Topic: Second Language Incidental Vocabulary Learning: The Effect of Online Textual, Pictorial, and Textual Pictorial Glosses.
Electronic Journal for English as a Second Language, December 2009-Volume 13, Number 3
Research done by: Sayyed Abdollah Shahrokni from Iran University of Science and Technology. He holds an M.A in Teaching English as a Foreign Language from Iran University of Science and Technology. His research interest include Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) and aspects of Second Language Acquisition (SLA)
Summary
Incidental vocabulary learning has been discussed in many different researches, not only for L1 but also L2 learning. It is called incidental because this type of learning occurs unintentionally or unplanned, which results from other activities (Dictionary.com), and in this case, reading text. Differ from incidental vocabulary from actual written literature from books, the essence of this research is to investigate the effect of online textual, pictorial and textual pictorial glosses on the incidental vocabulary learning of 90 male Iranian EFL learners. The instruments used to sample out the participants for this study were; First, English Language Placement Test or Oxford Placement Test, which focuses on the participant listening and grammar skills. These skills are important to be assessed to ensure that the participants are of the same level, as this shall characterize the homogeneity of the sample in terms of their proficiency in English as their second language. Second, Word Recognition Test. The potential participants were given 32 vocabularies. They were required to tick words, which they are familiar with and define the words in brief. Subsequently, the words that were correctly defined were discarded, leaving only 25 words as alien to the participants by overall analysis and weighing. The selected participants were divided randomly into three different groups. Texts, which include the target words (25 non-familiar words as mentioned earlier) were glossed and made online. Three versions of the same reading materials were designed, being glossed with three different modes of glossary; textual, pictorial and textual pictorial. Three sessions of instruction (teaching and learning) was allocated for each group; Presentation of the material, Practice to use the material and lastly, Tests that take place after each reading task; word and picture recognition tests. Finding of the study showed that textual and pictorial glosses was more beneficial to the students because they were being exposed with two different input; picture and textual. For other groups that were exposed with only textual or pictorial respectively, they have tendency to perform well towards the mode they learned. In general, the study shows that pictorial glosses, with or without textual give greater impact to the students incidental vocabulary learning. However, high concern was being paid on the propensity for students to get confused while using the glosses as sometimes, the context given and elaborated for each vocabulary is unclear, and might mislead their understanding. For future study, it is suggested for researchers to include female participants in the sampling. It is also suggested for further studies to be done , focusing on materials with better context to enhance the L2 learners’ incidental vocabulary learning.
Personal reflection
I. Does the research interest you?
Yes, this research does trigger my upmost interest. I was caught up by the term incidental vocabulary learning on the title of the research because I truly believe that when it comes to language learning, does not matter if you are learning first or second language, incidental vocabulary learning frequently comes into picture. Learners might possibly learn from spoken expressions that you hear, or song that you hear from the radio or perhaps alien words that you found in different sources such as book, newspapers, magazines, comic strips, social networking system such as Facebook ,Youtube and etc. This form of learning is with accord to the meaning of the term incidental learning itself, which expalins type of learning that occurs unintentionally or unplanned, which results from other activities (Dictionary.com).
Referring back to the research, the focus was to study the effect of different type of glosses; pictorial, textual and Textual Pictorial to the second language learners’ incidental vocabulary learning. Thus, I was brought closer to the study because this study is closely related to the way I personally learn vocabularies to enhance my proficiency in learning English language. I often surf the internet to search for reading materials; short stories, motivational articles, international news and etc, and these reading materials are usually accompanied by textual glossary as guidance. My problem is that I sometimes got caught up in daily situation where I tend to use the newly-acquired words wrongly. I always wonder on how this situation can be solved. But when I read through this study, the study instrument showed a different set of texts being glossed and published online and the glossing does not only involve the common text, but also pictures and audio of the words to edify the learners on how to pronounce the words correctly and to have better indulgence with the different contexts in which the words are to be used. The study also enlighten that Textual Pictorial is the most effective in providing the most enriching glossary for incidental vocabulary learning to occur. It also helps in decreasing the tendency for confusion to occur while using the newly-acquired word to the least.
This study somehow answers my question on how my vocabulary learning can be improved; by being exposed to the pictures. But I believe, picture glossary is only applicable up to only certain level and context. Not all vocabularies shall be better presented and explained using pictures. However, I am still happy of being given opportunity to reflect on this research as I believe the overall context of the research is noteworthy to the CALL materials prepared by the Ministry of Education for school students to learn vocabularies to enhance their English language proficiency; which will be discussed further in the next subtopic.
II. Do you think the research was well conducted?
Yes, I think that the research is very well conducted. This study is very well planned and structured, starting from the sampling stage till the end of the research. During the sampling stage, the researcher used two tests; First, English Language Placement Test, which had tested the participants’ listening and grammatical proficiency and Second, Word Recognition Test to test the participants vocabulary knowledge and to sample out the participants which characterize the majority homogenous group; having similar word which they are not familiar with. The sampling method is very focus towards getting acquaint with a group of people that is suitable to be tested on vocabulary learning. The only problem is that the sample of population chosen was of only one gender; male.
When the target population has been acquired, the investigation done right after was also very well structured. The 90 participants were divided into three groups and being divided to be tested with three different mode of glossary, which accompany the three similar sets of online reading comprehension material and similar test followed at the end of each lesson. The time setting was sufficient and the dynamic of the experimental condition was being controlled in a very efficient manner. The online reading materials established and the test constructed were appropriate to test the effectiveness of the different glossary mode towards the learners’ incidental vocabulary. Just imagine how wise they structure the test. They took the vocabulary being tested during the sampling stage and compose set of texts of different contexts and embed these words in the texts, just to show clear occurrence of the incidental vocabulary learning process. It might seem simple, but if the material chosen and established for a study is inappropriate, the outcome will later be highly questionable. The analysis done was also clearly structured. The researcher chose the one-way ANOVA statistical analysis to analyze the data.
III. What are the implications of the research in the teaching and learning of ESL (in the general and Malaysian context)?
In general, the study will definitely drive the attention of English language educators in the new era to consider using glossed online reading materials for the purpose of teaching and learning ESL, because the study has explicitly shown the effectiveness of the glossary to the L2 learners’ vocabulary learning. From the research, ESL educators will be made aware that vocabulary learning occurs incidentally in the immense of time outside the classroom context. By encouraging the materials as such to be used by the students, will in some way help them to enrich their vocabularies acquisition in much meaningful and constructive way.
In Malaysian context, I believe the method as such has been implemented. This can be seen in the ESL CD-ROM prepared and established by the ministry of education at primary and secondary level. In the CD, the reading texts are accompanied by Textual Pictorial glossary that will guide the students’ understanding towards the texts that depict different contexts. In addition, the glossary is provided with audio function to enrich and guide the students’ words pronunciation. Unfortunately, despite having this CALL material to support the ESL learning of the students’ in Malaysia school, the effectiveness is still highly questionable. The materials in the CD might benefit the students up to the intermediate level and not advance learners. The advance learners, especially in urban areas might easily get bored of having to attend simple glossary list as such. The English teachers in Malaysian school might want to consider adopting the method use in this study to test the advance students’ vocabulary mastery and establish their own material to suit the needs of the students in vocabulary learning. In order to do so, the government might consider not only to train the teachers to use simple computerized program but also advance computer skills such as web publishing and blogging. This might seem to be too complex to be implemented, but nothing is impossible when it comes to teaching and learning, where improvement and initiatives done towards betterment is a must.
Well written, 8.5/10
BalasPadam