The Effects Of Different Tasks On EFL Vocabulary Acquisition

This study tests the construct of Task-induced Involvement Load Hypothesis advanced by Hulstijn & Laufer in 2001, which supposes that the effect of a task on word knowledge retention depends on the salience of three components, i.e., need, search and evaluation. According to this theory, tasks with higher involvement load are predicted to be better than the ones with lower involvement load in vocabulary learning. Up to now, among the studies directed to test this hypothesis, no agreement has been achieved on its accuracy in predicting task efficiency. Some studies prove that the efficiency of a task depends on its involvement load, while some studies find out that the number of encountering the target words is more reliable than the involvement load in predicting task efficiency.In current study, participants were divided into three groups. Each group first read the same text containing the target words and then did three different tasks, which were different in the number of encounters and the involvement load. Through comparing their mean scores of the initial learning test and the delayed retention test, the real effects of these three tasks on incidental vocabulary learning were got. And then the real task efficiency was compared with the predictions made by the Involvement Load Hypothesis to check if the Involvement Load Hypothesis is reliable. Comparison was also made with the predictions made by the number of encounters to check Folse's claim.The data processed by the SPSS11.5 software showed that it was the task with the most involvement load that produced the most initial vocabulary learning and delayed retentions; tasks with equal involvement load caused the equal effect in vocabulary learning test. These results proved the decisive role of the Involvement Load Hypothesis. The data also showed that two tasks with the same number of encounters had different effects in vocabulary learning; the task with a larger number of encounters had no significant advantage than the one with one encounter. These results did not prove that the number of encounters can be used to predict task efficiency.The result not only verified the reliability of the Involvement Load Hypothesis but also showed the importance played by the explicit learning in vocabulary learning. The findings can be used to guide the arrangement of textbooks and class activities in extensive reading class, and enhance the vocabulary learning speed of students. This study tests the construct of Task-induced Involvement Load Hypothesis advanced by Hulstijn & Laufer in 2001, which supposes that the effect of a task on word knowledge retention depends on the salience of three components, i.e., need, search and evaluation. According to this theory, tasks with higher involvement load are predicted to be better than the ones with lower involvement load in vocabulary learning. Up to now, among the studies directed to test this hypothesis, no agreement has been achieved on its accuracy in predicting task efficiency. Some studies prove that the efficiency of a task depends on its involvement load, while some studies find out that the number of encountering the target words is more reliable than the involvement load in predicting task efficiency.In current study, participants were divided into three groups. Each group first read the same text containing the target words and then did three differrent tasks, which were different in the number of encounters and the involvement load. Through comparing their mean scores of the initial learning test and the delayed retention test, the real effects of these three tasks on incidental vocabulary learning were got. And then the real task efficiency was compared with the predictions made by the Involvement Load Hypothesis to check if the Involvement Load Hypothesis is reliable. Comparison was also made with the predictions made by the number of encounters to check Folse's claim.The data processed by the SPSS11.5 software showed that it was the task with the most involvement load that produced the most initial vocabulary learning and delayed retentions; tasks with equal involvement load caused the equal effect in vocabulary learning test. These results proved the decisive role of the Involvement Load Hypothesis. The data also showed that two tasks with the same number of encounters had different effects in vocabulary learning; the task with a larger number of encounters had no significant advantage than the one with one encounter. These results did not prove that the number of encounters can be used to predict task efficiency.The result not only verified the reliability of the Involvement Load Hypothesis but also showed the importance played by the explicit learning in vocabulary learning. The findings can be used to guide the arrangement of textbooks and class activities in extensive reading class, and enhance the vocabulary learning speed of students.