Does Text-glossing Have Any Effects on Incidental Vocabulary Learning through Reading for Japanese Senior High School Students?

抄録

This paper examined the effects of reading, glossing and English ability on incidental vocabulary learning and its retention over a 18-day period for Japanese senior high school students (n = 187). The basic design was 6 (reading condition) x 2 (testing period) factorial between-groups with repeated measures on the second factor. The reading conditions were four different types of glossing, which were 12 nwltiple-choice glosses (MCG), Li MCG, L2 single glosses (SG) and Li SG, no glossing and control (no reading). The immediate and delayed vocabulary tests were conducted immediately after the reading phase and 18 days later. The results confirmed incidental vocabulary learning through reading for Japanese high school students, not retention. it was also acknowledged that this indirect vocabulary learning was enhanced with passage glossing, especially 12 MCG which had the students invest more mental effort. Further, the passage glossing was revealed to have a relationship with English ability: 12 glossing was more effective for higher-ability learners and Li for lower-ability ones. On the contrary, the existence or type of glossing did not have much effect on reading comprehension.