Second language vocabulary learning through extensive reading with audio support: How do frequency and distribution of occurrence affect learning?

Abstract

This study investigated (1) the extent of vocabulary learning through reading and listening to 10 graded readers, and (2) the relationship between vocabulary gain and the frequency and distribution of occurrence of 100 target words in the graded readers. The experimental design expanded on earlier studies that have typically examined incidental vocabulary learning from individual texts. Sixty-one Taiwanese participants studied English as a foreign language (EFL) in an extensive reading program or in a more traditional approach structured around a global English course book. A pretest, posttest, and delayed posttest were administered to all participants. The results indicated that vocabulary gains through reading and listening to multiple texts were high. Relative gains were 44.06% after reading the 10 graded readers and 36.66% three months later. The relationships between vocabulary learning and frequency and distribution of occurrence were found to be non-significant, indicating that frequency was perhaps one of many factors that affected learning.

Assessing the Effects of Word Exposure Frequency on Incidental Vocabulary Acquisition from Reading and Listening

“…As such, the effectiveness of word exposure frequency on incidental vocabulary acquisition was examined (Eckerth & Tavakoli, 2012;PellicerSánchez & Schmitt, 2010;Song & Sardegna, 2014;Teng, 2014a;Waring & Takaki, 2003;Webb & Chang, 2014). Although results vary, there is a common consensus that incidental vocabulary growth from reading did occur, and learners' incidental vocabulary gains are affected by the number of times they have encountered the word.…”

“…The present study was conducted with an aim to determine how the two processes compare. In an attempt to further this knowledge, the study compared the results of incidental vocabulary acquisition from reading and listening, with a particular focus on the issue of word exposure frequency, which affects learning and retention of words (Horst, 2005;Webb & Chang, 2014). While previous studies on comparing reading and listening input only used meaning-based tests (Vidal, 2011), the present study uses more sensitive vocabulary tests to measure the form-meaning link that is needed for acquisition of a new word (Nation, 2001;Schmitt, 2010).…”

Improving reading rates and comprehension through audio-assisted extensive reading for beginner learners

“…Several activities have been used to develop students' reading rates, such as rate buildup reading, repeated reading, class paced reading, self-paced reading (see Anderson, 1999 for a detailed description of each activity), and timed reading, where students read passages with similar word counts, and record the time spent on reading each text (Chang, 2010(Chang, , 2012Chung & Nation, 2006;Walczyk, Kelly, Meche, & Braud, 1999;Yen, 2012). These approaches have a clear goal of improving reading fluency and readers or students can easily detect whether their reading rate has improved.…”

The Implication of Visual Media in Foreign Language Teaching and Learning: Take Chinese as an Example

“…Last century, scholars noticed that TV series and film played an important role in second language vocabulary learning (cf. Cho & Krashen, 1994;Webb & Chang, 2014). Shabani and Marjan (2015) have also explained the impact of watching captioned TV series and films on vocabulary development in EFL (English as a Foreign Language) learners as well as the CFL learners.…”