learning culture and vocabulary from reading texts do input-processing directions make a difference?...

Learning culture and Learning culture and vocabulary from reading vocabulary from reading

textstexts

Do input-processing directions Do input-processing directions make a difference?make a difference?

Lies Sercu & Lieve De WachterLies Sercu & Lieve De Wachter

K.U. LeuvenK.U. Leuven

TBLT Leuven Sept. 22 2005TBLT Leuven Sept. 22 2005

Research goalResearch goal

Better results?Better results? Worse results?Worse results?

Dual learning task

Single learning task


……more specificallymore specifically

Group 1 = condition 1Group 1 = condition 1: :

reading textreading text ‘cultural’ contents ‘cultural’ contents

GroupGroup 2 = condition 2:2 = condition 2: reading textreading text ‘cultural’ contents ‘cultural’ contents

+ vocabulary+ vocabularyGroup 3 = condition 3:Group 3 = condition 3:

reading textreading text vocabularyvocabulary


Do dual learning tasks (culture + vocabulary) Do dual learning tasks (culture + vocabulary) lead to better or worse learning effects than lead to better or worse learning effects than single learning tasks ?single learning tasks ?


HypothesesHypotheses

• Learners with dual task => less good in answering Learners with dual task => less good in answering cultural questions than learners with single task cultural questions than learners with single task culture culture

• Learners with single task vocabulary => better in Learners with single task vocabulary => better in vocabulary test than learners in other conditionsvocabulary test than learners in other conditions

• Learners with single task vocabulary => less good in Learners with single task vocabulary => less good in cultural test than learners in other conditions cultural test than learners in other conditions


Research designResearch designCALL-environment in Question Mark PerceptionCALL-environment in Question Mark Perception

1.1. General questionnaireGeneral questionnaire::• Personal elementsPersonal elements• Learning stylesLearning styles• Motivation to learn the language + cultureMotivation to learn the language + culture• IntegrationIntegration• ……

2.2. Pretest vocabulary + pretest culturePretest vocabulary + pretest culture

3.3. Posttest vocabulary + posttest culturePosttest vocabulary + posttest culture


Pre-test culture (open)Pre-test culture (open)1 april 1 april

Manneke Pis Manneke Pis

Justine Henin Justine Henin

Prins Laurent Prins Laurent

Dutroux Dutroux

11 november 11 november


Pre-test culture (closed)Pre-test culture (closed)

Multiple choice questions on Multiple choice questions on ‘cultural’ aspects‘cultural’ aspects

E.g. would you say it is common for E.g. would you say it is common for men to urinate in public? To kiss men to urinate in public? To kiss each other on the street? …each other on the street? …


Pre-test vocabularyPre-test vocabulary

On basis of frequency list for Dutch On basis of frequency list for Dutch as a foreign languageas a foreign language

20 target words + 30 distractor 20 target words + 30 distractor words of same frequency bandwords of same frequency band

Goals:Goals:• Check respondents’ overall level of Check respondents’ overall level of

proficiency in foreign languageproficiency in foreign language• Check whether respondents knew target Check whether respondents knew target

words before experimentwords before experiment


Pre-test vocabularyPre-test vocabulary1. de spanning1. de spanning (a) Ik heb dit woord nog nooit ontmoet(a) Ik heb dit woord nog nooit ontmoet(b) Ik heb dit woord al ontmoet, maar weet niet meer wat het betekent(b) Ik heb dit woord al ontmoet, maar weet niet meer wat het betekent(c) Ik weet wat dit woord betekent (1) ik kan dit woord gebruiken in (c) Ik weet wat dit woord betekent (1) ik kan dit woord gebruiken in een zin waaruit de betekenis van het woord duidelijk wordt. De zin die een zin waaruit de betekenis van het woord duidelijk wordt. De zin die ik wil voorstellen is ik wil voorstellen is (vul hieronder aan) (vul hieronder aan) OF (2) ik kan een synoniem OF (2) ik kan een synoniem geven, namelijk geven, namelijk (doe dat hieronder)(doe dat hieronder) OF (3) ik kan een omschrijving OF (3) ik kan een omschrijving (definitie, parafrase) geven (definitie, parafrase) geven (doe dat hieronder)(doe dat hieronder)

2. zoenen (werkwoord)2. zoenen (werkwoord) (a) Ik heb dit woord nog nooit ontmoet(a) Ik heb dit woord nog nooit ontmoet(b) Ik heb dit woord al ontmoet, maar weet niet meer wat het betekent(b) Ik heb dit woord al ontmoet, maar weet niet meer wat het betekent(c) Ik weet wat dit woord betekent (1) ik kan dit woord gebruiken in (c) Ik weet wat dit woord betekent (1) ik kan dit woord gebruiken in een zin waaruit de betekenis van het woord duidelijk wordt. De zin die een zin waaruit de betekenis van het woord duidelijk wordt. De zin die ik wil voorstellen is ik wil voorstellen is (vul hieronder aan) (vul hieronder aan) OF (2) ik kan een synoniem OF (2) ik kan een synoniem geven, namelijk geven, namelijk (doe dat hieronder)(doe dat hieronder) OF (3) ik kan een omschrijving OF (3) ik kan een omschrijving (definitie, parafrase) geven (definitie, parafrase) geven (doe dat hieronder)(doe dat hieronder)


ParticipantsParticipants

Students of Dutch as a Foreign Students of Dutch as a Foreign Language of university language Language of university language centre (ILT) – K.U. Leuvencentre (ILT) – K.U. Leuven

Students have degree of higher Students have degree of higher secondary education – most of them secondary education – most of them university degreeuniversity degree

Level B1 of CEFLevel B1 of CEF


MaterialsMaterials Text: ‘Kussen’ from Text: ‘Kussen’ from Niet VanzelfsprekendNiet Vanzelfsprekend

(Van Loo & Schoenaerts)(Van Loo & Schoenaerts) Kissing habits in Belgium / The Kissing habits in Belgium / The

Netherlands (1, 2 or 3 kisses / men-women Netherlands (1, 2 or 3 kisses / men-women kissing, evolution in kissing traditions)kissing, evolution in kissing traditions)

809 words (among them 20 target words)809 words (among them 20 target words) Authentic text about culturally ‘relevant’ Authentic text about culturally ‘relevant’

topic => incites learner’s reflection on topic => incites learner’s reflection on culture (ICC)culture (ICC)


Post-test vocabularyPost-test vocabularyTwo parts:Two parts:

1.1. Receptive testReceptive test: recognizing target words’ : recognizing target words’ meaning + formal characteristicsmeaning + formal characteristics

- 40 sentences (2 per target word)- 40 sentences (2 per target word)- some contained mistakes (semantic, - some contained mistakes (semantic, morphological, grammatical)morphological, grammatical)

2. 2. Productive test:Productive test:

- gap filling- gap filling

- first letter given- first letter given


Post-test culturePost-test culture

12 questions on cultural information 12 questions on cultural information provided in the textprovided in the text

Multiple choice testMultiple choice test


Data collection procedureData collection procedure 2 occasions:2 occasions:

• General questionnaire + pre-tests culture and General questionnaire + pre-tests culture and vocabularyvocabulary

• Reading authentic text + posttests culture and Reading authentic text + posttests culture and vocabularyvocabulary


No time limitNo time limit

Text reading: twice at their own paceText reading: twice at their own pace

Text input: on paper (words in margin Text input: on paper (words in margin explained + use of dictionary + asking explained + use of dictionary + asking teacher)teacher)


SampleSample Number of ‘valid’ tests: 81Number of ‘valid’ tests: 81

• condition 1: focus on culture: 23condition 1: focus on culture: 23• condition 2: focus on culture + voc.: 38condition 2: focus on culture + voc.: 38• condition 3: focus on voc.: 20condition 3: focus on voc.: 20

Variables:Variables:• gendergender• ageage• nationalitynationality• mother tonguemother tongue• degreedegree• number of months / years in Belgiumnumber of months / years in Belgium


Significant differences Significant differences between conditions?between conditions?

NoNo significant differences between significant differences between conditions in numbers betweenconditions in numbers between• Men – womenMen – women• Older people – younger peopleOlder people – younger people• Belgians – other nationalitiesBelgians – other nationalities• ……


AmerikaansAustralischBelgischBulgaarsCanadees, BelgischChineesCongoleesDuitsDuits, BelgischFinsFransgeenGeorgischGrieksHongaarsIndischIraaksIraansJapansJordaansKazachsLiberiaansNepaleesNigeriaansPalestijnsPeruviaansPoolsRoemeensRussischRw andees, BelgischSpaansTataarsThaisTsjetsjeensTurks


Overall resultsOverall results Learning effect vocabulary (= Learning effect vocabulary (=

voc. posttests):voc. posttests):

no significant difference between no significant difference between conditions 1, 2 and 3 -> students who conditions 1, 2 and 3 -> students who were instructed to concentrate on were instructed to concentrate on vocabulary reacted statistically similar vocabulary reacted statistically similar to students who did not get this to students who did not get this instructioninstruction


Learning effect culture (= cult. Learning effect culture (= cult. posttests):posttests):

Significant difference between condition Significant difference between condition 3 and conditions 1 and 2 -> students 3 and conditions 1 and 2 -> students who were instructed to concentrate on who were instructed to concentrate on vocabulary (!) had better scores on the vocabulary (!) had better scores on the posttest culture than students in other posttest culture than students in other conditionsconditions


Input processing directions do not have Input processing directions do not have expected resultsexpected results

Differences on pre-test level? Differences on pre-test level? no significant differences there no significant differences there for culture or for vocabularyfor culture or for vocabulary

Task too easy for culture?Task too easy for culture?

Students in condition 3 intrinsically better?Students in condition 3 intrinsically better?=> seems to be reinforced by general results during Summer => seems to be reinforced by general results during Summer CourseCourse

Students in condition 2 intrinsically weaker?Students in condition 2 intrinsically weaker?=> seems to be reinforced by general results during course of => seems to be reinforced by general results during course of JuneJune


Dual or single tasking?Dual or single tasking?

no conclusive evidenceno conclusive evidence probably due to sampling issuesprobably due to sampling issues simply giving directions on how to simply giving directions on how to

process materials may not be process materials may not be enough to change input-processing enough to change input-processing behaviourbehaviour

learning culture and vocabulary from reading texts do input-processing directions make a difference?...

Documents

leuven slide

tblt leuven

text vocabulary slide

single task vocabulary

vocabulary test

single task culture

pretest vocabulary

vocabulary group