From 'Pun' to 'Plot': A Paradigm Shift in English Vocabulary Acquisition

This study examines the effectiveness and efficiency of two vocabulary development methods: a pure optimal input (POI) approach (Story Listening) and a learning approach (List Learning). Conducted with Japanese junior high school students in their first term, this replication study measured vocabulary acquisition rates and forgetting percentages for each method. Participants participated in one List Learning session that utilized traditional memorization techniques, including mnemonic devices (puns), and three Story Listening sessions featuring stories lasting 15 to 31 minutes. Although both methods achieved comparable vocabulary retention rates on a delayed posttest after one to two weeks, the forgetting rate for List Learning was three times higher than for Story-Listening. In addition to vocabulary development, this study explores the broader implications of Story-Listening, supported by previous research, as a bridge to independent reading. The findings highlight Story-Listening’s potential to promote lifelong literacy and self-directed learning in English as a foreign or second language.