Incidental Vocabulary Acquisition Through Viewing L2 Television and Factors That Affect Learning

Abstract

Research has begun to demonstrate that L2 words can be learned incidentally through watching audio-visual materials. Although there are a large number of studies that have investigated incidental vocabulary learning through reading a single text, there are no studies that have explored incidental vocabulary learning through viewing a single full-length TV program. The present study fills this gap. Additionally, three word-related variables (frequency of occurrence, cognateness, word relevance) and one learner-related variable (prior vocabulary knowledge) that might contribute to incidental vocabulary learning were examined. Two experiments were conducted with Dutch-speaking EFL learners to measure the effects of viewing TV on form recognition and meaning recall (Experiment 1) and meaning recognition (Experiment 2). The findings showed that viewing TV resulted in incidental vocabulary learning at the level of meaning recall and meaning recognition. The research also revealed that learning was affected by frequency of occurrence, prior vocabulary knowledge, and cognateness.

The Effect of Imagery and On‐Screen Text on Foreign Language Vocabulary Learning From Audiovisual Input

“…Previous research into vocabulary learning from audiovisual input explored a number of learner‐related and word‐related variables that might affect the learning gains from audiovisual input. For instance, several studies (e.g., Montero Perez et al, , ; Peters & Webb, ) have shown that learners’ prior vocabulary knowledge, often measured by means of a vocabulary levels test or vocabulary size test, is positively related to word learning. The more words a learner knows, the more words they will pick up while watching TV.…”

“…Researchers have also addressed the role of a number of word‐related variables in vocabulary learning through TV viewing. Frequency of occurrence has been found to affect word learning positively (Peters & Webb, ), although its effect seems to be smaller in longitudinal studies that investigated extensive viewing (Rodgers & Webb, ). In a recent study, Puimège and Peters () found that a word’s corpus frequency was positively correlated to word learning at the level of form recall.…”

“…Although most research into incidental vocabulary learning has focused on reading (e.g., Pellicer-S anchez & Schmitt, 2010;Webb & Chang, 2015) and some studies have explored vocabulary learning through listening (van Zeeland & Schmitt, 2013;Vidal, 2003Vidal, , 2011, recent studies have shown that learners can also learn new vocabulary (Peters & Webb, 2018;Rodgers & Webb, 2019) when they watch foreign-language TV. Peters and Webb (2018) found that learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) picked up four words on average while watching a full-length, 1-hour TV program compared to 1.5 words in the control group. Additionally, they showed that words can be learned at the level of meaning recall as well as meaning recognition.…”

“…In recent years, an increasing number of studies have focused on learning vocabulary from audiovisual input. They have shown that learners can pick up new words incidentally when watching TV (Peters & Webb, 2018;Rodgers & Webb, 2019). Research has also shown that on-screen text (first language or foreign language subtitles) might increase learning gains (Montero Perez, Peters, Clarebout, & Desmet, 2014;Winke, Gass, & Sydorenko, 2010).…”

“…Most studies have focused on written input (e.g., Pellicer-S anchez & Schmitt, 2010;Webb & Chang, 2015), but studies on the effects of audiovisual input have recently been gaining traction in the field of second language acquisition (e.g., Peters & Webb, 2018;Rodgers & Webb, 2017). There is growing evidence that FL vocabulary can be picked up incidentally through watching short video clips (Montero Perez, Peters, Clarebout, & Desmet, 2014;Neuman & Koskinen, 1992;Puim ege & Peters, 2019), fulllength TV programs (Peters & Webb, 2018), and extensive TV viewing (Rodgers & Webb, 2019). Neuman and Koskinen (1992) were among the first to highlight the potential of audiovisual input for vocabulary learning.…”