Effects of Sentential Contexts on Productive Retrieval: Intentional Vocabulary Learning of Nouns and Verbs

Abstract

Previous studies have revealed the positive effects of productive retrieval practice (i.e., form retrieval) on foreign vocabulary learning. Several studies have also shown the importance of contexts, and researchers have demonstrated the effectiveness of different sentences on vocabulary learning. However, little is known about the effects of using sentences in productive retrieval practice. Therefore, this study examined the effects of sentential contexts on intentional vocabulary learning with productive retrieval practice from the perspective of differences in parts of speech (nouns/verbs), an important factor that affects vocabulary learning. Thirty-four Japanese participants retrieved the word forms of the target words several times. They learned English words in three learning conditions: (a) no sentence (no context), (b) the same repeated sentence (1-context), and (c) different sentences (4-context). Three tests were administered after each learning condition: form recall, meaning recall, and meaning recognition. The results showed that the effects of the sentences varied with the word types and test formats. The use of sentences did not significantly affect the learning of nouns except during the meaning recognition test, whereas the example sentences led to more learning gains of verbs on all the tests. These findings indicate the benefits of productive retrieval with sentences in learning verbs.