Effects Of Retrieval Orientation And Language Proficiency On L2 Discourse Testing Effect

In recent years,a large number of studies have found that testing which is of retrieval mode is a more effective learning strategy than restudy,which is known as testing effect.Learning modality and test format have an influence on the cognitive processing of the cues,resulting in the difference in retrieval orientation.The existing studies have revealed that testing is more beneficial to learning than restudy in visual and visual-auditory modalities.However,testing effect in auditory modality is still in dispute.Then,in terms of test format,testing effect is inclined to occur in the recall task.In addition,previous studies have not paid enough attention to learner factors,such as language proficiency.Therefore,based on episodic context account,this study aims to explore the effects of retrieval orientation and language proficiency on second language(L2)discourse testing effect.The research questions are as follows:1.In final free recall test,does L2 discourse testing effect occur under different learning modality conditions?2.In final recognition test,does L2 discourse testing effect occur under different learning modality conditions?3.In final free recall/recognition test,how does language proficiency moderate L2 discourse testing effect under different learning modality conditions?The present study recruited 221 non-English major freshmen and sophomores from a university in Wuxi,but a total of 209 participants satisfied the experimental requirements finally.They were randomly divided into six experimental groups: visual restudy(VS)group,visual testing(VT)group,auditory restudy(AS)group,auditory testing(AT)group,visual-auditory restudy(VAS)group and visual-auditory testing(VAT)group.The whole experiment lasted for three weeks.All participants took part in the language proficiency test in the first week.The experiment in the second week included two steps.Firstly,all groups completed the initial L2 discourse comprehension in visual,auditory,or visual-auditory modality respectively.In the second step,VS,AS and VAS groups restudied the discourse as the same as their initial modality,while VT,AT and VAT groups finished a free recall test for retrieval practice.The final test was held in the third week,including free recall and recognition.After that,all participants needed to complete a questionnaire.The research results are as follows:1.In final free recall test,there was L2 discourse testing effect in visual,auditory,and visual-auditory modalities.Firstly,the testing groups under three learning modality conditions had deeper cognitive processing of L2 discourse after reinstating and updating the episodic context.Then,due to the low element interactivity of the experimental material in present study,testing groups could restrict the search set after retrieval practice,promoting the memory retention.What’s more,testing groups experienced similar cognitive processing in retrieval practice and final free recall.In addition,testing after visual and visual-auditory input could bring greater recall performance.2.In final recognition test,testing effect was not found in visual and visual-auditory modalities,but it appeared in auditory modality.The final test format had a significant influence on testing effect.Recognition reduced the task difficulty by providing retrieval cues,leading to that there was no significant difference in learning outcomes between restudy and testing groups in visual and visual-auditory modalities.However,due to the transient information effect in auditory modality,restudy failed to strengthen the discourse,so testing had a significant advantage.What’s more,compared with restudy,testing could effectively decrease the recognition performance differences induced by learning modality.3.In final free recall test,language proficiency had a positive moderating effect on testing effect in visual,auditory and visual-auditory modalities.In final recognition test,language proficiency positively correlated with the performance of testing group but it did not moderate the recognition performance of restudy group in visual modality.In auditory modality,the benefit of testing weakened with the improvement of language proficiency level.In visual-auditory modality,language proficiency had a positive moderating effect on the recognition performance of restudy group,but it did not moderate the recognition outcomes of testing group.This study has found that learning modality and test format could induce the difference in retrieval orientation,and further influence the significance of testing effect.In final free recall task,testing had a positive effect on L2 learning in visual,auditory,and visual-auditory modalities,and the benefit of testing was more prominent with the increasing of language proficiency level.By adjusting the test format,there was no testing effect in recognition task in visual and visual-auditory modalities,and language proficiency only positively correlated with the recognition performance of VT and VAS groups.In auditory modality,testing was more conducive to promoting L2 discourse memory retention,but the advantage of testing gradually weakened with language proficiency level improving.Therefore,in L2 teaching,professionals should guide learners to conduct retrieval practice in time,to optimize L2 teaching.In self-directed learning,students should choose more effective learning strategy according to different learning modalities,test format,and language proficiency,to improve learning efficiency.