The effects of instructor language choice on second language vocabulary learning and listening comprehension

Abstract

The present study examined the interaction effects between teachers’ choice of language in lexical explanation and second language (L2) learners’ proficiency level on the learning of phrasal verbs and listening comprehension in a meaning-focused listening activity. Undergraduate L2 learners with two different levels of proficiency (intermediate and advanced) were assigned to three different conditions. These conditions included (1) code-switching, in which teachers briefly switched to learners’ first language for vocabulary teaching purposes, (2) L2-only, in which teachers maintained L2 for overall instruction and vocabulary teaching, and (3) control condition, in which learners were not given instruction about target vocabulary. The results revealed that teachers’ instruction about target vocabulary brought about more gains in learning of phrasal verbs than lack thereof. In addition, teachers’ use of code-switching benefited intermediate-level learners most, who were able to gain similar levels of vocabulary learning and listening comprehension to advanced learners.

Learning Vocabulary Through Listening: The Role of Vocabulary Knowledge and Listening Proficiency

“…Learners with a lower level of PVK, however, benefited more from the CS approach than from the L2 approach. This last finding is in line with Lee and Levine (2020), who found that intermediate learners in their study benefited significantly more from CS. Both findings would be supported by Kroll and Stewart's (1994) revised hierarchical model of bilingual memory.…”

“…Second, allowing learners’ PVK and listening proficiency, assessed at baseline, to interact with the other two predictors (test time points and treatment conditions) in the analysis further addressed the possible limitations arising from the lack of random assignment of students to different treatment groups. Furthermore, our findings, using PVK and listening as separate, continuous variables indexing general language proficiency, provide a clearer picture of how both variables interact with vocabulary learning through listening than previous studies using categorical variables and combined, general proficiency measures (e.g., Hennebry et al., 2013; Lee & Levine, 2020; Tian & Macaro, 2012; Vidal, 2011).…”

“…An absence of proficiency effect was also reported in a subsequent study with a similar design but with younger, high school learners of French (Hennebry et al., 2013). Different findings emerged, however, from a study closely modeled on that of Tian and Macaro among adult EFL learners, where Lee and Levine (2020) investigated whether learners’ proficiency level (intermediate vs. advanced) interacted with the two types of vocabulary instruction provided for listening input (L2 English‐only vs. codeswitched L1 vocabulary explanations). Results indicated that whereas advanced learners learned and retained similar amounts of vocabulary knowledge across the two teaching conditions, the intermediate‐level learners who received codeswitched L1 explanations significantly outperformed those who were given L2 English‐only explanations in terms of long‐term vocabulary retention.…”

Incidental Vocabulary Learning Through Listening to Teacher Talk

“…The results showed that learning occurred in all three conditions and providing additional instruction about target words led to the greatest amount of vocabulary learning. Lee and Levine (2020) also found that both intermediate and advanced EFL learners who received teacher explanation of target words in L1 during listening tasks could acquire more vocabulary than learners who did not receive an L1 explanation. In addition, they found that teacher explanation of word meanings helped intermediate learners have better retention in the long term.…”

“…A secondary aim of the present research was to examine whether the use of L1 translation by teachers, and frequency of occurrence, were associated with increased vocabulary learning. Many studies provide evidence that multiple exposures to a word leads to vocabulary acquisition (e.g., Vidal, 2011; Webb, Newton, & Chang, 2013), and research suggests that the elaboration of meaning in spoken and written input positively influences word learning (e.g., Lee & Levine, 2020; Zhao & Macaro, 2016). However, at present there does not appear to be any research that has looked at whether either of these two factors contribute to incidental vocabulary learning through listening to teacher talk.…”