Running head: MULTIMEDIA ANNOTATIONS 1

THE EFFECT OF MULTIMEDIA ANNOTATIONS ON SECOND LANGUAGE WORD MEMORY AND READING ABILITY

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Many researchers believe language development to be the most important part of learning a second language (Knight, 1994). Also, a majority of students studying a foreign language and their teachers mention vocabulary as their number one priority (Knight, 1994). Language educators believe that foreign language learners need to increase their vocabulary and develop strategies for coping with new words (Harley, 1996). Usually, these strategies include the use of dictionaries and glosses inserted into some language textbooks. These two techniques are not very useful for students who usually have to stop their reading to find the meaning of new words. Also, the printed form of gloss is not always likable to students. With the addition of computers and other media in language learning and teaching, it has become possible to design new tools for teaching vocabulary while at the same time reading a text. One of these tools that have grown in interest is the usage of glosses with different media. This goal of this new gloss aims is to help students succeed in language development by offering glossaries that come not only in text form but also in pictures, sound, and video. Much research has been done to study the effect of different types glosses that use different media on language learning and memory with second language learners (Al Seghayer (2001); Chun & Plass, 1996; Kost, Foss, and Lenzini, 1999). Chun and Plass (1996) conducted three studies to investigate the effect of text-picture and text-video conditions on vocabulary retention. The results showed that words explained in both text and pictures helped participants recall more vocabulary than words explained with only text or text and video.

MULTIMEDIA ANNOTATIONS Another study conducted by Kost et al. (1999) looked at the effectiveness of text

and picture glosses on secondary vocabulary growth of foreign language learners. Kost et al.(1999) reported that students who used a combination of text and picture gloss while reading performed better than students who used only textual gloss or pictorial gloss. Researchers also studied the effect of gloss on reading. Chun and Plass (1995) discovered that understanding was increased when students had the chance to get their favored visual or verbal explanation. The results indicated that visual explanations helped with overall understanding. No research exists that links the effectiveness of different multimedia glosses on word memory and reading ability. If the relationship between audio, text, and the visual presentation of objects is believed to greatly improve memory (Dubois & Vial, 2000) then it becomes important to decide if combining the written word, pictures, and sound would help students retain words better. The purpose of this study is to relate the effect of different gloss types on word memory and reading ability among second language learners. Research questions 1. What is the effect of textual gloss on a) word retention b) reading comprehension and c) reading time? 2. What is the effect of text and audio glosses on a) word retention b) reading comprehension and c) reading time? 3. What is the effect of audio and picture glosses on a) word retention b) reading comprehension and c) reading time? 4. What is the effect of audio, text and picture glosses on a) word retention b)

MULTIMEDIA ANNOTATIONS reading comprehension and c) reading time? 5. What is the effect of audio, text, picture glosses and writing on a) word retention b) reading comprehension and c) reading time? Literature Review Glossing is important in second language reading because it is a way for learners

to understand a text. Glosses help students on the parts of a text that are beyond their skill level (Widdowson, 1979). The process of reading and understanding in ones natural language is a complicated process; this difficulty growths even more when reading in a foreign language. It is suggested that multimedia settings have the possibility to simplify second language reading understanding because of its ability to combine different kinds of methods such as audio, images, and video, in addition to the written word, in the presentation of material (Martinez-Lage 1997; Chun and Plass 1996). In an outline of the benefits of glosses, Nation (1990) states that they offer a flow in sense, independence from dictionaries and accuracy in finding meaning. However, he adds that students should be urged to use glosses after they try to guess so that at least their guesses can be confirmed or denied. Jacobs (1994) says that multimedia glossing is a successful method that aids second language vocabulary development. Students and researchers can find value in glossing provided through multimedia, such as a computer. Students are given access to glosses of new terminology. Also a list of the already read items is generated automatically. Researchers can study the generated list in order to gather information about specific learners, such as reading approaches. Chun and Plass (1996) stress that when words or phrases are offered through

MULTIMEDIA ANNOTATIONS varying methods, retention is easier. They say that foreign words associated with actual

objects or imagery techniques are learned more easily than words without (1996, p. 183). Lomicka (1998) examined the manner in which multimedia glossaries impact overall vocabulary comprehension. The results showed that electronic reading with full glossing fostered a higher level of textual understanding. Lomicka suggested that the multimedia glosses were the key to text comprehension. More specifically, the multimedia glossaries affected the generation of causal inferences and the construction of a situation model. That is, the computerized glosses helped learners in the construction of a situation model and led to the generation of causal inferences. Glosses allow students to consider the text language more comprehensively. They offer more control, quicker retrieval, no reading disruptions, and several arrangements of information presentation, which cannot be done through other established teaching methods (Davis and Lyman-Hager, 1997). The current multimedia gloss literature indicates that electronic, or computerized, glossing does have an effect on vocabulary development. This effect seems to come from the accessibility of various types of material, the lack of reading disruption, and the creation of connecting inferences. METHODOLOGY Participants The participants in this study will consist of 200-250 students registered in a beginning English class at regional university. The department will be asked to include a specific reading activity into the program. All of the chosen participants will be nonnative speakers of English and will be fluent in another language. The subjects will be asked to

MULTIMEDIA ANNOTATIONS complete a demographics questionnaire immediately after signing and returning the informed consents. Each participant will also finish a pretreatment vocabulary test to

establish his or her base level understanding of the terminology used in this research. All participants who have a previous awareness of at least 50 percent of the vocabulary will be taken out of the study. Procedure The subjects will be randomly appointed to one of the four conditions: 1) no glossing, 2) written word and audio 3) images and audio or 4) written word, audio, and image. After arriving at the designated research setting, each subject will be given a computer number, which will link to one of the four potential study conditions. For example, the participant one will be assigned computer number 1A, which relates to the first condition, the next subject will be given number 2B, which stands for condition 2. The next participant will be assigned 3C, which relates to condition 3. The fourth subject would be assigned number 4D, which would stand for condition 4. The reasoning behind this arrangement is to make sure that a uniform number of participants are present for each condition. The investigational process will be made up of five stages: a pretest, a lesson, a comprehensive exam, a direct terminology exam, and a postponed terminology exam. After the presentation of the pretest, subjects will be asked to read the computerized text with the objective words highlighted and underlined. Participants who are appointed to one of the experimental groups will be presented with a brief demonstration on how to use the provided annotations. After that, subjects will be informed to read the provided text and comprehend it for knowledge questions that will be given at a later time.

MULTIMEDIA ANNOTATIONS Subjects will further be informed that while reading, they will be able to search material

about the underlined and highlighted words by clicking on them with the mouse, in order to explain the implication of the word within its context. Participants will be urged to use this, since the words will be relevant to text understanding. However, they will not be instructed to study the words, nor will they be informed of the terminology exam that will be given subsequently. Participants will be notified that the reading period is time limited, which will be about 30 minutes. Predictions It is predicted that subjects which have the chance to use the written word, audio, image, and writing annotation types will almost certainly have an improved memory of the terminology, as well as better vocabulary understanding, than the subjects who only received the resource of written word annotation, a written word and audio gloss, a written word, image, and audio annotation, or no gloss at all.

MULTIMEDIA ANNOTATIONS References Al-Seghayer, K. (2001). The effects of multimedia annotation modes on L2 vocabulary

acquisition: A comparative study. Language Learning and Technology, 5(1), 202232. Chun, D. M., & Plass, J. L. (1995). Project CyberBuch: A hypermedia approach to computer-assisted language learning. Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia, 4(1), 95-116. Chun, D. M., & Plass, J. L. (1996). Effects of multimedia annotations on vocabulary acquisition. Modern Language Journal, 80, 183-198. Davis, J. N., & Lyman-Hager, M. (1997). Computers and L2 reading: Student performance, student attitudes. Foreign Language Annals, 30(1), 58-72. Dubois, M. & Vial, I. (2000). Multimedia design: the effects of relating multimodal information. Journal of Assisted Computer Learning, 16, 157-165. Harley, B. (1996). Introduction: Vocabulary learning and teaching in a second language. The Canadian Modern Language Review, 53(1), 3-11. Jacobs, G. (1994). What lurks in the margin: Use of vocabulary glosses as a strategy in second language reading. Issues in Applied Linguistics, 4(1), 115-137. Knight, S. (1994). Dictionary use while reading: The effects on comprehension and vocabulary acquisition for students of different verbal abilities. The Modern Language Journal, 78(3), 285-297. Kost, C., Foss, P., & Lenzini, J. (1999). Textual and pictorial gloss: Effectiveness on incidental vocabulary growth when reading in a foreign language. Foreign Language Annals, 32(1), 89-113.

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Lomicka, L. (1998). To gloss or not to gloss: An investigation of reading comprehension online. Language Learning and Technology, 1(2), 41-50. Martinez-Lage, A. (1997). Hypermedia technology for teaching reading. In M. Bush & R. Terry (Eds.), Technology enhanced language learning (pp. 121-163). Lincolnwood, IL: National Textbook Company. Nation, I.S.P. (1990). Teaching and Learning Vocabulary. Boston: Heinle, Heinle. Widdowson, H. G. (1979). Teaching language as communication. Oxford: Oxford University Press.