Processing Theory 12
2.2.2 Elaboration Theory 13
2.2.3 Dual-Coding Theory 14
2.2.4 Three Rs: Recoding, Relating, and Retrieving 15
2.3 The Effects of the Keyword Method on Vocabulary Learning 18
2.3.1 Facilitative Evidence on Receptive Recall Performance 18
2.3.2 Conflicting Evidence on Productive Recall Performance 21
2.4 Phonics Instruction 24
2.4.1 Description of Phonics 24
2.4.2 The Effects of the Phonics Instruction on Vocabulary Learning 27
vi
Methodology 31
3.1 Research design 31
3.2 Participants 33
3.3 Materials and Training Procedures 34
3.3.1 Words for the Present Study 34
3.3.2 The Training Procedures for the Three Groups 35
3.4 Vocabulary Tests 41
3.4.1 Pretests 41
3.4.2 Posttests:Immediate and 1-week Delayed Recall Tests 42
3.4.3 Scoring of Test Responses 43
3.5 Data Analysis 44
Results and Discussion 47
4.1 Pretests 48
4.1.1 Receptive Pretest Scores 48
4.1.2 Productive Pretest Scores 49
4.2 Receptive Recall Performance 50
4.2.1 Immediate Receptive Recall Performance 50
4.2.2 Delayed Receptive Recall Performance 52
4.2.3 Discussion on Receptive Recall Test Results 53
4.3 Productive Recall Performance 56
4.3.1 Immediate Productive Recall Performance 57
4.3.2 Delayed Productive Recall Performance 59
vii
4.3.3 Discussion on Productive Recall Performance 60
4.4 Participants’ Overall Performance 63
Conclusions and Implications 65
5.1 Major Findings of the Current Study 65
5.2 Pedagogical Implications 67
5.3 Limitations of the Present Study and Suggestions for Future Research 69
References 73
Appendixes 81
Appendix A. The 60 Words Selected for the Pilot Study 81
Appendix C. Learning Materials for the Keyword Method (2 examples) 83
Appendix D. Receptive Pretest Answer Sheet 85
Appendix E. Productive Pretest Answer Sheet 86
Appendix F. Immediate Receptive Posttest Answer Sheet (Session 1) 87
Appendix G. Immediate Productive Posttest Answer Sheet (Session 1) 88
Appendix H. Immediate Receptive Posttest Answer Sheet (Session 2) 89
Appendix I. Immediate Productive Posttest Answer Sheet (Session 2) 90
Appendix J. Immediate Receptive Posttest Answer Sheet (Session 3) 91
Appendix K. Immediate Productive Posttest Answer Sheet (Session 3) 92
Appendix L. One-week Delayed Receptive Posttest Answer Sheet 93
viii
Appendix M. One-week Delayed Productive Posttest Answer Sheet 94

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