The effects of mobile-assisted reading on incidental L2 word learning: a processing perspective

Abstract

Previous reading research on incidental word learning as product and process has largely employed computer- or paper-based delivery methods. The present study uses a novel combination of offline and online measures to examine the effects of mobile media (mobile phone and tablet) compared to traditional media (paper and computer) on incidental L2 word learning from reading at three stages: the acquisition outcome, the acquisition process, and the posttest recall. One hundred fifty-six participants were assigned to one of the four media conditions with their eye movements recorded. We examined the acquisition outcome using form recognition, meaning recognition, and meaning recall posttests. We examined the acquisition process using summed first fixation duration, summed gaze duration, and summed fixation time. We used response time to examine the posttest recall. Our results show that mobile-assisted reading yielded an equivalent performance in word learning accuracy, allocated visual attention, and response time compared with paper-based reading that still presents a small advantage. Lower performance in one dimension of accuracy and two dimensions of attentional allocation suggest less efficiency in word learning from computer-assisted reading. This study presents a new research direction and cognitive evidence of the effectiveness of mobile-assisted language learning in word learning. We critically discuss the limitations of this study and provide suggestions for future research.

Keywords:

• Incidental L2 word learning
• L2 reading, eye-tracking
• cognitive processes
• mobile-assisted language learning

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank all the volunteers for their participation, Dr. Jan-Louis Kruger for his technical support in tracking glasses, and the three anonymous reviewers for their valuable and insightful comments.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Funding

We would like to thank China Scholarship Council and University of New South Wales (Joint-grant no. 201607565013) and Australian Commonwealth Government (Research Training Program; Grant no. z5100864) for funding this research.

Additional information

Funding

We would like to thank China Scholarship Council and University of New South Wales (Joint-grant no. 201607565013) and Australian Commonwealth Government (Research Training Program; Grant no. z5100864) for funding this research.

Notes on contributors

Jiarui Hou

Dr. Jiarui Hou, School of Humanities and Languages, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia. Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Dr. Jiarui Hou. He earned his PhD in Applied Linguistics at UNSW Sydney in 2021. He was the finalist as one faculty representative (Winner for People’s Choice Award) to compete at the university level in the high-profile 3 Minute Thesis Competition at UNSW Sydney where doctoral candidates have 3 minutes to present their thesis projects and their implications and impact for society in 2018. He received the joint funding from China Scholarship Council and UNSW Sydney to study the PhD program at UNSW Sydney in 2016. He earned his MA in Applied Linguistics from Hainan University, Hainan, China in 2016. During the MA program, he also studied at Taiwan ILan University in an MA exchange program from 2014 to 2015. He received the ‘National Postgraduate Excellence Award’ granted by China Education Ministry in 2015. His research incorporates eye-tracking methodology and focuses on whether and how mobile technologies affect second language learning and its associated cognitive processes. Email: [email protected]

James F. Lee

Dr. James F. Lee, Department of Classical and Modern Languages and Literatures, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas 79409, USA. He earned his MA in Romance Linguistics and PhD in Hispanic Linguistics from the University of Texas at Austin. He previously worked at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, Indiana University, Bloomington, and more recently, UNSW Sydney. He has published 8 academic books on various aspects of second language processing with noted publishers: Mouton de Gruyter, McGraw-Hill, Continuum, and Bloomsbury Academic. He has published numerous chapters in books (John Benjamins, Erlbaum, Bloomsbury Academic, Routledge, Wiley) and his articles have appeared in the best ranked journals, among them, Studies in Second Language Acquisition and the Modern Language Journal. His most recent research incorporates eye-tracking methodology in which he documents the similarities and differences between how, when and to what native and second language learners allocate visual attention during sentences processing. Email: [email protected]

Stephen Doherty

Dr. Stephen Doherty, School of Humanities and Languages, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia. He earned his PhD in Applied Language Studies in 2012 and carried out postdoc research (2012–2013 and 2013–2014) at Dublin City University. His research has been supported by the Australian Research Council, Science Foundation Ireland, the European Union, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters, Enterprise Ireland, and a range of industry collaborators. As a Chief Investigator, he has a career total of $2.2 million in competitive research grants and contracted research. With a focus on the psychology of language and technology, his research investigates human and machine language processing using natural language processing techniques and combinations of online and offline methods, mainly eye-tracking and psychometrics. Email: [email protected]