Learning New Words Research Articles

Effects of language mixing on bilingual children's word learning.

Language mixing is common in bilingual children's learning environments. Here, we investigated effects of language mixing on children's learning of new words. We tested two groups of 3-year-old bilinguals: French-English (Experiment 1) and Spanish-English (Experiment 2). Children were taught two novel words, one in single-language sentences ("Look! Do you see the dog on the teelo?") and one in mixed-language sentences with a mid-sentence language switch ("Look! Do you see the chien/perro on the walem?"). During the learning phase, children correctly identified novel targets when hearing both single-language and mixed-language sentences. However, at test, French-English bilinguals did not successfully recognize the word encountered in mixed-language sentences. Spanish-English bilinguals failed to recognize either word, which underscores the importance of examining multiple bilingual populations. This research suggests that language mixing may sometimes hinder children's encoding of novel words that occur downstream, but leaves open several possible underlying mechanisms.

Phonetic Skills and Verbal Memory Capacity Predict Phonetic-based Word Learning: An Event-related Potential Study.

The learning of new words is a challenge that accompanies human beings throughout the entire life span. Although the main electrophysiological markers of word learning have already been described, little is known about the performance-dependent neural machinery underlying this exceptional human faculty. Furthermore, it is currently unknown how word learning abilities are related to verbal memory capacity, auditory attention functions, phonetic discrimination skills, and musicality. Accordingly, we used EEG and examined 40 individuals, who were assigned to two groups (low [LPs] and high performers [HPs]) based on a median split of word learning performance, while they completed a phonetic-based word learning task. Furthermore, we collected behavioral data during an attentive listening and a phonetic discrimination task with the same stimuli to address relationships between auditory attention and phonetic discrimination skills, word learning performance, and musicality. The phonetic-based word learning task, which also included a nonlearning control condition, was sensitive enough to segregate learning-specific and unspecific N200/N400 manifestations along the anterior-posterior topographical axis. Notably, HPs exhibited enhanced verbal memory capacity and we also revealed a performance-dependent spatial N400 pattern, with maximal amplitudes at posterior electrodes in HPs and central maxima in LPs. Furthermore, phonetic-based word learning performance correlated with verbal memory capacity and phonetic discrimination skills, whereas the latter was related to musicality. This experimental approach clearly highlights the multifaceted dimensions of phonetic-based word learning and is helpful to disentangle learning-specific and unspecific ERPs.

Explicit and Contextual Vocabulary Intervention: Effects on Word and Definition Learning.

Two single-case studies examined the effects of a vocabulary intervention on K-second grade Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing (DHH) children's vocabulary learning. The intervention consisted of (a) explicit instruction that included fast mapping, and drill and practice games and (b) in-context activities that included book reading, conceptual activities, and conversation. Study 1 compared the effectiveness of in-context alone and explicit+in-context instruction for four DHH children. This multiple baseline across content study showed that children learned more words rapidly in the explicit + in-context condition. Study 2 examined the effects of the explicit+in-context intervention on five DHH children's word and definition learning and use of new words in spontaneous communication. A multiple baseline study across participants showed that all children learned the targeted vocabulary, improved expression of definitions, and used target words in spontaneous language. We discuss the value of explicit and in-context instruction on breadth and depth of vocabulary learning.

Activation for Newly Learned Words in Left Medial-Temporal Lobe During Toddlers’ Sleep is Associated with Word Learning

Infants and toddlers amass a lexicon at a rapid pace and the extent of this development is a strong predictor of important future outcomes, including educational achievements. However, little is known about the neural substrates that support early vocabulary learning. Hippocampal and anterior medial-temporal (MTL) processes have been recently hypothesized to support memory for the initial association between new words and their referents, but this hypothesis has not been tested during early child development, when a more dominant role of cortical learning has also been proposed. We assessed 2-year-olds (N = 38) for their memory of newly learned pseudo-words associated with novel objects and puppets. We tested memory for these associations after a 20-minute and a one-week delay. We then played these pseudo-words, previously known words, and completely novel pseudo-words during natural nocturnal sleep, while collecting functional magnetic resonance imaging data. We found that activation in the left hippocampus and left anterior MTL for newly learned words was associated with memory for puppet names at the 20-minute delay, and activation in these same regions for known words compared to novel words was associated with memory for the puppet names at the one-week delay. In addition, activation for newly learned words was associated with productive vocabulary, underscoring that existing vocabulary might support the engagement of hippocampal and MTL mechanisms during learning of new words.

Effectiveness of Sensory Cognitive Program for Learning New Words among Students of the Faculties of Education Hantoub and Alhasahisa, University of Gezira, Sudan

The problem of this study starts from the way in which learners deal when they learn new words, which had led to their suffering when they try to remember it, the present study aimed to find out whether a sensory cognitive program designed by the researcher has an impact on the learning of new words. The study followed the experimental method. The study sample consisted of students of faculties of education / Hantoub and Alhasahisa in the University of Gezira, which was selected by random stratified technique. The Department of English Language was representative of the language Departments, while Chemistry / Biology Department were representative of the scientific departments, and geography / history department was representative of the arts departments. The sample size was (216) students for the two experimental and control groups. The sensory cognitive program was checked for reliability and validity by specialists before the experiment was run. The data was analyzed through the (SPSS) program. The main findings of the study are: The designed Sensory cognitive program has a positive impact on learning new words. There are also significant differences in the impact of the program due to gender (Females have benefited from the application of the program more than males), while there are no statistically significant differences in the impact of the program on learning new words due to the different kind of specializations (science or art). The results of this study might assist in planning for more effective educational and language learning programs. The most prominent recommendations of this study include the establishment of units in the various ministries of education to help in evaluating and developing strategies for learning foreign languages and take advantage of various scientific research conducted in this area of practice.

The effects of glossing on incidental vocabulary learning during second language reading: based on an eye‐tracking study

Providing glosses that explain the meanings of unknown words is a common method of promoting learners' learning of new words. Numerous studies have shown that compared with no‐gloss condition, glosses benefit the learning of the meaning of new words. This study combines both online (i.e., eye‐tracking) and offline (i.e., immediate vocabulary tests) measures to investigate the influences of glosses on incidental vocabulary learning and evaluating the degree to which glossing influences reading behaviour during second language (L2) reading. The eye movements of 45 high‐intermediate adult learners of English were recorded when they read a text presented on‐screen. Two different text versions (both with 17 new words) were presented to two different groups of participants: first language (L1) textual glossed and no‐glossed. After reading, unannounced vocabulary tests were administered to gauge learners' recall and recognition of vocabulary meaning. Learners performed better in meaning recall and meaning recognition tests under L1‐glossed condition. Eye‐tracking measures of the target words were significantly different in two conditions. Eye‐tracking measures of new words and their glosses in L1‐glossed condition were significantly correlated with learners' scores of vocabulary tests. L1 glosses promote the learning of the meaning of new words in an incidental condition. The attention allocated to the new words is different in L1‐glossed and no‐glossed conditions. More importantly, there is a relationship between the online reading behaviour and the vocabulary test performance in gloss condition.

Character and Student Ability of Covid-19 Understanding in Digital Era in 2020

The purpose of this research is to describe the character of students towards the understanding of Covid-19 in the digital age, to describe the ability of students to translate understanding of terminology relating to Covid-19 in the digital age, and to describe the effectiveness of digital campus on understanding covid-19 by students in the digital age. The data analysis technique in this research is quantitative descriptive. The result shows that The ability of students to translate intralingually new words that were present during the Covid-19 period is very good and dominant in number. The dominant character of students in putting an interest in the knowledge, learning and translation of new words during the Covid-19 pandemic to deal with the spread of Covid-19 was very good, interested, uplifting and enthusiastic. The level of effectiveness of digital campuss by students when the corona pandemic is very high and dominant. Thank you to the LPPM & PM Universitas Samudra from the DIPA 2020 funds and all those who assisted our research activities so that we can complete the flagship basic research.

The moment-to-moment pitch dynamics of child-directed speech shape toddlers' attention and learning.

Young children have an overall preference for child-directed speech (CDS) over adult-directed speech (ADS), and its structural features are thought to facilitate language learning. Many studies have supported these findings, but less is known about processing of CDS at short, sub-second timescales. How do the moment-to-moment dynamics of CDS influence young children's attention and learning? In Study 1, we used hierarchical clustering to characterize patterns of pitch variability in a natural CDS corpus, which uncovered four main word-level contour shapes: 'fall', 'rise', 'hill', and 'valley'. In Study 2, we adapted a measure from adult attention research-pupil size synchrony-to quantify real-time attention to speech across participants, and found that toddlers showed higher synchrony to the dynamics of CDS than to ADS. Importantly, there were consistent differences in toddlers' attention when listening to the four word-level contour types. In Study 3, we found that pupil size synchrony during exposure to novel words predicted toddlers' learning at test. This suggests that the dynamics of pitch in CDS not only shape toddlers' attention but guide their learning of new words. By revealing a physiological response to the real-time dynamics of CDS, this investigation yields a new sub-second framework for understanding young children's engagement with one of the most important signals in their environment.

Secondary task type, exposure frequency, and their combined effects on second language vocabulary learning through reading

The type of processing-resource allocation (TOPRA) model predicts that the semantic processing of new second language (L2) words can impede the learning of their forms while structural processing can promote it. Using this framework, the present study examined the effects of processing type (semantic, structural, control), exposure frequency (one exposure, three exposures), and their combination on the learning of new L2 words through reading. Adult Japanese learners of English read a reading text that contained 10 target words, five of them were repeated only one time whereas the other five were repeated three times. They were asked to answer some comprehension questions as their primary task, and the participants in the semantic and structural processing groups were asked to perform the secondary vocabulary processing tasks (pleasantness rating and phonological recording, respectively) to further process target word meanings or forms. The unexpected first language (L1)-to-L2 and L2-to-L1 cued recall were administered. The positive effects of structural processing and exposure frequency were demonstrated in L1-to-L2 cued recall. The results further suggested that effects of vocabulary processing type and exposure frequency vary depending on how vocabulary gain is measured.

Efficacy of Multimodal Glossing on Second Language Vocabulary Learning: A Meta‐analysis

This meta‐analysis examined the effectiveness of an additional gloss mode in single versus dual and dual versus triple glossing on second language (L2) learners’ word learning. In total, 22 studies, providing 26 independent effect sizes, were coded, and 11 moderator variables including quality of data sample, learner variables, gloss features, text features, and methodological features were examined. The results show that the overall effect of an additional gloss mode was medium (g = 0.46) for immediate posttests and small (g = 0.28) for delayed posttests. However, analyses of moderator variables indicated that the effect of additional gloss modes is influenced by a range of variables related to learner (e.g., proficiency), gloss (e.g., language), text (e.g., narrative vs. expository), and research design (e.g., test format). Importantly, adding an additional mode to single textual gloss enhances vocabulary learning, whereas adding a mode to dual glossing does not result in significantly better vocabulary learning. The findings suggest that using more than two gloss modes is not necessary because it does not always lead to better learning of new words.

Joint attention and vocabulary development in toddlers with Down syndrome and their peers with typical development: The role of maternal interactive style

PurposeJoint attention is considered a prerequisite for language development. Although language is one of the most impaired domains in Down syndrome (DS), few studies have examined the relationship between caregiver behavior during episodes of joint attention and vocabulary development in these children. Consequently, our primary aim was to analyze the behaviors of caregivers of children with DS and of children with typical development (TD) in the early stages of vocabulary development. A second objective was to examine the kind of words that caregivers use to refer to the object that is the focus of attention. We also consider the concurrent relationship between joint attention and vocabulary development in both groups of children. MethodWe studied 28 children with DS and 28 children with TD, individually matched on mental age and gender, and their respective caregivers. The mean mental age for children with DS and children with TD was around 12 months. The mean chronological age of caregivers of children with DS and children with TD was around 35 years. Each child and his or her caregiver were video-recorded during a free-play session involving different objects. ResultsAlthough the total time engaged in joint attention was greater among caregivers of children with DS, caregivers of both groups of children were more likely to direct than follow their child’s attentional focus. The caregivers of children with DS used a greater number of appropriate terms to refer to the object of attention. We found no significant correlation in either group of children between vocabulary development and joint attention behaviors. ConclusionsThe results may be due to the fact that the children studied are still very young in developmental terms and have yet to develop all the skills required for joint attention. At this early stage, directing the child’s attention would promote the development of joint attention. A possible explanation for the lack of a correlation between vocabulary development and joint attention is that children may use an associative mechanism in the early stages of lexical learning, and hence the learning of new words is a slow process.

Cross-Situational Statistical Learning of New Words Despite Bilateral Hippocampal Damage and Severe Amnesia.

Word learning requires learners to bind together arbitrarily-related phonological, visual, and conceptual information. Prior work suggests that this binding can be robustly achieved via incidental cross-situational statistical exposure to words and referents. When cross-situational statistical learning (CSSL) is tested in the laboratory, there is no information on any given trial to identify the referent of a novel word. However, by tracking which objects co-occur with each word across trials, learners may acquire mappings through statistical association. While CSSL behavior is well-characterized, its brain correlates are not. The arbitrary nature of CSSL mappings suggests hippocampal involvement, but the incremental, statistical nature of the learning raises the possibility of neocortical or procedural learning systems. Prior studies have shown that neurological patients with hippocampal pathology have word-learning impairments, but this has not been tested in a statistical learning paradigm. Here, we used a neuropsychological approach to test whether patients with bilateral hippocampal pathology (N = 3) could learn new words in a CSSL paradigm. In the task, patients and healthy comparison participants completed a CSSL word-learning task in which they acquired eight word/object mappings. During each trial of the CSSL task, participants saw two objects on a computer display, heard one novel word, and selected the most likely referent. Across trials, words were 100% likely to co-occur with their referent, but only 14.3% likely with non-referents. Two of three amnesic patients learned the associations between objects and word forms, although performance was impaired relative to healthy comparison participants. Our findings show that the hippocampus is not strictly necessary for CSSL for words, although it may facilitate such learning. This is consistent with a hybrid account of CSSL supported by implicit and explicit memory systems, and may have translational applications for remediation of (word-) learning deficits in neurological populations with hippocampal pathology.

White noise facilitates new-word learning from context

Listening to white noise may facilitate cognitive performance, including new word learning, for some individuals. This study investigated whether auditory white noise facilitates the learning of novel written words from context in healthy young adults. Sixty-nine participants were required to determine the meaning of novel words placed within sentence contexts during a silent reading task. Learning was performed either with or without white noise, and recognition of novel word meanings was tested immediately after learning and after a short delay. Immediate recognition accuracy for learned novel word meanings was higher in the noise group relative to the no noise group, however this effect was no longer evident at the delayed recognition test. These findings suggest that white noise has the capacity to facilitate meaning acquisition from context, however further research is needed to clarify its capacity to improve longer-term retention of meaning.

Using the Lexical Approach - Based Activities To Enhance EFL Preparatory Stage Students' Vocabulary Learning

Abstract: V ocabulary has been considered as the building block of language. EFL teachers almost always apply traditional techniques for teaching new vocabulary. The present study aimed to discover the effects of a fairly new vocabulary learning technique that is, teaching vocabulary through activities based on the lexical approach learning. This experiment utilized a Pre-post -test. Fifty students at the preparatory stage were selected through convenient sampling. They were divided into two groups of 25. The present study adopted the quasi-experimental design, using one experimental group and one control group. The experimental group was taught through the treatment i.e., studying vocabulary through collocations, whereas the control group was taught vocabulary through the traditional methods of presenting vocabulary that is suggested in the Teacher's Guide. The two groups were tested before and after the experiment. The results demonstrated that vocabulary learning through collocations eventuated in a better learning of the words than teaching them by means of classical techniques and improves learning of new words.

Lingo-Didactic Potential Derivation Syntagmatics in Russian Language

The article deals with the specificity of syntagmatic relations in the word-formation system of the Russian language. The subject of the study is the typical derivational chains and their part-of-speech patterns as a methodologically relevant means of teaching the language. The aim of the work is to reveal and describe the linguodidactic potential of word-forming syntagmatics in the Russian language, reflected in simple and complex (typical) units of the word-formation system. It has been established that the typology of derivational chains reflects the hierarchy inherent in the units of the word-formation system. Typical chains are correlated with categorical models – the units of a higher level of abstraction, taking into account the partial status of derivatives. Different types of combinations on the basis of the similarity of structure and semantics are characteristic of these units. Their regularity and reproducibility in the Russian language demonstrates the degree of word-formative productivity of various parts of speech. The typical derivational chains allow the teacher to demonstrate the system properties of lexical units, which is important for the formation of linguistic competence. The comprehension of the laws of Russian word-formation makes it possible to reduce the number of words necessary to memorize and thus creates the prerequisites for the potential enrichment of vocabulary. The study of parts of speech within the framework of typical derivational chain, namely by the sequential introduction of cognate words into the active vocabulary of students, promotes the realization of the principle of continuity of learning – from word formation to morphology and syntax, which ultimately leads to the learning of new words.

Discontinuity of Reference Hinders Children's Learning of New Words.

When referring to objects, adults package words, sentences, and gestures in ways that shape children's learning. Here, to understand how continuity of reference shapes word learning, an adult taught new words to 4-year-old children (N=120) using either clusters of references to the same object or no sequential references to each object. In three experiments, the adult used a combination of labels and other object references, which provided informative discourse (e.g., This is small and green), neutral discourse (e.g., This is really great), or no verbal discourse. Switching verbal references from one object to another interfered with learning relative to providing clustered references to a particular object, revealing that discontinuity in discourse hinders children's encoding of new words.

Incidental vocabulary learning for primary school students: the effects of L2 caption type and word exposure frequency

Within instructed second language research, there is growing interest in research focusing on primary school vocabulary learning. Research has emphasized classroom-based learning of vocabulary knowledge, with growing focus on the potential for using captioned videos and increased word encounters. The present study investigated the effects of various captioning conditions (i.e. full captioning, keyword captioning, and no captions), the number of word encounters (one and three), and the combinations of these two variables on incidental learning of new words while viewing a video. Six possible conditions were explored. A total of 257 primary school students learning English as a second language (ESL) were divided into six groups and randomly assigned to a condition in which 15 target lexical items were included. A post-test, measuring the recognition of word form/meaning and recall of word meaning, was administered immediately after participants viewed the video. The post-test was not disclosed to the learners in advance. The group viewing the full captioning video scored significantly higher than the keyword captioning group and the no-captioning group. Repeated encounters with the targeted lexical items led to more successful learning. The combination of full captioning and three encounters was most effective for incidental learning of lexical items. This quasi-experimental study contributes to the literature by providing evidence which suggests that captioned videos coordinate two domains (i.e. auditory and visual components) and help ESL learners to obtain greater depth of word form processing, identify meaning by unpacking language chunks, and reinforce the form-meaning link.

Quantifying the effects of background babble on preschool children’s novel word learning in a multi-session paradigm

Common daily environments often contain background noise, such as background talkers, that may impose challenges on auditory based learning, including the learning of new words. Extant data on the effects of background noise on novel word learning, however, have shown mixed results. One possible reason for this observation is that most studies assess the effect of background noise in a single session. The present study aimed to add to this body of work by employing a multi-session paradigm to explore the effects of background babble, presented at 0 dB signal-to-noise ratio, on novel word learning in 3-year-old children (n = 8). Children were exposed to two stories presented digitally, each story containing four novel CVC words. Children were exposed to both stories, one in quiet and one in the presence of four-talker babble. After each story, receptive word learning was quantified with a four-alternative-forced-choice task, and expressive word learning was quantified by the number of novel labels correctly produced when their corresponding objects were shown to the children. Results suggested that children’s receptive and expressive word learning improved by session; however, greater improvement was observed for the words exposed in quiet. The results and their implications will be further discussed.

Effect of iconic gestures on second language vocabulary retention in a naturalistic setting

Abstract There is a growing body of evidence that suggests that the learning of new vocabulary during second language acquisition is facilitated by associating words with gestures. This study investigates the learning of new vocabulary words when paired with congruent and incongruent iconic gestures using instructional and testing procedures consistent with current second language pedagogical practices. Results indicate that incongruent gestures inhibit learning, while congruent iconic gestures facilitate vocabulary acquisition when participants were encouraged to pay attention to the use of the gesture when studying new words. Further analyses suggest that, as has been found repeatedly, nouns are easier to remember than verbs. However, gestures are most helpful with learning adjectives compared to nouns and verbs.

Early Syntactic Bootstrapping in an Incremental Memory-Limited Word Learner

It has been suggested that early human word learning occurs across learning situations and is bootstrapped by syntactic regularities such as word order. Simulation results from ideal learners and models assuming prior access to structured syn-tactic and semantic representations suggest that it is possible to jointly acquire word order and meanings and that learning is improved as each language capability bootstraps the other.We first present a probabilistic framework for early syntactic bootstrapping in the absence of advanced structured representations, then we use our framework to study the utility of joint acquisition of word order and word referent and its onset, in a memory-limited incremental model. Comparing learning results in the presence and absence of joint acquisition of word order in different ambiguous contexts, improvement in word order results showed an immediate onset, starting in early trials while being affected by context ambiguity. Improvement in word learning results on the other hand, was hindered in early trials where the acquired word order was imperfect,while being facilitated by word order learning in future trials as the acquired word order improved. Furthermore, our results showed that joint acquisition of word order and word referent facilitates one-shot learning of new words as well as inferring intentions of the speaker in ambiguous contexts.