A Comparative Study Of The Effects Of Chinese And English Multiple-Choice Glosses On Incidental Vocabulary Acquisition And Retention

The second language(L2)acquisition is the process of acquiring a language other than the mother tongue(L1)in a natural environment or a classroom.Second language learners can acquire vocabulary when reading naturally,which is called the incidental vocabulary acquisition.Hulstijn first found that multiple-choice glosses were more effective than single glosses on learners' incidental vocabulary acquisition.On the basis of Hulstijn's study,some researchers found that multiple-choice glosses(MCG)have better effects on incidental vocabulary acquisition than single glosses(SG)either in L1 or L2.Japanese scholar Miyasako investigated the effects of Japanese(L1)and English(L2)multiple-choice glosses formats(L1 MCG,L2 MCG,L1 SG,L2 SG)on Japanese students' English vocabulary learning and retention.He found that L2 MCG group's scores were the highest among other groups' scores in the immediate vocabulary test.There was a significant difference in the mean scores between the L2 MCG group and the L1 MCG group in the immediate vocabulary test and there was no significant mean difference between two groups in the delayed vocabulary test.Based on Miyasako's study,it is necessary to make a comparative study to find out which language multiple-choice glosses format(L1 MCG or L2 MCG)was more effective on Chinese English learners' incidental vocabulary acquisition and retention.The following research questions are addressed:1.Which MCG would help Chinese English-learning testers learn words more effectively in an immediate vocabulary test,L1 or L2?2.Which MCG would help Chinese English-learning testers recall words more effectively in a delayed vocabulary test,L1 or L2?3.What are Chinese English-learning testers' opinions and reactions to L1 MCG and L2 MCG?91 freshmen majored in medicine of or above English Level 2 at one University in Northeastern of China are selected to participate in this study.A pilot test isconducted to 51 students aiming to set the reading passage and target words.40 students participate in the formal test,who are randomly divided into two groups for Chinese(L1)and English(L2)multiple-choice glosses.After immediate vocabulary test and delayed vocabulary test,questionnaires are done by them.The data of are analyzed by the statistical software SPSS 22.0.The results show that:1.There is a significant mean difference between the L1 and L2 testers in the immediate vocabulary test.L2 multiple-choice glosses helped testers learn vocabulary more effectively in an immediate vocabulary test,and for higher level testers,L2multiple-choice glosses were more effective on their incidental vocabulary acquisition.2.There is no significant mean difference between the two groups in a delayed vocabulary test.3.Nearly all of testers prefer to have glosses in their reading passages.Most of them prefer bilingual glosses(L1 plus L2),although they perform better on vocabulary learning in L2 glosses.The results suggest that compilers and teachers of English reading materials should select multiple choice glosses for high level English learners in China,and their preference for bilingual or L2 gloss would also be taken into account to enhance their incidental vocabulary acquisition.