Book Review: Language Learning Through Captioned Videos: Incidental Vocabulary Acquisition

RELC Journal ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 003368822110244
Author(s):  
Junjie Gavin Wu ◽  
Yujun Liu
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Michael P.H. Rodgers

<p>In the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) setting it may be a challenge to obtain the second language input necessary for language learning. A potential source of input may be episodes of television; however, little previous research has been done indicating whether episodes are a suitable source of aural input for EFL learning. Past research has concentrated on short videos of a type that learners might not choose to learn English from. The experimental design employed in this thesis expands upon earlier methodologies by employing full-length episodes of television intended for an English-speaking audience. The thesis is comprised of five studies investigating aspects of language learning through viewing television. The first study examines comprehension gains from the first to the tenth episode viewed, comprehension across 10 episodes viewed, and the effects of vocabulary knowledge on comprehension. The results showed significant comprehension gains from the first to the final episode viewed. Comprehension scores across the eight intervening episodes were all higher than the initial episode but scores were episode-dependent. The results also showed small to moderate correlations between vocabulary knowledge and comprehension for each of the 10 episodes. The second study investigated the effects of viewing over 7 hours of television on incidental vocabulary learning, and the effects of the frequency and range of occurrence of lower frequency words within the episodes on vocabulary learning. Two tests measuring knowledge of form-meaning connection at differing sensitivities were used to assess vocabulary knowledge. Results showed vocabulary gains of approximately six words on both tests. Frequency of occurrence was found to have a medium-size correlation with vocabulary gains. No significant relationship was found between range of occurrence and acquisition. The third study examined whether increased lexical coverage leads to increased comprehension of television and greater incidental vocabulary learning. Results showed that comprehension improved with increased lexical coverage for six of the 10 episodes. In these episodes, participants with approximately 94% lexical coverage were found to have higher comprehension scores than participants with less lexical coverage. Results showed no significant relationship between incidental vocabulary acquisition and lexical coverage. In the fourth study, two surveys examined language learners‟ attitudes towards learning English through viewing episodes of television. One survey followed each episode and examined learners‟ beliefs about: their enjoyment of the episode, the usefulness of studying English through viewing the episode, their level of learning from the episode, and their comprehension of the episode. For all items, mean responses were significantly higher following the final episode than following the first episode. On the survey that followed viewing all the episodes, participants had generally favorable attitudes towards language learning through viewing television. The fifth study investigated how the presence of captions affected the aspects of language learning examined in Studies 1 to 4. The most salient finding from this study was that the presence of captions improved comprehension for episodes early in the viewing process and for difficult episodes. Taken as a whole, this thesis shows the value of using episodes of television for language learning.</p>


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Michael P.H. Rodgers

<p>In the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) setting it may be a challenge to obtain the second language input necessary for language learning. A potential source of input may be episodes of television; however, little previous research has been done indicating whether episodes are a suitable source of aural input for EFL learning. Past research has concentrated on short videos of a type that learners might not choose to learn English from. The experimental design employed in this thesis expands upon earlier methodologies by employing full-length episodes of television intended for an English-speaking audience. The thesis is comprised of five studies investigating aspects of language learning through viewing television. The first study examines comprehension gains from the first to the tenth episode viewed, comprehension across 10 episodes viewed, and the effects of vocabulary knowledge on comprehension. The results showed significant comprehension gains from the first to the final episode viewed. Comprehension scores across the eight intervening episodes were all higher than the initial episode but scores were episode-dependent. The results also showed small to moderate correlations between vocabulary knowledge and comprehension for each of the 10 episodes. The second study investigated the effects of viewing over 7 hours of television on incidental vocabulary learning, and the effects of the frequency and range of occurrence of lower frequency words within the episodes on vocabulary learning. Two tests measuring knowledge of form-meaning connection at differing sensitivities were used to assess vocabulary knowledge. Results showed vocabulary gains of approximately six words on both tests. Frequency of occurrence was found to have a medium-size correlation with vocabulary gains. No significant relationship was found between range of occurrence and acquisition. The third study examined whether increased lexical coverage leads to increased comprehension of television and greater incidental vocabulary learning. Results showed that comprehension improved with increased lexical coverage for six of the 10 episodes. In these episodes, participants with approximately 94% lexical coverage were found to have higher comprehension scores than participants with less lexical coverage. Results showed no significant relationship between incidental vocabulary acquisition and lexical coverage. In the fourth study, two surveys examined language learners‟ attitudes towards learning English through viewing episodes of television. One survey followed each episode and examined learners‟ beliefs about: their enjoyment of the episode, the usefulness of studying English through viewing the episode, their level of learning from the episode, and their comprehension of the episode. For all items, mean responses were significantly higher following the final episode than following the first episode. On the survey that followed viewing all the episodes, participants had generally favorable attitudes towards language learning through viewing television. The fifth study investigated how the presence of captions affected the aspects of language learning examined in Studies 1 to 4. The most salient finding from this study was that the presence of captions improved comprehension for episodes early in the viewing process and for difficult episodes. Taken as a whole, this thesis shows the value of using episodes of television for language learning.</p>


2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barry Lee Reynolds

PurposeThis study aims to investigate the effects of word internal morphological form variation on adult first language (L1) (n= 20) incidental vocabulary acquisition through reading.Design/methodology/approachParticipants were given a 37,611-token English novel containing pseudo words, placed throughout the text by the novelist. Two unexpected vocabulary assessments were administered at the completion of the reading task.FindingsResults showed statistically significant effects for morphological form variation, with the readers having incidentally acquired more words whose tokens did not vary in form (i.e. no exposure to inflectional or derivational variants). However, a large effect size was present only for low-frequency words (two-four exposures).Originality/valueDiscussion of the results is given regarding the feasibility of enhancing adult L1 college readers’ morphological awareness through extensive reading and attention-drawing tasks.


Author(s):  
Lance R. Askildson

This paper provides a comprehensive review of the present state of second language reading research and computer-assisted glossing for reading comprehension and vocabulary acquisition. Although computer-assisted language learning, in general, and computer-assisted glossing, in particular, are often cited as facilitative pedagogical and self-study tools for second language reading development (Chun, 2001; Al-Seghayer, 2003; Ko, 2005; Blake, 2007; Stockwell, 2011), the state of computer-assisted glossing research presents a much less compelling and far more nuanced picture of efficacy and facilitation (Ariew & Ercetin, 2004; Bowles, 2004; Taylor, 2006, 2009; AbuSeileek, 2008; Sato & Sazuki, 2010). Research on glossing for reading comprehension presents a mixed collection of findings suggesting facilitation (Leffa, 1992; Lomicka, 1998; Ko, 2005) and inhibition (Hegelheimer, 1997; Plass et al., 2003; Akbulut, 2005; Sakar & Ercetin, 2005), although affective and attentional benefits of glossing for reading comprehension are widely acknowledged. On the other hand, research on incidental vocabulary acquisition as a result of glossing – and particularly multimedia glossing – suggests significant effect and a compelling rationale for ulitization of glossing tools in classroom and self-study contexts (Ariew & Ercetin, 2004; AbuSeileek, 2008; Taylor, 2009; Stockwell, 2011; Aljabri, 2011).


2020 ◽  
Vol 55 (4) ◽  
pp. 679-697
Author(s):  
Randy Lowell ◽  
Kaitlyn Wade Pender ◽  
Katherine S. Binder

Author(s):  
Mengqing Han ◽  
Shanshan Niu

This paper aims at researching the effect of computer multimedia assisted word annotation on incidental vocabulary acquisition of English reading of Chinese students. An empirical research experiment is designed based on the ideas of word annotation, incidental vocabulary acquisition, multimedia annotation, and so on. Through analyzing, three main problems are put forward in this paper. In the empirical experiment, two variables of different annotation modes and subjects’ English levels are designed and immediate test and delayed test are adopted. By selecting suitable test subjects, test materials and test tool, an empirical research has been conducted and the corresponding conclusions have been drawn. The re-search takes the effect of individual English level differences on incidental vocabulary acquisition of English reading and the experimental result play a positive role in the selection of suitable computer assisted annotation modes for students of different English levels.


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