ERIC Number: EJ1020050
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2014-Jan
Pages: 20
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1362-1688
EISSN: N/A
The Effects of Repetition and Time of Post-Test Administration on EFL Learners' Form Recall of Single Words and Collocations
Peters, Elke
Language Teaching Research, v18 n1 p75-94 Jan 2014
This article examines how form recall of target lexical items by learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) is affected (1) by repetition (1, 3 or 5 number of occurrences), (2) by the type of target item (single words versus collocations), and (3) by the time of post-test administration (immediately or one week after the learning session). The learning treatment consisted of non-communicative, (partly) decontextualized activities, in which the target items (12 single words and 12 collocations) occurred once, 3 or 5 times. In all activities, participants had to supply the target items' form. Data were collected in a classroom setting in two groups, differing only in the time of test administration. In group 1, participants took two unannounced post-tests, one test immediately after the experimental treatment and the second test 2 weeks later, whereas participants in group 2 took their first unannounced post-test only 1 week after the experimental treatment and the second test 2 weeks after the treatment. The findings showed a large effect of repetition that was independent of the time of post-test administration. The difference in recall scores of items occurring once or 5 times appeared to be crucial in both groups and for both single words and collocations. Moreover, the effect of repetition was durable. The results also indicated that collocations were more difficult to learn than single words.
Descriptors: Second Language Learning, English (Second Language), Recall (Psychology), Phrase Structure, Language Tests, Scores, Pretests Posttests, Comparative Analysis, Vocabulary Development, Difficulty Level, Second Language Instruction, Reading Processes, Business Administration Education, Foreign Countries, College Students
SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: http://sagepub.com
Publication Type: Reports - Research; Journal Articles
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Belgium
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A