Abstract

Vocabulary is the essential element of language and plays a fundamental role in all language activities. And one main approach to facilitate vocabulary acquisition is extensive reading, during which gloss,serving as a way to enhance input in reading, can to some extent improve the efficiency of incidental vocabulary acquisition. 

In recent years, many scholars at home and abroad have conducted researches into glossing languages, glossing ways, and glossing position,including semantic aspect and phonological part of words. Researchers at home and aboard mainly conduct the research concerning L1 and L2 glosses, single and multiple-choice glosses, task involvement load and so on. However, the phonological gloss indicator of predicting the recognition and reading ability in terms of L1 and L2, has been paid little attention to. Therefore, in order to provide more ideas about effective vocabulary acquisition for English learners. This study is to explore different glossing forms (Chinese gloss, English gloss, Chinese plus phonological gloss and English plus phonological gloss) which produce different results to the incidental vocabulary learning and to find out what is beneficial to learn unknown words during reading learning. 

This study investigated the effects of different gloss on the immediate and delayed vocabulary retention among four groups in Grade Nine in Greenland Junior high school. An experimental reading task with four different forms and combination of gloss was created while two immediate form and meaning recognition tests and one delayed meaning recognition test were provided. The results suggest that four gloss methods( Chinese gloss, English gloss, Chinese plus phonological gloss and English plus phonological gloss) used in the experimental conditions have different impacts on the immediate intake of forms and meanings. L1-gloss and L2-gloss have no difference in either immediate or delayed tests. However, Chinese plus phonological gloss and English plus phonological gloss foster vocabulary acquisition in forms and meanings. And in term of form acquisition of immediate test, L1 plus perform better than 

l1plus, while remain almost the same during the delayed test. As for meaning recognition, L1 plus also boost more compared to L2, especially in delayed meaning recognition. 

The studies provides useful methods in improving vocabulary teaching as well as compilation of textbooks. It’ s not necessary to apply only a certain kind of gloss but try to equip students with boarder learning styles, which may lead considerable word gains in both meaning and forms.

Keywords: vocabulary acquisition; word glossing; forms and meaning;

Contents

Abstract

摘  要

1. Introduction-1

1.1 Background of the Research 

1.2 Significance of the Present Study -1

2. Literature Review -2

2.1 The Definition of Gloss -2

2.2 The Definition of Incidental Vocabulary Acquisition……-2

2.3 The preconditions of incidental vocabulary learning through reading.……-2

 3. Research Design -4

  3.1 Research Subjects -4

3.2 Research Questions ……-4

3.3 Participant …-4

3.4 Research Instruments-4

  3.4.1 Reading Text and Target Words-4

  3.4.2 Revised Text-4

  3.4.3 Test Instrument-4

3.4.3.1 Pre-test-4

3.4.3.2 Immediate Post-tests-4

3.4.3.2.1 Post-test One Form Recognition-4 

3.3.3.2.2 Post-test One Meaning Recognition-

3.4.3.3 Delayed Post-test-5

3.5 Research Procedure-5

 4. Results and Discussion -6

  4.1 Data collection and Analysis-6

  4.1.1 The results of Immediate Vocabulary Tests-6

  4.1.2 The results of Delayed Test -6

  4.2 Discussion-8

5. Conclusion -10

References-12