Teaching new words using collocations has been acknowledged as an effective way in vocabulary classes

Name	Level	Native language
Age
1	Abduganiyeva Muhlisa	Pre-intermediate	uzbek	16
2	Abdulqosimov Qodirjon	Pre-intermediate	uzbek	16
3	Abashov Muhammadruh	Pre-intermediate	uzbek	16
4	Hamidullayeva Mushtariy	Pre-intermediate	uzbek	16
5	Hojakbarova Maftuna	Pre-intermediate	uzbek	15
6	Ismatov Haydar	Intermediate	uzbek	16
7	Ibragimova Rizvongul	Pre-intermediate	uzbek	15
8	Komiljonov Mirislom	Pre-intermediate	uzbek	16
9	Mahamadjonova Iroda	Pre-intermediate	uzbek	16
10	Karimov Davron	Pre-intermediate	uzbek	16
11	Nigmatullayev Asror	Intermediate	uzbek	15
12	Nabiyeva Madina	Pre-intermediate	uzbek	16
13	Nurmatova Dildora	Pre-intermediate	uzbek	16
14	Olloqulov Dostonbek	Pre-intermediate	uzbek	16
15	Qobilova E’zoza	Pre-intermediate	uzbek	15

Table 2. The list of the pupils (Experimental group)

	Name	Level	Native language	Age
1	Ozodova Umida	Intermediate	uzbek	15
2	Odilova Iroda	Pre-intermediate	Uzbek	16
3	Pirmatova Mubina	Pre-intermediate	uzbek	16
4	Muhammedbekov Sunnat	Pre-intermediate	uzbek	16
5	Tohirov Otabek	Intermediate	uzbek	17
6	Tursunov Farhod	Pre-intermediate	uzbek	16
7	Shamsiddinova Nodira	Pre-intermediate	uzbek	16
8	Valiyeva Madina	Pre-intermediate	uzbek	16
9	Xolmurodova Barno	Pre-intermediate	uzbek	16
10	Hikmatova Aynura	Pre-Intermediate	uzbek	16
11	Shohmurodov Islombek	Pre-intermediate	uzbek	16
12	Turdiyeva Hamida	Pre-intermediate	uzbek	15
13	Gulomjonova Sitora	Pre-intermediate	uzbek	15
14	Yodgorov Oybek	Pre-intermediate	uzbek	16

Materials and equipment
In our investigation, we tried to use some materials that had the significant function during the study. We used two pre-intermediate level course books: Solutions Pre-intermediate (T. Falla, Paul A, Oxford) and Interchange (Richards, 1991). These books were chosen because they were pre-intermediate level course books, which were similar to most of the intermediate course books. Collins Cobuild Corpora and The LTP Dictionary of Collocations were used to take some collocations. Matching test, comprehension questions, gap-filling exercise and multiple-choice questions were effectively used during the study.
Moreover, we took an interview with the pupils at the end to know their opinions about the research and its process.
To make our study easier we used following equipment:
a) Projector
b) whiteboard
c) colorful markers
d) laptop
e) paper (for collecting data)
f) speaker
Procedure
The variables
In experiments, there are two types of variables: dependent and independent. The independent variable is stated as the input variable of study while dependent variable is considered as outcome variable.
The independent variable is a treatment or cause and the dependent variable is what is affected by the outcomes (independent variable).
In our experiment, teaching foreign language using collocations versus definitions in vocabulary acquisition would be our independent variable and teaching pupils with effective one of vocabulary techniques would be our dependent variable.

Experimental process
The main aim of the study was to find out whether collocations would help pupils to learn and remember the new words with which they were associated. The first step was to select words. In order to select the words that pupils do not know a list of words was given to pupils. The aim of these lists was to find out the words that the pupils did not know because these words were to be taught during the treatment. The two groups had to indicate their knowledge of the words by circling one of the two options: ‘I know the word’; ‘I don’t know the word’. Moreover, in order to get a realistic result the pupils had to write the meaning of the word if they had circled the ‘I know the word’ option. Only those words they indicated they did not know were selected for further use.
Pre-test
A list of a 60 words was constructed and given to pupils as a first pre-test (see appendix A). Since the level of the pupils was pre-intermediate, the 60 words, especially difficult words, were chosen from 2 pre-intermediate level course books: Solutions Pre-intermediate (T. Falla, Paul A, Oxford) and Interchange (Richards, 1991). These books were chosen because they were pre-intermediate level course books, which were similar to most of the pre-intermediate course books.
Only those words they indicated they did not know were selected for further use. Then for those words, appropriate collocates were found by using Collins Cobuild and The LTP Dictionary of Collocations.
Pupils’ knowledge of collocates were also tested using another pre-test in order to select and keep the ones that the students knew. The aim of the second pre-test was to select the words that the pupils knew because during the treatment these known collocates would help them to learn new vocabulary items better. This second pre-test was a matching test in which the pupils were asked to match the words with their definitions (see appendix B). In the second pre-test, there were a total of 20 words and their meanings. These 20 words were divided into two parts each comprising 10 words and their meanings. The purpose of the second pre-test was to select the known words (as collocates) which would be taught to pupils together with the unknown vocabulary items. In this way, the effect of the known collocates would show that whether these collocates help to learn and remember the newly presented vocabulary items.
Two groups participated in the research: one experimental and one control group. The level of both groups was pre-intermediate. In these classes, the items were presented in two reading texts (see appendices C and D). Two reading texts were written by a native speaker and these words were placed in these reading texts together with their collocates. Each text included 10 unknown words. The researcher was teaching all the groups during the treatment, because there was not a single teacher who teaches different classes also the procedure of the treatment and conducting the tests were complicated. Hence, the researcher did the teaching and it was done in two consecutive sessions. In the first session, for the collocation group, the collocation technique was used. The students first read the reading text, and then the teacher presented 10 vocabulary items and explained their meanings. She also provided a collocate (which students knew the meaning of) for each word, in this way while students were learning a new word, they were learning them with collocations. After providing the words and their collocates, a gap-filling exercise was practiced for newly learned vocabulary (see appendix E). The gap-filling exercise involved both these new words and the collocates. Two words were given together and the students were asked to fill in the blanks with these two words.
The experimental group received only the dictionary definitions of words. The students read the same reading text and answered the same comprehension questions. For this group while the teacher was presenting the vocabulary she did not provide the collocates of the words, only the definitions were given. In order for the teacher to spend nearly the same amount of time in two groups during the presentation stage, the teacher practiced the word formations of new vocabulary items with the students. For this group the gap-filling exercises consisted only of single words.
Post-test
After the treatment sessions, the groups took two immediate post-tests, which were given the day after (see appendices F and G). In the first post-test, the students answered multiple-choice questions. In the second post-test, the students were given 25 items, asked to write their meanings in English, to use them in meaningful sentences. In order to counter balance the effect of tests, each class was divided into two halves and the first half took the multiple-choice test whereas the second half took the definition- sentence test and then they did the reverse.