Abstract:
The aim of the present study is to compare the teaching method based on reminders and the teaching method of lectures in e-learning of consonant and vowel phonemes of Persian language for first grade elementary school students in Urmia. The research method is semi-experimental with two groups of pre-test and post-test. The statistical population includes 17,410 first grade elementary school students in Urmia in the academic year 1401-1402, of which 60 people were selected by multi-stage cluster sampling method. The first group was trained by the lecture method and the second group by the reminder-based method. The research tool was a teacher-made spelling test based on consonant and vowel phonemes, whose face and content validity was approved by 5 Persian language education experts, and its reliability was also 0.8 by Cohen's Kappa method. For data analysis, the analysis of variance test was used using SPSS 24 software. The findings showed that there was a significant difference between the two teaching methods in the post-test. The effect size of the statistical tests showed that the effectiveness of the teaching method based on reminders in electronic learning of consonant and vowel phonemes is greater than the lecture method.
 
Keywords:
Persian language, Mnemonic-based teaching method, Lecture-based teaching method, E-learning, Consonant phonemes, Vowel phonemes
 
Introduction
The rapid growth of information and communication technologies (ICT) has transformed education and promoted e-learning as a modern way to improve teaching quality. Yet, Persian language instruction—particularly for first graders—still depends on traditional methods like lecturing and rote memorization, which often fail to engage young learners or suit digital learning contexts. Limited reading and writing skills at this age make passive instruction ineffective. Recent educational trends, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, highlight the importance of interactive and multisensory approaches for teaching Persian phonemes. A gap remains in understanding how technology-based methods can better support phoneme learning.
Mnemonic-based instruction has emerged as a promising cognitive strategy, associating abstract language elements with visual or auditory symbols and memory aids. Studies by Najafvand (2024), Noushad (2015), Gholami Pahlavan (2020), and Boyers (2024) confirmed that mnemonics strengthen memory, reading comprehension, and spelling accuracy by engaging multiple senses. This evidence suggests that mnemonic techniques could enhance outcomes in e-learning environments where active participation and multimodal processing are crucial. Hence, this study aimed to compare the effectiveness of mnemonic-based and lecture-based teaching in e-learning of Persian phonemes to first-grade students, helping improve educational design and practice.
 
Materials & Methods
This applied, quantitative research was conducted using a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest design with a control group. The population included 17,410 first-grade students in Urmia’s schools (2023–2024 academic year). Through multistage cluster sampling, two districts and two schools were selected, and one class per school was chosen. Sixty students participated, randomly assigned to an experimental group (mnemonic-based method) and a control group (lecture-based method), each comprising thirty learners. Instructional activities lasted eight sessions focusing on consonant and vowel phonemes. The assessment instrument was a teacher-made spelling test approved by five experts, whose reliability (α = 0.8) showed acceptable consistency. Data were analyzed using SPSS 24 and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) to evaluate differences between methods while controlling for pretest scores.
 
Discussion & Result
The findings revealed that the mnemonic-based teaching method significantly improved students’ phoneme learning compared with the lecture-based approach (p ≤ 0.05). Learners taught with mnemonics performed better in memory retention, recognition accuracy, and motivation. The method’s effectiveness derives from repetition, visual and auditory association, and the integration of imagery with verbal explanation, creating multisensory learning experiences. By contrast, the lecture method encouraged passive listening, resulting in lower interaction and weaker recall. These outcomes are consistent with prior national and international research, confirming that mnemonic techniques boost engagement, attention, and creativity and facilitate deep, meaningful learning.
Despite the method’s success, limitations included a small sample size restricted to Urmia’s first graders and reliance on teachers’ creative implementation. Thus, generalization should be cautious. Future research should explore broader samples and diverse educational contexts to enhance reliability and applicability.
Conclusion
Mnemonic-based instruction proved significantly more effective than lecturing for electronic learning of Persian phonemes. This approach strengthens memory and attention through visual and auditory cues, repetition, and active participation, making learning both engaging and lasting. The study recommends integrating mnemonic strategies into Persian language curricula—particularly for elementary e-learning—to improve phoneme acquisition and learner motivation. Further research across different age groups and regions will help validate and expand these findings within Iran’s evolving digital education system.