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.

I couldn't find any sources for this method, could you share a link? — Francesco Dondi, Aug 16 '16 at 08:39

Tsundoku · Accepted Answer · 2016-09-18T16:45:00.127

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.

Apparently, however, here you don't 'come up with your own connections to the keyword'. Rather, you buy a book which claims to have the 'best' connections, handpicked once for all. Of which he gives an example with deliberate. I think the question is asking if this is more effective than coming up with your own. — Francesco Dondi, Aug 16 '16 at 13:28
@FrancescoDondi Mohsen Taraghi Gashti has presented his T-coding system at a few conferences, but I have not been able to find any papers by him. One cannot judge the method's effective based on a single newspaper article. — Tsundoku, Aug 16 '16 at 15:46
@FrancescoDondi That was not clear from the initial description, since it did not say "T-coding". — Tsundoku, Aug 17 '16 at 09:43

score 1 · Answer 2 · edited Sep 18 '16 at 16:30

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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: [email protected]. 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!

edited Sep 18 '16 at 16:30

Tsundoku

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answered Sep 18 '16 at 07:48

Mohsen Taraghi Gashti

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Welcome to Language Learning! – fi12 Sep 18 '16 at 12:01
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While this may theoretically answer the question, it would be preferable to include the essential parts of the answer here, and provide the link for reference. Link-only answers are prone to linkrot and are usually discouraged on StackExchange. – Hatchet Dec 01 '17 at 03:59

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

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