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The effects of task-induced involvement load and
word exposure frequency on incidental vocabulary learning
through reading in L2
Z UZA N A VA N POL EN
A N EL A/V IOT J UN I O R EN DAG
6 M A R C H 2 0 1 5
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How many of you used to learn English by
memorizing endless word lists ?
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Can we learn English vocabulary incidentally through …
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OutlineTheoretical background of the research
Aim
Method & Design
Results
Conclusions & Pedagogical Implications
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Knowing a wordVocabulary size 8,000-9,000 word families to comprehend an authentic text in English (Hu & Nation, 2000)
‘Depth’ of vocabulary knowledgeform - spoken, writtenmeaninguse - grammatical functions, collocations, register, frequency (Nation, 2001)
Receptive & productive knowledge perceiving a word while listening or readingexpressing meaning through speaking or writing
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Measuring vocabulary knowledge Computer Adaptive Test of Size and Strength (CATSS) Laufer& Goldstein, 2004
Degree of knowledge Test Task Strength degree
Active Recall Supply the L2 word (L1 prompt) (1) strongest
Passive Recall Supply the L1 translation (L2 prompt) (2) or (3)
Active Recognition Select the L2 word (4 L2 options) (2) or (3)
Passive Recognition Select the L1 translation (4 L1 options) (4) weakest
CATSS:Sequence of four strength modalities
Note: Active = retrieval of form, Passive = retrieval of meaning.
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How do we learn a L2?
Incidental learning
“picking up” words and structures when a L2 learner engages in a communicationtask (listening or reading), and when the focus lies on the meaning of language
Intentional learning
“the deliberate committing to memory of thousands of words (their meaning, sound,and spelling) and dozens of grammar rules”
(Hulstijn, 2003:349)
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Vocabulary learning through reading in L2
↓requires exposure to massive amount of textual input (Pigada & Schmitt, 2006;Horst, 2005)
↓is a ‘slow and error-prone process’ (Peters et al., 2009)
↓facilitates the development of partial rather than complete word knowledge(Schmitt, 2008)
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How to facilitate word acquisition?
Word enhancements Post-reading tasks
Highlighted / bolded words Gap filling (Hulstijn & Laufer, 2001)
Glosses (Rott, 2007; Baddeley, 1990) Matching with synonyms / definitions
Word lists Comprehension questions
Repeated word occurrences (Rott, 2007; Baddeley, 1990) Sentence / summary writing (Hall, 1992)
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Two factors in incidental word learning through reading
Task-induced Involvement Load→ ‘depth of processing’ (Craik & Lockhart, 1972)→ L2 vocabulary learning tasks divided by the amount of learner’s mental effort
(Hulstijn & Laufer, 2001)
Word Exposure Frequency→ words are retained well when one is exposed to them repeatedly in authentic texts→ plentiful opportunities to retrieve lexical items from the mental lexicon
(Baddeley, 1990; Nation, 2001)
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Aim of research
To investigate task involvement load and word exposure frequency in one researchstudy (replication of Eckerth and Tavakoli, 2012).
RQ 1. What are the effects of exposure frequency and task-induced involvementload on learners’ two types of word knowledge (active recall and active recognition)in initial word learning and in word retention?
RQ 2. Do word retention rates differ for the two types of word knowledgemeasured?
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Method
51 Dutch upper-intermediate L2 learners of Business English
HvA, BSc in Business Administration, 2nd year
3 consecutive weeks
incidental condition: no test announcement, TWs restricted to the texts
Pre-test to obtain 30 target words (TWs)
3 Texts, each contained 10 TWs
Post-tests – immediate & delayed
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Method
Within-group design (4 factors)
1. Involvement load : 3 tasks ~ depth of mental involvementTask 1 (reading + glosses) Task 2 (reading + gap filling)Task 3 (reading + composition writing)
2. Word exposure frequency: words occurred once / 4 times in a text3. Time of testing
Immediate post-test – after each reading sessionDelayed post-test - 4 weeks after the main treatment
4. Word knowledge: active recall and active recognition (CATSS; Laufer & Goldstein, 2004)
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DesignTime Group A Group B Group C
Week 1 Pre-test 1 Pre-test 1 Pre-test 1
Week 5 Task 1
Text Microfinance
Task 2
Text Microfinance
Task 3
Text Microfinance
Immediate Post-test 1 Immediate Post-test 1 Immediate Post-test 1
Pre-test 2 Pre-test 2 Pre-test 2
Week 6 Task 2
Text Late Payers
Task 3
Text Late Payers
Task 1
Text Late Payers
Immediate Post-test 2 Immediate Post-test 2 Immediate Post-test 2
Pre-test 3 Pre-test 3 Pre-test 3
Week 7 Task 3
Text Chinese Takeovers
Task 1
Text Chinese Takeovers
Task 2
Text Chinese Takeovers
Immediate Post-test 3 Immediate Post-test 3 Immediate Post-test 3
Week 11 Delayed Post-test Delayed Post-test Delayed Post-test
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Pre-test items
This is a venture.a. a business enterprise involving risk to get
profitb. an international companyc. a privately-owned businessd. a company with shares traded on stock exchange
The collateral is not sufficient.a. guarantee for the payment of a loanb. price offered in this business dealc. effort shown by the team memberd. loan given to the borrower
His action was prompt.a. unexpectedb. done without waiting c. absolutely necessaryd. positively received
We did not gain anything.a. giveb. sayc. wind. do
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Post-test itemsACTIVE RECALL (SUPPLY THE WORD)
1. independent body
e_____________________________
2. hard to bear
s_____________________________
3. business enterprise involving risk
v_____________________________
4. at once, without delay
p_____________________________
5. relating to own country
d_____________________________
ACTIVE RECOGNITION (SELECT THE WORD)
1. independent body
a. group / b. agreement / c. individual/ d. entity
2. hard to bear
a. difficult / b. unacceptable / c. severe / d. plain
3. business enterprise involving risk
a. public company / b. holding / c. venture / d. cooperative
4. at once, without delay
a. promptly / b. on time/ c. soon / d. exactly
5. relating to own country
a. domestic / b. personal / c. local / d. close16
Results: Immediate Post-test (RQ1)
0,0
0,2
0,4
0,6
0,8
1,0
Task 1 Task 2 Task 3
Mea
n te
st sc
ores HF
LF
0,0
0,2
0,4
0,6
0,8
1,0
Task 1 Task 2 Task 3
Mea
n te
st sc
ores HF
LF
Active Recall Active Recognition
Main effects (η2P )
Task: .337 largeFrequency: .096 mediumWord Knowledge: .498 large
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Immediate Post-test (RQ1): exposure frequency
Significant interaction effect:
active recall ~ exposure frequency
(η2P = .146)
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Immediate Post-test (RQ1)
Post-hoc analysis of levels of involvement
Note: Based on estimated marginal means. *p<.001, Bonferroni adjustment
Involvement Load Mean difference
Task 1 – Task 2 -.19*
Task 1 – Task 3 -.18*
Task 2 – Task 3 .05
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Results: Delayed Post-test (RQ1)(4 weeks after main task)
0,0
0,2
0,4
0,6
0,8
1,0
Task 1 Task 2 Task 3
Mea
n te
st sc
ores
HF
LF
0,0
0,2
0,4
0,6
0,8
1,0
Task 1 Task 2 Task 3
Mea
n te
st sc
ores
HF
LF
Active Recall Active Recognition
Main effects (η2P)
Task: .078 mediumFrequency: .129 mediumWord Knowledge: .949 very large
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Delayed Post-test (RQ1): exposure frequency
Significant interaction effect:
active recall ~ exposure frequency
(η2P = .188)
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Delayed Post-test (RQ1)
Post-hoc analysis of levels of involvement
Note: Based on estimated marginal means. *p<.05, Bonferroni adjustment.
Involvement Load Mean difference
Task 1 – Task 2 -.07*
Task 2 – Task 3 .05
Task 1 – Task 3 -.02
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Results: RQ2
Word Knowledge Type Main effect η2P
Active Recall 0.85*
Active Recognition 0.00
Post-hoc paired t-test of knowledge- specific word retention over time
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Conclusions→two factors affect incidental word learning and retention from reading
→involvement load:
no conclusive support for Involvement Load Hypothesis
strong level of involvement (Task 3) facilitated active knowledge learning, but Task 2 yielded thehighest test scores overall
initial word gains of Task 3 were not preserved over time
→interaction effect of word exposure frequency ~ active recall:
learners could equally well recognize high exposure frequency words straight after the maintreatment and four weeks later, but they could not recall the words equally well
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Future Research
1. to correlate same output tasks on vocabulary acquisition through reading across studies(=> tenacity of ILH)
2. to design studies combining multiple word occurrences in texts with post-reading tasks =>acquisition of productive word knowledge
3. to measure time on task as a separate variable
4. to investigate strategies that learners use when completing a gap-filling task
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Pedagogical Implications
⇒choose expository articles adjusted to L2 learners’ proficiency level
⇒use texts employing a variety of vocabulary enhancements and post-reading tasks
⇒assign the above tasks repeatedly throughout the course
Provide repeated opportunities for word retrieval and productive use.
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