Study Of Incidental Vocabulary Learning Of Chinese Intermediate English Learners

In the last few years, incidental vocabulary learning (IVL) has become an increasingly interesting topic of discussion for researchers, teachers involved in second language vocabulary acquisition. Among all the relevant studies, the issue of IVL through reading attracts greatest attention and many researchers at home and abroad have investigated several factors that may affect IVL during reading. However, it is found that the impact of reading situations (for example, reading with marginal glosses, reading with dictionary use, etc.) has not been comprehensively examined. Moreover, the relationship between vocabulary size and incidental vocabulary learning gain and retention requires further exploration. The present study, by partly replicating Hulstijn et al.'s (1996) research and making some changes to it, examines the difference in the IVL gains and retentions of Chinese intermediate English learners under different reading situations (reading with marginal glosses, reading with dictionary at one's disposal and reading without any external aid). In addition, the impact of vocabulary size on their IVL is also investigated.Three parallel groups of 97 non-English majors participated in this research conducted at the beginning of their third academic year in college. The subjects, who were randomly assigned to the three groups (Marginal Glosses group, Dictionary group and Control group), were tested on their gains and retentions of the target words by performing a reading task then taking two vocabulary tests. A vocabulary size test was administered to assess subjects'vocabulary size. The data from all the subjects were analyzed quantitatively by SPSS 11.5.The findings of the current study are summarized as follows: (1) Under the three reading situations, the provision of marginal glosses is the most effective way in promoting IVL gain. However, when readers do use the dictionary, the incidence of IVL is even better than that when they are provided with marginal glosses. These results are compatible with those of Hulstijn et al.'s (1996). (2) The IVL retentions of the three groups are no longer as significantly different as their IVL gains. Nevertheless, as far as the retention rate is concerned, the Dictionary group and the Control group remain better incidental vocabulary retentions than the Marginal Glosses group. That is to say, words inferred or words looked up can be remembered better than word provided directly with meanings. (3) Learners'vocabulary size plays a positive role in IVL performance: learners with large vocabulary size obtain and retain more words than learners with small vocabulary size.The above findings have some practical pedagogical implications. For the purpose of improving learners'efficiency of IVL gains and retentions, teachers should impart the strategies and skills of meaning inference from context to students and help them cultivate good reading habits. Apart from that, it is advisable for teachers to help learners, especially those with small vocabulary size, integrate incidental and intentional learning together in their vocabulary studies.