The Effects of Spaced Practice on Foreign Language Vocabulary Learning

Abstract

Although theoretical approaches to second language acquisition (SLA) have varied in their perspectives and directives on vocabulary teaching and learning, the consensus is that vocabulary knowledge is essential to second language (L2) acquisition. In classroom based settings, students of foreign languages spend the better part of their initial years of language learning working on developing and increasing their vocabulary knowledge Language instructors are frequently concerned with strategies that facilitate vocabulary learning and those that promote long-term vocabulary retention. Of primary concern within this study are student study schedules of vocabulary words and whether suggestions of spaced study schedules would be beneficial to introduce into curricular planning and materials. In addition, recent literature on spacing effects, but also literature in SLA, has called for greater ecological validity in study design, for research outside of the laboratory and more closely related to real-life situations (e.g. Nakata, 2015; Sobel, Cepeda & Kapler, 2010; Cull, 2000). This study intends to add to the spacing literature, expand research in foreign language vocabulary learning, and considers ecological validity in the administration of the experiment. Compared to previous studies, the results of this study are not significant and do not confirm previous research of the learning potential for incorporating spaced study schedules for vocabulary learning. The results in this study are suggestive that practice of any kind, massed or spaced, especially when testing is involved, may be an useful element in vocabulary learning.