The Effect of Glosses on Incidental Vocabulary Learning of Iranian EFL learners

Abbas Moradan, Maryam Vafaei

Abstract


Reading passages contain many new words. Looking up every word in the dictionary and finding the exact meaning can be a difficult job for learners and may hinder the process of reading. Providing glosses can help learners deal with this issue. The objective of the present study is to make enquiries about the effect of glosses on incidental vocabulary learning. To this end, 45 Iranian EFL learners were selected from 70 according to their performance on KET test. Then they were divided into three groups of 15 randomly. Ten reading texts were selected and unfamiliar vocabularies were glossed in three ways: pictorial, textual and pictorial-textual glosses. Participants were required to read the texts under one of the three conditions. After the completion of ten sessions of treatment, participants were given a vocabulary post-test to measure vocabulary learning. The outcome of the study indicated that the group that received the combination of pictorial and textual glosses outperformed the other two groups. The findings can be of great importance for language teachers and material developers.

 


Keywords


Incidental vocabulary learning, Gloss, Pictorial gloss, Textual gloss, Pictorial and textual gloss

Full Text:

PDF

References


Al-Seghayer, K. (2001). The effect of multimedia annotation modes on L2 vocabulary acquisition: A comparative study. Language learning and Technology, 5(1), 202-232.

Azari, F. (2012). Review of effects of textual glosses on incidental vocabulary learning, International Journal of Innovative Ideas, 12 (2), 13-24.

Clark, J & Paivio, A. (1991). Dual coding theory and education. Educational Psychology Review, 3(3), 149-210.

Hong, X. (2010). Review of effects of glosses on incidental vocabulary learning and reading comprehension. Chinese Journal of Applied linguistics, 33(1)

Hulstijn, J. H., Hollander, M., & Greidanus, T. (1996). Incidental vocabulary learning by advanced foreign language students: The influence of marginal glosses, dictionary use, and reoccurrence of unknown words. The Modern Language Journal, 80 (3), 327-394.

Jacobs, G. M., DuFon, P. & Fong C. H. (1994). L1 and L2 vocabulary glosses in L2 reading passages: Their effectiveness for increasing comprehension and vocabulary knowledge. Journal of Research in Reading 17, 19-28.

Kost, C. R., Foss, P. & Lenzini, J. J. 1999. Textual and pictorial glosses: Effectiveness on incidental vocabulary growth when reading in a foreign language. Foreign Language Annals, 32 (1), 89-113.

Lomicka, L. (1998). To gloss or not to gloss an investigation of reading comprehension online, language learning and technology. Language learning and technology, 1(2), 41-50.

Mayer, R & Sims,V. (1994). For whom is a picture worth a thousand words? Extensions of a dual- coding theory of multimedia learning. Journal of Educational Psychology, 86(3), 389-401.

Nation, I. S. P. (2002). Learning vocabulary in another language. The Cambridge Applied Linguistics Series. Cambridge University Press.

Pak, J. (1986). The effect of vocabulary glossing on ESL reading comprehension.. Unpublished

Plass, J. L., Chun, D. M., Mayer, R. E., & Leutner, D. (1998). Supporting visual and verbal learning preferences in a second-language multimedia learning environment. Journal of Educational Psychology, 90 (1), 25-36.

Roby, W. B. (1999). What's in a gloss? Language Learning and Technology, 1, 94-101.

Segler, T. M. 2001. PhD research proposal: second language vocabulary acquisition and learning strategies in ICALL environment.

Shahrokni, A. (2009). Second language incidental vocabulary learning: The effect of online textual, pictorial, and textual pictorial glosses. Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language, 13(3), 1-17.

Sonbul, S and Schmitt, N. (2010). Direct teaching of vocabulary after reading: is it worth the effort? ELT Journal, 64(3), 253-260.

Tabatabaei, O & Shams, N. (2011).The effect of multimedia glosses on online computerized L2 text comprehension and vocabulary learning of Iranian EFL learners. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 2(3), 714-725.

Xu, X. (2010). The effects of glosses on incidental vocabulary acquisition in reading. School of Foreign Languages. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 1(2), 117-120.

Yanguas, I. (2005). Type of multimedia gloss and L2 proficiency: A computer-based study. Paper presented at Second Language Research Forum, (SLRF), New York, NY.

Yeh ,Y& Wang, C. (2003). Effects of multimedia vocabulary annotations and learning styles on vocabulary learning. CALICO Journal, 21(1), 131-144.

Yoshii, M. (2006). L1 and L2 glosses: Their effects on incidental vocabulary learning. Language Learning & Technology, 10 (3), 85-101.

Zoi, M; Bellou, I, & Mikropoulos, T. (2011). Second language teaching in elementary school with a multimedia gloss. Paper presented at the International Conference on Languages, Literature, & Linguistics, Singapore, IPEDR, 26.




DOI: https://doi.org/10.7575/aiac.ijalel.v.5n.6p.34

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.




Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

2012-2023 (CC-BY) Australian International Academic Centre PTY.LTD

International Journal of Applied Linguistics and English Literature

To make sure that you can receive messages from us, please add the journal emails into your e-mail 'safe list'. If you do not receive e-mail in your 'inbox', check your 'bulk mail' or 'junk mail' folders.