Assessing the Effect of Contextual Input on Implicit Knowledge of Vocabulary in English as a Foreign Language

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15H06231
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Foreign language education
• Research Institution: Joetsu University of Education
• Principal Investigator: HASEGAWA Yusuke 上越教育大学, 大学院学校教育研究科, 講師 (40758538)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-08-28 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 英語教育 / 外国語語彙習得 / 意図的語彙学習 / 付随的語彙学習

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study examined if learners’ vocabulary in English as a foreign language (EFL) can be enriched through deliberate memorization of a word list including contextual input. In addition, this study explored how the vocabulary knowledge associated with the contextual input can be assessed. In this empirical study, Japanese EFL learners memorized a list of unfamiliar English words paired with their Japanese translations. The list also included examples of sentences in English. Based on the results of post-hoc tests, it was suggested that the memory of the learned words was associated with contextual information, i.e., the content of the sample sentences that were presented with the new words. Future studies should investigate how the incremental acquisition of lexical knowledge proceeds through repeated exposure to contextual input.

Free Research Field

英語教育学