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teaching vocabulary is the best, so the effective teacher has need of different methods for different occasion and for individual students.
C. Semantic Mapping
1. Nature of Semantic Mapping
Various terms have been used in the literature to refer to the term semantic mapping. In language learning, the term semantic mapping is usually used to refer
to “brainstorming associations which a word has and then diagramming the results”
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. The concept of semantic mapping in this study, however, differs from this definition. It refers to the identification of whether given semantic features are
inside or outside the semantic boundary of a word. Semantic mapping is also a useful strategy that can be introduced to
learners at any level of proficiency. It involves drawing a diagram of the relationships between words according to their use in a particular text. Semantic
mapping has the effect of bringing relationships in a text to consciousness for the purpose of deepening the understanding of a text and creating associative
networks for words. It is best introduced as a collaborative effort between the teacher and the class. Such a diagram “visually shows how ideas fit together. This
strategy incorporates a variety of memory strategies like grouping, using imagery, associating and elaborating and it is important for improving both memory and
comprehension of new vocabulary items ”.
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Semantic mapping is a strategy that can be used in all disciplines to demonstrate the relationships between ideas. It is an activity that helps bring into
consciousness relationship among words in a text and help deepen understanding by creating associative networks for words.
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When teaching vocabulary explicitly, it can be used as a tool for students to discover the relationships
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Evelyn Hatch and Cherryl Brown, Vocabulary,Semantic,and language Education Cambridge : Cambridge University, 1995, p.387.
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Rebecca L Oxford, Language Learning Strategies: What every Teacher should Know USA: HeinleHeinle Publishers, 1990, p. 62.
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Marianne Celce Murcia, Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language Teaching USA: Heinle Heinle Thomson Learning, 2001, p. 288.
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between vocabulary words. As semantic mapping builds on prior knowledge, and is an active form of learning, it can be a very effective teaching tool.
In general, teachers need to decide what framework and strategies they should choose to focus on based on their student’s needs, learning styles,
proficiency level as well as the task’s requirements. Thus, frameworks are not
fixed and can vary from context to context. In addition, semantic mapping activity enables learners to see connection
between words. This is often a useful device in helping to remember new words.
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Semantic Elaboration facilitates the creation of links and semantic networks, as well as deep level of processing. One of procedures based on semantic elaboration
is semantic mapping, which serves as a visual reminder of links between words; this technique are also suitable for presenting and revising collocations.
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Semantic mapping generally refers to brainstorming associations which a word has and then diagramming the results.
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Teaching a concept to others when the pupil brainstorming will increase student retention of information greatly. Be sure
to discuss the ideas in the map at length. By discussing them as well as writing them down, the teachers are catering to different learning styles, and ensuring that
all students are increasing their knowledge of vocabulary. A semantic map is any graphic devices that illustrates the range of meaning of word or words either
within one language or between two or more languages.
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Recently, semantic mapping is one of the new approaches; it is a process for constructing visual displays of categories and their relationships. That is, it is a
categorical structuring of information in graphic form. It is a n “individualized”
content approach which allows students to relate new words to their own experiences and prior knowledge. Semantic maps can be formed from individual
or group contributions or through teacher directed or independent activities. As an
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Paul Nation, New Ways in Teaching Vocabulary Virginia: TESOL, 1994, p. 124.
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Visnja Pacivic Takac, Vocabulary Learning Strategies and Foreign Language Acquisition Canada: Multilingual Matters, 2008, p. 22.
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Norbert Schmitt and Michael McCarthy, Vocabulary: Description, Acquisition and Pedagogy Cambridge: Cambridge University, 1997, p. 250.
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David R. Zorc, Paper on Translation: Aspects, Concepts, Implications: A Case for Semantic Mapping, Seameo Regional Language Centre No.28, 1983, p. 35.
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instructional strategy, semantic mapping involves a variety of basic memory and comprehension techniques such as making associations, grouping, and using
visual memory of the semantic map that incorporate relating old knowledge to new.
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From these definitions given above, semantic mapping is a visual strategy for vocabulary expansion and extension of knowledge by displaying in categories
words related to one another. Semantic mapping is an adaptation of concept definition mapping but builds on students’ prior knowledge or schema. While it
draws on prior knowledge it recognizes important components and shows the relationships among the components. Through semantic mapping the students
attract to use their imagination to find the connection between word which help them to retain their schemata of English vocabulary, remember the new given-
words from their teacher and they can get the new word by themselves when they fill in semantic map. Semantic mapping is an attractive strategy which make the
students interested in and creative, because learning through semantic mapping is different from the traditional vocabulary learning, it have to use some media such
as picture, shape and colour.
2. Procedure of Using Semantic Mapping
