Effects of Sentence Output Tasks on EFL Vocabulary Learning from a Bayesian Perspective

Abstract

This article builds on the growing line of inquiry into the relative effectiveness of different tasks for vocabulary learning. Specifically, the study compares the efficacy of several sentence output tasks in EFL vocabulary learning through reading. To this end, evidence was weighed for one hypothesis over the alternative from a Bayesian perspective rather than in light of the commonly used null hypothesis significance testing (NHST), which depends heavily on the <i>p</i> values for statistical conclusions. Ninety-one EFL learners were randomly assigned to one of three word-focused sentence output tasks (i.e., L2-L1 translating, paraphrasing and writing), and were subsequently tested on their initial learning and retention of newly-encountered EFL words. Both Bayes factor analysis and Bayesian parameter estimation were employed to find evidence for task effects. With respect to initial word learning, moderate evidence was in favor of no difference between translating and paraphrasing, whilst weak evidence in favor of no difference between translating and writing as well as between paraphrasing and writing. For pedagogical purposes, no good evidence was for or against task effects. Regarding word retention, moderate evidence supported no task difference, and all the tasks fared equally well pedagogically. The results partially support the involvement load hypothesis and are discussed in terms of task difficulty, context generation and semantic elaboration.