Enhancing Advanced EFL Learners’ Vocabulary Recall via MI-oriented Thematic Vocabulary Clustering

The present quasi-experimental study investigated the effect of Thematic Vocabulary Instruction (TVI) with and without Multiple Intelligence-oriented tasks on advanced EFL learners’ vocabulary recall and scrutinized probable differences among individual learners with varying intellectual propensities. Thus, a purposive homogeneous sample of 80 out of 118 advanced EFL learners was selected and randomly assigned to four groups; the first and the second experimental groups (EG1 and EG2) received TVI with tasks compatible and incompatible with their dominant intelligence, respectively. The third experimental group (EG3) received TVI focused on coursebook exercises and the control group (CG) received non-thematic instruction based on textbook exercises. The course content comprised 60 advanced words being taught for 10 sessions. The vocabulary recall test was administered three weeks after the end of the treatment, requiring the participants to use the words in 5 paragraphs based on the given topic and the frequency counts showed the number of the new words. The results using ANOVA and Tukey post hoc test revealed that the EG1 who had undergone TVI with MI-oriented tasks significantly outperformed their peers. Specifically, verbally intelligent learners had the highest and intrapersonally dominant ones had the lowest significant performances. The findings underscore the significance of taking individual differences into account. A number of pedagogical implications were offered for the teachers and administrative authorities.