From Glosses to Visual Tools:Do visual aids enhance listening

comprehension?

Takeshi SATO1Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Japan

tsato@cc.tuat.ac.jp

GLoCALL 2013 Conference

on 30th of Nobember 2013 at University of Danang, Da Nang, Vietnam

Does visual glosses help L2

vocabulary learning?

Yes, they do.

(e.g. Chun & Plass 1996; Al-Seghayer 2001;

Yoshii & Flaiz 2002; Sato & Suzuki 2010, 2012)

Various multimedia glosses

from BBC learning English

(http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/)

Sound

PictureImage

Animation

from COCONE

(http://www.cocone.jp)

The more

technologically

advanced

functions the

materials are, the

better outcome

will be given

Which visual gloss could be

more effective?

Outline

1. Background

2. Research procedure

3. Findings

4. Conclusion & Discussion

Background

• Multimedia glosses are effective in L2

vocabulary learning

• Al-Seghayer (2001)

Video > Still picture

• Yoshii & Flaitz (2002)

Text and picture > Text only and picture only

My concerns

Previous studies

• Effective in an incidental

learning

• Effective to learn any

L2 vocabulary

• Effective for longer

retention of the

vocabulary

Our study

• Effective in intentional learning?

• Effective to learn a certain type of L2 vocabulary?

• Effective for better L2 sentence comprehension and production?

Incidental vs Intentional

• Reading

• Writing etc.

• visual glosses

• longer retention

• visual glosses

• Reading and writing

• better text comprehension and production

My study

✓Effectiveness of visual glosses in

intentional (explicit) learning

✓spatial prepositions as target words

✓pictorial image and live-action image

Why prepositions?

Learning English

prepositions is difficult to

learn.

Why are prepositions

difficult?• They appear very frequently but learners do

not always understand their meanings.

(Lingstromberg 2001a)

• Learners cannot use them according to

contexts if only by memorization.

(Lingstromberg 2001b)

• Translation makes L2 learning more

difficult.(Tanaka, 1990)

Why “image schema” as a

visual gloss?

(I)mage schemata are

abstract patterns in

our experience and

understanding...

(Johnson 1987, p.2)

prototype Extended

Examples

Extension

The clouds are above the mountain.

The amount is above $ 100. A flat high above the river.

? A flat high on the river.

Schematic

pictorial

information of

basic

prepositional

senses should

be used. (Brala,

2002)

Why pictorial or live-motion?

Research on CALL

• Computer-mediated

annotation has a positive

impact on L2 vocabulary

laearning.

• Animation or video

facilitates L2 vocabulary

learning (Al-Seghayer

2001; Mayer and Moreno

2002)

Cognitive Linguistics

• Schematic images have

flexibility and changeability

(Langacker, 1987).

(foregrounding, rotation

and focusing)

• live-motion images might

prevent learners from

modifying the images.

Our research question

Which image of the pictorial and

live-action images can serve a

better facilitator to learn the

meanings of prepositions?

Procedure

1.Japanese university students (n=52)

2.Two groups at random

3.Pre vocabulary test (45 qestions with no feedback)

4.Learning with web-based dictionaries with the images

5.Post vocabulary test

6.ANOVA with between- and within-subject variables

Dictionary with pictorial image

Index

Visual gross

Examples and

translations

Dictionary with animation

Index

Visual gross

Examples and

translations

Results

• Images: (F(1,50)=0.018

p>.05)

• Tests: (F(1,50)=112.5

p<.05)

M SD

Picture×

Pretest19.231 4.405

Picture×

Posttest24.577 3.992

Animation×

Pretest19.231 19.231

Animation×

Posttest24.308 24.308

Findings

• No significant difference between the visual

glosses.

• Significant difference between pretest and

post test after the treatments.

• No interaction between the visual gloss and

the tests.

➡Pictorial glosses facilitate learning of

prepositions even though they are still

images or animations.

Conclusion

• Images as effective glosses regardless of their configurations

• Our relevant studies (Sato & Suzuki 2010; Sato & Suzuki 2011) show the same result.

• In terms of intentional L2 vocabulary learning, technologically advanced glosses do not always bring about a better result.

• Optimization of glosses should be required.

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

Chun,D.L., & Plass, J.L. (1996). Effects of multimedia annotations on vocabulary acquisition. Modern Language Journal, 80(2), 183-198.

Mayer, R. & Moreno, R. (2002). Aids to computer-based multimedia learning. Learning and Instruction, 12, 107-119.

Lakoff, G.(1987) Woman, fire and dangerous thing. Chicago: Chicago University Press.

Langacker, R, W.(1987) Foundations of Cognitive Grammar, Volume I, Theoretical Prerequisites. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press.

Lindstromberg, S.(2001a) "Preposition Entries in UK Monolingual Learner’s Dictionaries: Problems and Possible Solutions." Applied Linguistics 22(1),pp79-103.

Lindstromberg, S. (2001b). Are English prepositions really incredibly idiomatic? Humanising Language Teaching Magazine, 3(3). Available on the Web: http://www.hltmag.co.uk/may01/lind.htm

Sato, T., & Suzuki, A. (2010). Do multimedia-oriented visual glosses really facilitate EFL vocabulary learning? : A comparison of planar images with three- dimensional images. Asian EFL Journal, 12(4):160-172.

Sato, T., & Suzuki A. (2011). Verifying Multimedia Gloss: Image Schema and Polysemous Vocabulary in English. Proceedings of the annual conference of the European Association for Computer-Assisted Language Learning, 285-293.

Tanaka, S. (1990) Cognitive Semantics. Sanyusha: Tokyo.

Yoshii,M., & Fraitz, J.(2002). Second Language Incidental Vocabulary Retention: The Effect of Text and Picture Annotation Types. CALICO Journal, 20(1), 33-58.

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