Abstract
Researchers investigating the incidental acquisition of vocabulary through reading have often required participants to read in controlled classroom or lab environments. This method delimits reading to short texts read in one sitting and fashions an anomalous reading context (i. e. not mimicking ecologically valid extensive reading situations). To investigate whether the physical reading context affects incidental vocabulary acquisition, an empirical study was conducted with two groups of participants that read the same 36,711-token novel containing 49 target words – in-class readers (n = 48) and out-of-class readers (n = 32). Results showed reading context has a large effect on vocabulary recall and a medium effect on vocabulary recognition. Medium correlations were found between incidental acquisition and reading context as well as second language (L2) vocabulary size. Two standard three-explanatory-variable (L2 vocabulary size, reading context, reading time) multiple regressions accounted for 40% of the variance in vocabulary recall and 44.5% of the variance in vocabulary recognition. Nuanced distinctions between in-class and out-of-class readers were uncovered by analyzing responses to open-ended reflective questionnaire items about the study, novel, target vocabulary, and vocabulary learning strategies. A lens of criticality was used to discuss the findings in terms of their pedagogical and methodological implications.
Funding statement: Universidade de Macau (Grant Number: MYRG2019-00030-FED).
Appendix A
| Nonce | Chinese | Out-of-Class Recall (n = 32) | In-Class Recall (n = 48) | In-Class Recognition (n = 48) | Out-of-Class Recognition (n = 32) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| beans | 人類 | 30 | 9 | 47 | 31 |
| bellypoppers | 直升機 | 6 | 0 | 21 | 25 |
| bogthumper | 噩夢的類型 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 8 |
| chiddlers | 小孩們 | 18 | 8 | 13 | 31 |
| chittering | 聊天 | 8 | 13 | 46 | 26 |
| crocadowndillies | 鱷魚 | 6 | 5 | 38 | 24 |
| dillions | 一個數量 | 18 | 15 | 25 | 30 |
| disgustable | 令人作噁的 | 27 | 41 | 40 | 29 |
| elefunt | 大象 | 19 | 23 | 48 | 22 |
| filthing | 骯髒的; 污穢的 | 1 | 22 | 25 | 6 |
| flushbunking | 匆促 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 15 |
| frightsome | 令人恐懼的 | 22 | 29 | 15 | 30 |
| frobscottle | 汽水 | 10 | 0 | 46 | 24 |
| gigglehouse | 女校 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 8 |
| glumptious | 美味的 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 11 |
| grinksludger | 一種污辱 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 5 |
| grobswitcher | 一個不好的夢 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 11 |
| horridest | 可怕的 | 20 | 20 | 16 | 27 |
| jabbeling | 快而含糊地說 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 18 |
| jumbly | 動作慢而大聲的 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 11 |
| majester | 殿下 | 18 | 10 | 21 | 18 |
| micies | 老鼠 | 19 | 26 | 40 | 29 |
| norphan | 孤兒 | 27 | 22 | 35 | 30 |
| phizzwizard | 很棒的夢 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 10 |
| poisnowse | 有毒的 | 19 | 19 | 38 | 26 |
| replusant | 令人厭惡的 | 2 | 2 | 33 | 19 |
| ringbeller | 好夢 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 6 |
| rotsome | 腐爛的 | 3 | 31 | 43 | 22 |
| scrotty | 糟糕的 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 9 |
| scrumdiddlyumptious | 美味的 | 0 | 3 | 16 | 14 |
| scuddling | 燙傷; 匆匆忙忙地跑 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 16 |
| snitching | 奪走 | 3 | 1 | 23 | 17 |
| snortling | 打鼾 | 2 | 17 | 38 | 3 |
| snozzcumbers | 黃瓜 | 23 | 6 | 38 | 30 |
| snozzling | 睡覺 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 8 |
| spikesticking | 刺傷人的 | 2 | 1 | 43 | 25 |
| squifflerotter | 一種描述人負面的形容詞 (一個壞人) | 0 | 1 | 15 | 8 |
| squiffling | 驚人的 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 9 |
| squinkers | 快速的移動 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 17 |
| swiggle | 大口地喝; 大量的 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 9 |
| swollop | 吞下 | 14 | 13 | 6 | 17 |
| thingalingaling | 東西 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 11 |
| titchy | 極小的 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 6 |
| tottler | 蹣跚學步 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 8 |
| togglehumper | 噩夢 | 1 | 0 | 20 | 24 |
| venosome | 有毒的 | 2 | 8 | 15 | 6 |
| whizzpopping | 放屁 | 5 | 0 | 15 | 13 |
| whoppsy | 美妙的 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 |
| winkles | 眼睛 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 8 |
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