The Effect of Frequency of Input‐Enhancements on Word Learning and Text Comprehension

Abstract

Research on second language lexical development during reading has found positive effects for word frequency, the provision of glosses, and elaborative word processing. However, findings have been inconclusive regarding the effect of such intervention tasks on long‐term retention. Likewise, few studies have looked at the cumulative effect of interventions on word learning or text comprehension. This investigation sought to assess the effect of increased frequency of target words (TWs) comparing lexical gain of words that occurred once (F1) or four times (F4) in the input passage. The study further investigated the combined effect of frequency (F4) and semantic or visual enhancements. It compared the following reading conditions: (a) TWs were glossed four times in the text (four‐gloss: 4G); (b) TWs were first glossed, then retrieved in the first language, and bolded twice (gloss‐retrieval: GR); and (c) TWs were first glossed and then bolded three times (gloss‐bolding: GB). In addition, the study assessed the effect of these interventions on long‐term retention (4–6 weeks) of lexical knowledge and on text comprehension. Findings revealed that the GR and 4G reading conditions resulted in more productive word gain than the GB condition or when readers encountered a TW only once. Repeated visual enhancements seemed to have no effect on strengthening word encoding. The comprehension of main ideas was highest when the TW was glossed four times followed by the gloss‐bolding reading condition and the gloss‐retrieval task.