The Impact of Supplemental Reading on Vocabulary Acquisition and Retention with EFL Learners in Taiwan Author: Hui-Tzu Min (Department of Foreign Languages and Literature, National Cheng Kung University), Wen-Shan Hsu (National Tainan Second Senior High School)

Vol.&No.：Vol. 53, No. 1
Date：January 2008
Pages：83-115
DOI：10.6210/JNTNULL.2008.53(1).05

Abstract：

Research has shown that incidental vocabulary learning takes place when learners read extensively. However, not many EFL students can engage in large amounts of reading in Taiwan. In an attempt to incorporate larger amounts of reading into EFL classroom instruction and to compare the effect of this practice with that of vocabulary exercises, the researchers conducted a classroom-based study over a 5-week period. The participants were 50 male students, at an intermediate level of English proficiency, in their third year of study in a senior high school. Half of them received the reading-plus-vocabulary- enhancement (RV) instructional treatment: they read selected texts and also practiced various vocabulary exercises. The other half received the narrow reading (NR) treatment: they read thematically-related supplemental materials on the same topics presented in the selected texts. A Chinese version of the Vocabulary Knowledge Scale (VKS) was then employed to assess students’ knowledge of 50 vocabulary items. The RV group significantly outperformed the NR group on both acquisition and retention tests, and demonstrated significantly more productive knowledge on the acquisition test and more receptive knowledge on both tests.

Keywords：vocabulary exercises, vocabulary acquisition and retention, EFL learners, Taiwan

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