Effects of a Pop-up Dictionary Interface on Students’ Vocabulary Retention and Attitudes towards Reading Literary Works

Morvarid Movahedi, Hossein Zabihi Shourkaee

Abstract


This study investigated how intermediate-level English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students’ attitudes toward literary works were impacted by employing an online English pop-up dictionary (PD) function for every unknown word in the text. To that end, an attitude questionnaire and a semi-structured interview were employed. Moreover, a pre-test post-test quasi-experimental design was adopted to examine students’ immediate and long-term vocabulary retention after receiving their specified treatments. The control group was provided with an electronic dictionary (ED) software for use while reading through their documents, whereas the experimental group tracked the texts enjoying the benefit of a PD feature. The findings suggested that both PD and ED are useful tools for intermediate level EFL students’ immediate vocabulary retention, yet not of significant efficacy for long-term recall. Furthermore, in terms of the two forms of vocabulary retention, the PD users showed no significant difference from the ED users. With respect to students’ attitudes, the results revealed that both the PD and ED users fostered a better attitude toward reading literary works, yet as compared with ED, PD proved statistically more significant to the betterment of students’ attitudes. The present study has implications for considering the facilitative role of English pop-up dictionary interfaces in online language pedagogy.

Keywords


Reading, Literary works, Pop-up Dictionaries, Attitude

Full Text:

PDF

References


Abraham, L. (2008). Computer-mediated glosses in second language reading comprehension and vocabulary learning: A meta-analysis. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 21(3), 199-226.

Alharbi, M.A. (2016). Using different types of dictionaries for improving EFL reading comprehension and vocabulary learning. JALT CALL Journal, 12(2), 123-149.

Arvidson, A., & Blanco, B. (2004). Reading across Rhode Island: one book, one state, many successful readers. English Journal, 93(5), 47-52.

Babaie Shalmani, H., & Razmjoo, S. A. (2015). Multimedia Annotation: Comparability of Gloss Modalities and their Implications for Reading Comprehension. Journal of English Language Teaching and Learning, 7(15), 1-41.

Brown, D. (2001). Teaching by principles: An interactive approach to language pedagogy (2nd Ed.). White Plains, Addison: Welsey Longman, Inc.

Brumfit, C. J. & Carter, R. A. (1986). Literature and Language Teaching. Oxford University Press.

Candlin, C. & Mercer, N. (2001). English Language Teaching in Its Social Context. New York: Routledge.

Chen, H. J. (1998). A preliminary investigation on Taiwanese EFL learners' vocabulary size. In English Teachers' Association (Ed.), Proceedings of the fifteenth conference on English teaching and learning in the Republic of China (pp. 193-211). Taipei, Taiwan: The Crane Publishing Co.

Choy, S. C., & Troudi, S. (2006). An Investigation into the Changes in Perceptions of and Attitudes Towards Learning English in a Malaysian College. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 18(2), 120-130.

De Groot, E. V. (2002). Learning through interviewing: students and teachers talk about learning and Schooling. Educational Psychologist, 37(1): 41-52.

Dörnyei, Z. (2001). Teaching and researching motivation. New York: Longman.

Dziemianko, A. (2010). Paper or electronic? The role of dictionary form in language reception, production and the retention of meaning and collocations. International Journal of Lexicography, 23(3), 257-273.

Fecteau, M. L. (1999). First‐and Second‐Language Reading Comprehension of Literary Texts. The Modern Language Journal, 83(4), 475-493.

Fry, S. W., & Gosky, R. (2007). Supporting social studies reading comprehension with an electronic pop-up dictionary. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 40(2), 127-139.

Gettys, S., Imhof, L. A., &Kautz, J. O. (2001). Computer-assisted reading: The effect of glossing format on comprehension and vocabulary retention. Foreign Language Annals, 34(2), 91-106.

Grabe, W., & Stoller, F. (1997). Reading and vocabulary development in a second language: a case study. In J. C. T. Huckin (Ed.), Second language vocabulary acquisition (pp. 98–122). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Groot, P. J. M. (2000). Computer assisted second language vocabulary acquisition. Language Learning & Technology, 4(1), 60-81.

Hart, B., & Risley, T. (1995). Meaningful differences in the everyday lives of young American children. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.

Hiebert, E. H., & Kamil, M. L. (2005). Teaching and learning vocabulary: Bringing research to practice. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

Hismanoğlu, M. (2005). Teaching English Through Literature. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, 1(1). 53-66.

Marie, J. L., Vinluan, A. A., Cruz, G., & Acuria, G. (2015). Techtionary: An Android Pop-up Dictionary Application for PDF Viewer. International Journal of Conceptions on Computing and Information Technology, 3(3).

Knight, S. (1994). Dictionary use while reading: The effects on comprehension and vocabulary acquisition for students of different verbal abilities. Modern Language Journal, 78(3), 285-298.

Laufer, B. (1997). The lexical plight in second language reading: words you don’t know, words you think you know, and words you can’t guess. In J. C. T. Huckin (Ed.), Second language vocabulary acquisition: A rationale for pedagogy (pp. 20–34). New York: Cambridge University Press.

Lazar, G. (1993). Literature and Language Teaching: A Guide for Teachers and Trainers. Cambridge University Press.

Leffa, V. (1992). Making foreign language texts comprehensible for beginners: An experiment with an electronic glossary. System, 21(1), 63-73.

LeLoup, J. W., & Ponterio, R. (2005). Technology and Foreign Language Instruction: Where We Have Been, Where We Are Now, Where We Are Headed. ACTFL, 2015, 153-174.

Lenders, O. (2008). Electronic glossing – is it worth the effort?. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 21(5), 457-481.

Liu, T. & Lin, P. (2011). What comes with technological convenience? Exploring the behaviours and performances of learning with computer-mediated dictionaries. Computers in Human Behaviour, 27(1) 373-383.

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English. (5th ed.). (2009). Essex, England: Pearson Education Limited.

Lubliner, S., & Smetana, L. (2005). The effects of comprehensive vocabulary instruction on Title I students’ metacognitive word-learning skills and reading comprehension. Journal of Literacy Research, 37(2), 163-200.

Lyster, R., & Saito, K. (2010). Oral feedback in classroom SLA: A meta-analysis. Studies in second language acquisition, 32(2), 265-302.

Madaus, G. F., & Stufflebeam, D. L. (Eds.). (1988). Educational evaluation: classic works of Ralph W. Tyler. Springer Science & Business Media.

Manzo, A., Manzo, U., & Thomas, M. (2006). Rationale for systematic vocabulary development: Antidote for state mandates. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 49(7), 610-619.

McKenna, M. C. (1994). Toward a model of reading attitude acquisition. In E. H. Crammer & M.Castle (Eds.), Fostering the love of reading: The affective domain in reading education

(pp.18–40). Newark, DE: International Reading Association.

Mekheimer, M. (2012). Assessing aptitude and attitude development upon teaching translation skills using LMS and an online dictionary. CALICO Journal, 29(2), 321-340.

Mekheimer, M. A. (2015). Effects of Computer-Mediated Dictionaries on Reading Comprehension and Vocabulary Acquisition. International Journal of Cognitive and Language Sciences, 2(5), 125.

Nation, I. S. P. (2001). Learning vocabulary in another language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Nunan, D. (1989). Designing Tasks for the Communicative Classroom. Cambridge University Press.

Prasarntong, N. & Dennis, N.K. (2016). The Use of Pop-Up Dictionary for English Vocabulary Learning for Primary School Level. International Journal of Research _ Granthaalayah, 7(4), 213-219.

Prichard, C. (2008). Evaluating L2 readers’ vocabulary strategies and dictionary use. Reading in a Foreign Language, 20(2).

Rezaei, M., & Davoudi, M. (2016). The Influence of Electronic Dictionaries on Vocabulary Knowledge Extension. Journal of Education and Learning, 5(3), 139.

Showalter, E. (2003). Teaching literature. Malden, MA: Blackwell.

Tabata-Sandom, M. (2016). How do Learners of Japanese Read Texts When They Use Online Pop-up Dictionaries?. The Reading Matrix: An International Online Journal, 16(2).

Turker, F. (1991). Using Literature in Language Teaching. Hacettepe University Education Faculty Journal. 6, 299-305.

Yamashita, J. (2007). The relationship of reading attitudes between L1 and L2: An investigation of adult EFL learners in Japan. TESOL Quarterly, 41(1), 81-105.

Gu, P. Y. (2003). Vocabulary learning in a second language: Person, task, context and strategies. TESL-EJ, 7(2), 1-25.

Wang, J. (2014). Strategies for Reading Chinese Texts with and without Pop-up Dictionary for Beginning Learners of Chinese. CALICO Journal, 31(2), 244.

Wang, J., & Upton, T. (2012). The impact of using a pop-up dictionary on the reading processes of beginning learners of Chinese. Journal of the Chinese Language Teachers Association, 47(1), 23–41.

Zandieh, Z., & Jafarigohar, M. (2012). The effects of hypertext gloss on comprehension and vocabulary retention under incidental and intentional learning conditions. English Language Teaching, 5(6), 60–71.


Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Bookmark and Share


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.