Effects Of Different Types Of Glosses On Incidental Vocabulary Acquisition In Second Language Reading

Glossing as one important enhancement technique has been proved effective in promoting incidental vocabulary acquisition during second language reading. Nowadays more and more researchers begin to look into the optimal type of gloss to foster vocabulary acquisition during second language reading, however no consistent consensus has been reached concerning the research results. The current study aims to answer four questions:1) What glossing language, Chinese glosses or English glosses, generates better effect in both word gain and word retention during L2 reading? 2) What glossing format, single glosses or single glosses plus example sentences, generates better effect in both word gain and word retention during L2 reading? 3) What glossing position, glosses in the margin or glosses at the end of the reading material, generates better effect in both word gain and word retention during L2 reading? 4) What are learners’attitudes towards different types of glosses and how do they deal with glosses during L2 reading?Three independent experiments were conducted in this study.90 non-English-major sophomores participated in this research and the Vocabulary Size Test showed that they were intermediate proficiency level English learners. The subjects were divided into two parallel groups with similar English proficiency level read the same texts with two different glossing conditions in each experiment:texts with Chinese glosses or English glosses; texts with single glosses or single glosses plus example sentences; and texts with marginal glosses or glosses at the end of the reading material. After each reading session, they completed some comprehension exercises and received an immediate vocabulary test as well as a delayed vocabulary test two weeks later. A questionnaire was assigned to them to gain insight into their attitudes towards different types of glosses after all the vocabulary tests were completed.Research results revealed that during L2 reading:1) Chinese glosses were more effective than English glosses in terms of both word gain and word retention,2) single glosses plus example sentences generated much better results than single glosses did in word gain and retention; 3) glosses placed in the margin and glosses at the end of the text did not make significant difference in either word gain or word retention; and 4) subjects showed a positive attitudes towards glosses during L2 reading and they preferred to have Chinese glosses, single glosses plus example sentences and marginal glosses respectively during second language reading. The implications of this study can be illustrated as:in second language reading,1) texts accompanied with appropriate glosses should be provided to foster second language learners’ independent learning; 2) for learners at an intermediate English proficiency level, Chinese glosses, single glosses plus example sentences and marginal glosses benefit them more respectively; 3) teachers and second language reading material compilers should skillfully design and utilize glosses to facilitate learners’incidental vocabulary acquisition.