| Many researchers considering CALL (Computer-Assisted Language Learning) vocabulary development have looked extensively at the use of enhanced input and depth of processing in determining what benefits technology might afford L2 vocabulary instruction (Chun & Plass, 1997; Groot, 2000; Chun, 2006, Payne & Whitney, 2002; Yoshi & Flaitz, 2002; Loucky, 2006; Sagarra & Alba, 2006). What has yet to be explored is whether typing new L2 vocabulary terms might play a beneficial role in the development of L2 vocabulary. This study aims to investigate the benefits of keyboarding with intermediate L2 Spanish students by comparing the learning outcomes of an experimental group interacting with e-flashcards with a keyboarding feature with a control group that uses identical e-flashcards, minus the typing component. Do online flashcards that utilize keyboarding facilitate more successful short-term and long-term L2 vocabulary retention, compared to online flashcards that do not include this component? Do possible benefits from keyboarding affect both written and oral output modalities? How might the individual differences of initial vocabulary knowledge (breadth), phonological working memory capacity (PWMC), and articulation strategy, interact with the main effect of the keyboarding treatment? The goal of this study is to improve upon and/or validate current Spanish CALL instructional design pedagogy through empirical testing, with implications extending to other languages of instruction. |
