THE EFFECT OF TEACHING POLYSEMOUS WORDS IN LITERARY TEXTS ON READING COMPREHENSION AT INTERMEDIATE LEVEL IN DISTRICT KOHAT

Abstract

Polysemous words are words with more than one related meaning. They often confuse intermediate-level English learners in Pakistan. Classroom instruction is still mostly reliant on the grammar-translation method. This method teaches only one fixed meaning per word and rarely helps students understand how meanings connect and change with context. This gap can limit reading comprehension, especially in literary texts. This study tested a different teaching approach. It used Cognitive-Semantic Theory, based on the idea that word meanings extend from a shared core sense. Sixty second-year intermediate students from public colleges in District Kohat took part. They were divided into two intact groups of thirty. The Experimental group learned polysemous words through their core and extended meanings. The Control group followed the usual translation-based method. Both groups sat a pre-test and post-test, scoring almost identically before teaching began. After one month of instruction, the picture changed. The Experimental group's average rose from 7.63 to 12.87 out of 15. The Control group barely moved, from 7.47 to 8.03. The difference was large and statistically significant (t(58) = 9.92, p < .001, d = 2.56). However, subsequent regression analysis showed that the type of instruction, rather than prior knowledge, was the primary predictor of post-test scores. These findings suggest that teaching word meanings as connected, rather than separate, helps students read literary English more confidently. The study recommends that teachers and textbook designers in Pakistan consider this approach for vocabulary instruction.