https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9494-0316
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ABSTRACT
This experimental study explored the impact of representation + glossary label visuals on science outcomes in a sample of 174 Grade 7 English learners (ELs). Analysis of covariance results indicated that, regardless of English proficiency, ELs in both treatment and control conditions performed similarly on reading comprehension (p = .26) and triggered interest (p = .65) measures, with a trend in means favoring the no-visuals, control group. These findings suggest that, although recommended by the literature, representation + glossary label visuals for ELs may be associated with deleterious (seductive details) rather than beneficial (dual coding) effects. Additional research is needed on higher-level visuals (organization, interpretation, transformation) to identify visual accommodations most effective in supporting ELs' science learning. Regression analysis results indicated that triggered situational interest predicted science reading comprehension above and beyond English language proficiency, suggesting the importance of instructionally stimulating this interest type. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.
Acknowledgements
This project was supported by Washington State University College of Education's Faculty Research Funding Award given to the first authors. We are grateful to the school's administration, teachers, and students for their support, assistance, and study participation.
Notes
1. This terminology (Hidi & Renninger, Citation2006) reflects a finer, and more appropriate for our purposes, distinction.
2. Schiefele et al. (Citation2012) referred to interest as “curiosity,” “object-oriented reading motivation,” and “reading for interest” (p. 429) and considered interest to be a component of intrinsic reading motivation along with, for example, involvement.
3. Krapp (Citation2002) described this process as the person's identifying herself “with the goals, actions and topics related to this interest” (p. 400).