The Role of Mind Mapping Soft Ware in Developing EFL Learner's Vocabulary at the Pre Intermediate Level
This study investigated the role of mind mapping software in using vocabulary among EFL pre intermediate students. The study was conducted in a pre university center in Masjedsoleyman. Sixty EFL learners were selected out of 90 learners. They were chosen based on Interchange Language Placement test (Richards Lesley, 2007) administered as a homogeneity test. Its reliability value was met through calculating KR 21 formula. The learners whose scores were one standard deviation above and one standard deviation below the mean were selected as the participants of the study. Then they were divided into two groups and sat for the vocabulary pre test designed on the instructed material. Each group includes 30 participants. They included Mind Map (i.e. experimental) and Control groups. The experimental group received vocabularies encompassing the passages taught through the Mind Mapping software 6 (v3.5.3.0) from Xmind.net website as treatment to participants of experimental group. Eight passages of their reading lessons were covered in ten sessions. The control group received conventional instruction on learning vocabularies including definitions, explanation and translation. After 10 sessions of instruction, 50 minutes each, they took the post test. Independent Samples t test was used to calculate the data. Results showed that the learners who used the mind mapping software outperformed the control group; however, the both groups showed progress in learning vocabulary. Comparison of the groups' pre and post test showed that the experimental group performed more strong than the control group (p<0.05)