A considerable amount of research has taken place since the late 1970s concerning vocabulary memorizing strategies. Among the earliest studies that focused on memory strategy for vocabulary are those by Cohen and Aphek whose main interest was use of association. In one study Cohen and Aphek (1980) found that making associations and keeping using them were helpful to recall it. In another study Cohen and Aphek (1981) found that more successful associations would be the ones in which two items were closer in sound or meaning, or which had an emotional impact on the leaner.
Memory strategies which are the main concern of this study are divided into four sets of “creating mental linkage”, “applying image and sound”, “reviewing well”, and “employing actions”(Oxford,1990) In this study from among the four sets of memory strategies classified by Oxford (1990), three sub strategies were selected; 1) placing new word into a context (a sub-strategy of creating mental linkages), 2) using imagery (a sub-strategy of employing image and sound) and 3) using word cards (a sub-strategy of employing action).
Based on Oxford (1990), placing a new word into a context involves using the context of surrounding words and sentences to figure out the meaning of new and unfamiliar words. Students will practice looking for new and unfamiliar words in prepared sentences and use context to determine meaning of word. This strategy help language learner to store and retrieve word better. Using imagery involves linking new language information with concepts in memory by means of using visual imagery either in the mind or in an actual drawing. Using word cards require physical movement along with language practices. Students are more engaged in the activity and language is emphasized during the activity.
In this study, memory strategies were selected to find the effect of using them both in storing (as evaluated by immediate post-test) and retaining vocabulary items for longer periods of time (as reflected in delayed post-test) which is the aim of learning.