SMS Vocabulary Learning: A Tool to Promote Reading Comprehension in L2
SMS Vocabulary Learning: A Tool to Promote Reading Comprehension in L2
复制标题
短信词汇学习：促进二语阅读理解的工具
DOI：
10.5296/ijl.v4i4.2318
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发表时间：
2012
期刊：
影响因子：
--
通讯作者：
Zahra Lari
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
M. Alemi;Zahra Lari
摘要阅读理解和词汇知识在外语学习中起着至关重要的作用。它们也有错综复杂的关系，因此一个的增加会导致另一个的增加。本研究的目的是探讨通过手机短信学习词汇对大学生阅读理解能力的影响。为此，45名大一学生参加了本研究。他们被分配为实验组和控制组。实验开始前，两组学生都进行了词汇测试和阅读理解测试。在为期16周的实验中，实验组的参与者通过短信被教授了学术词汇表（Coxhead，2000）中的320个词目。控制组通过使用字典来学习它们。每节课两组都由班上的老师进行评估。最后，两组都进行了阅读理解测试作为后测。后测结果显示，尽管前测两组学生成绩无显著差异，但实验组学生在阅读理解测试中的成绩优于对照组（t = 2.31，P = .02）。然而，无论学习媒介如何，两组在后测试中都有所提高。此外，实验组的参与者填写了一份关于他们对手机短信词汇学习态度的问卷。结果发现，他们对这种词汇学习方法持积极态度。基于这一结果，语言教师需要寻找每一个机会教学生单词，以提高他们的阅读理解能力。然而，由于手机短信在其他词汇学习手段上的优势，建议在阅读过程中使用这种词汇学习方法来帮助学生。关键词：手机短信，词汇学习，二语阅读理解1.前言阅读是任何一个外语学习者都必须掌握的最重要的技能。它是Chen和Hsu（2008）提出的语言学习过程的四个重要维度之一，即听、阅读、说和写技能。语言学习者需要阅读不同的文本从他们的学术教科书，故事和报纸。可以看出，阅读可以作为获取信息和快乐的来源，也可以作为增强目标语言知识的手段（Keshavarz & Ashtarian，2008）。无论语言水平如何，语言学习者在阅读理解测试中都存在问题。因此，语言教师需要特别注意这种技能，并找到一种方法来帮助学生在阅读过程中，提高他们的阅读技能，从而提高他们的目标语知识。提高学习者阅读技能的途径之一是注重词汇的教学，Huckin等（1993）认为阅读理解和词汇知识是外语学习中最重要的两个要素，是成功运用外语的关键，并指出它们之间存在着相互关系。换句话说，词汇知识会导致阅读理解的提高，而阅读又有助于提高语言学习者的词汇知识，学生不可能在课堂上学到所有的词汇来提高他们的阅读理解能力。此外，教授词汇以提高阅读理解需要一种劳动和时间密集型的方法（McKeown，Beck，Omanson，& Pople，1985）。教师需要找到一种补充或替代课堂教学的词汇。移动的辅助语言学习（MALL）是一种新的词汇教学方法，它利用了移动的技术，移动的手机具有不同的功能，如可以用于教学目的的短消息服务。短消息是移动的手机的功能之一，它有能力有助于提高语言学习者的词汇知识。…
AbstractReading comprehension and vocabulary knowledge have critical roles in success in a foreign language. They have also intricate relationships so that the increase in one leads to increase of the other. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of learning vocabulary via SMS - as an optimal way of teaching words- on university students reading comprehension. To this end, 45 freshmen students took part in this study. They were assigned as experimental and control group. Before the beginning of the experiment both groups took a vocabulary test and a reading comprehension test. During 16 weeks of experiment the participants of the experimental group were taught 320 headwords of the Academic Word List (Coxhead, 2000) via SMS. The control group learned them by using a dictionary. Both groups were assessed each session by the instructor in the class. At the end, both groups were administered a reading comprehension test as a post-test. The result of the post-test showed that although there was not any difference between the two groups in the pre-test, the experimental group outperformed the control group in reading comprehension test (t = 2.31, P = .02). However, both groups had improved in the post-test regardless of the medium of learning. In addition, the participants of the experimental group filled out a questionnaire regarding their attitudes towards SMS vocabulary learning. It was found that they had positive attitudes towards this approach of vocabulary learning. Based on this result, language teachers need to seek every opportunity to teach words to students to improve their reading comprehension. However, because of the superiority of SMS on other means of learning vocabulary, it is recommended that this approach of vocabulary learning be used to help students in the reading process.Keywords: SMS, Vocabulary learning, L2 reading comprehension1. IntroductionReading is the most important skill that any foreign language learner has to know. It is among the four important dimensions of language learning process identified by Chen and Hsu (2008); that is, listening, reading, speaking and writing skills. Language learners need to read different text from their academic textbooks, stories and newspaper. It can be seen that reading can act as a source of getting information and pleasure and also a means of enhancing one's knowledge of the target language (Keshavarz & Ashtarian, 2008).At any level of language proficiency, language learners have problems in reading comprehension tests. Hence, language teachers need to pay special attention to this skill and to find a way to help students in the reading process and to improve their reading skill and as a result their knowledge of the target language. One of the ways that can help to improve learners reading skill is focusing on and teaching vocabulary.Huckin et al. (1993) conceived reading comprehension and vocabulary knowledge as the two most important elements of a foreign language and the key to have a successful performance in it and stated that there is a mutual relationship between them. To put it another way, vocabulary knowledge will lead to enhancing reading comprehension and reading can contribute to improving language learners' vocabulary knowledge.Students cannot learn all the words necessary to promote their reading comprehension during the class time. Moreover, teaching vocabulary to improve reading comprehension requires a labor and time intensive method (McKeown, Beck, Omanson, & Pople, 1985). Teachers need to find a complement or alternative to classroom teaching of vocabulary. One such method which is a new approach to vocabulary teaching is Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL) which takes advantage of mobile technology.Mobile phones have different features such as short message service that can be used for pedagogical purposes. Short massage is one of the features of mobile phones that have the capacity to contribute to enhancing language learners' vocabulary knowledge. …