Comparative Effect of Concept Mapping and Marginal Glossing on EFL Learners’ Reading Comprehension and Vocabulary Retention

Abstract

This study was an attempt to investigate the comparative effect of marginal glossing and concept mapping on EFL learners’ reading comprehension and vocabulary retention. To fulfill the purpose of this study, 60 female students of Iranmehr Language School in Tehran were selected from among a total number of 110 based on their performance on the reading section of a mock IELTS General Module and a vocabulary test and were randomly assigned to two experimental groups. The mean scores of both groups on the reading comprehension posttests were compared though an independent samples t-test which led to the rejection of the null hypothesis thus concluding that there was a significant difference between the effect of concept mapping and marginal glossing on EFL learners’ reading comprehension with the concept map group outperforming the marginal gloss group. For comparing the two groups’ vocabulary retention, the results of the two groups on the vocabulary posttest and the vocabulary delayed posttest were compared through a Repeated Measures ANOVA.