Captioning and grammar learning in the L2 Spanish classroom

ABSTRACT

Previous research has demonstrated the effectiveness of captioning in second language (L2) comprehension and vocabulary learning. However, little attention has been paid to its potential in supporting grammar development, another challenging area in L2 acquisition. In this research, we used a randomised control design to investigate the role of salience-raising through textually enhanced captioned video on L2 vocabulary and grammar development. The experiment for this study was integrated into a one-semester university L2 Spanish grammar course. Through four data-collection sessions, we targeted: the preterite/imperfect, copula verbs, gustar-type verbs, and the subjunctive. In each session, participants saw a short grammar lesson before an animated video, which included: (i) captions with textually enhanced target vocabulary, (ii) textually enhanced target grammar, or (ii) a no captioning control. Learners were then tested on their recognition and production of the target items. Results show clear effects of captioning on vocabulary performance. For some grammar structures, there were also positive effects of captioning on production, whereas for other grammar structures no such effect was uncovered. Altogether, these findings confirm the effectiveness of captioning on vocabulary, and illustrate specific difficulties related to grammar captioning, such as the role of structure-specific saliency in the grammatical input.

KEYWORDS:

• Captioning
• textual enhancement
• vocabulary acquisition
• grammar acquisition
• morphology
• Spanish

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID

Myrna Cintrón-Valentín http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7560-7566

Lorenzo García-Amaya http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8412-3061

Nick C. Ellis https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4235-6481

Notes

1 We adopt this definition of salience due to the focus of the current study. We acknowledge that the topic of salience within the SLA literature is broad in scope. For instance, Cintrón-Valentín and Ellis (2016) focus on the physical characteristics of the linguistic cues in the input, learners’ prior L1 knowledge, and Form-Focused Instruction techniques aimed at refocusing learner attention (see also Ellis 2017; Gass et al. 2017).

2 We focused on these grammatical structures since these were the four major grammar topics covered in the course, for which more than one day of class instruction was assigned. For all other grammar structures covered in the course (e.g., por/para ‘for/to’), only one half-day of grammar instruction was included in the syllabus.

3 Participants were fifth-semester learners of Spanish or had received a high score in their Advanced Placement Spanish course in high school.

4 The vocabulary translation task, as we call it here, has typically been referred to in the vocabulary learning literature as a test of form recall by Nation (2001) and as a productive translation task by Webb (2008).

5 NIM is Web-based software that allows users to search for words according to their length, lexical frequency, or parts of speech in English, Spanish, and Catalan.

6 Although we recognize that the usage of this structure is in variation and that this variation can affect its acquisition (Geeslin 2003), in the current study, we focused on the rules included in the learners’ course textbook.

7 Learners who were absent on the first day of class, or enrolled after the first week, completed the Pre-Experimental phase during a separate makeup session.

8 Instructors were asked not to assign readings or homework on the target material prior to the experimental phases.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship under [grant number DGE 1256260]. We would like to thank Nicholas Henriksen and Elizabeth Garno for helping design and pilot parts of this experiment, as well as the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) at the University of Michigan.