The Effect of Online Quizlet Flashcards and Student-Created Quizlet Flashcards on Learning and Retention of Productive and Receptive Vocabulary Knowledge of Elementary Iranian EFL Learners

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of English Language and Literature, Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences, University of Yazd, Yazd, Iran

2 Department of English Language and Literature, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, University of Sistan and Baluchestan, Sistan and Baluchestan, Iran

Abstract

Learning vocabulary seems to be a major focus of language instruction. The role of vocabulary knowledge in language learning has been studied by many researchers. The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of using online Quizlet flashcards and student-created Quizlet flashcards on learning and retention of receptive and productive vocabulary knowledge. Sixty Iranian elementary high school students who were randomly divided into 3 groups (twenty subjects per group) participated in this study. The materials and data collection instruments included the Quick Placement Test (QPT), the students’ textbook, Top Notch1 from which the vocabulary items were selected, a pre-test, an immediate post-test, and a delayed post-test. It should be mentioned that the control group was taught the words through the conventional method while the first experimental group received the words using online flashcards and the next experimental group worked on developing their own Quizlet flashcards. The results showed that in terms of receptive vocabulary knowledge learning, the students of the online Quizlet flashcards group significantly outperformed students of the control group and online Quizlet flashcards. In learning of the productive vocabulary knowledge, the learners of the control group performed significantly better than other two experimental groups. The results on vocabulary retention revealed that students of the student-created Quizlet flashcards group significantly outperformed students of the control group in terms of retention of the receptive vocabulary knowledge, and in terms of the productive vocabulary knowledge retention there were no significant difference between the groups of the study. These findings will be advantageous for English language teachers to choose the teaching techniques which can facilitate the process of language teaching and learning.

Keywords

References

Afshari, M., Bakar, K. A., Luan, W. S., Samah, B. A., & Fooi, F. S. (2009). Factors affecting teachers’ use of information and communication technology. International journal of instruction, 2(1). https://doi.org/10.18848/1447- 9494/cgp/v16i03/46189
Alghamdi, A. A., & Elyas, T. (2020). The Effect of Electronic Flashcards on EFL Students' Vocabulary Learning: The Case of Saudi Arabia. Randwick International of Education and Linguistics Science Journal, 1(2), 114-125. https://doi.org/10.47175/rielsj.v1i2.79
Azabdaftari, B., & Mozaheb, M. A. (2012). Comparing vocabulary learning of EFL learners by using two different strategies: Mobile learning vs. flashcards. The Eurocall Review, 20(2), 47-59. https://doi.org/10.4995/eurocall.2012.11377
Bahrick, H. P., & Phelphs, E. (1987). Retention of Spanish vocabulary over 8 years. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 13(2), 344. https://doi.org/10.1037//0278-7393.13.2.344
Basoglu, E. B., & Akdemir, O. (2010). A comparison of undergraduate students' English vocabulary learning: Using mobile phones and flash cards. Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology-TOJET, 9(3), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.24114/tj.v2i1.903
Beaton, A., Gruneberg, M., & Ellis, N. (1995). Retention of foreign vocabulary learned using the keyword method: A ten-year follow-up. Second Language Research, 11(2), 112-120. https://doi.org/10.1177/026765839501100203
Brown, R., Waring, R., & Donkaewbua, S. (2008). Incidental vocabulary acquisition from reading, reading-while-listening, and listening to stories. Journal of Education and Practice. https://doi.org/10.1080/17501229.2016.1203328
Faraj, A. K. A. (2015). Effective Strategies for Turning Receptive Vocabulary into Productive Vocabulary in EFL Context. Journal of Education and Practice, 6(27), 10-19.
Farrokhi, F., Zohrabi, M., & Bolandnazar, A. (2021). The role of flashcard and wordlist strategies with concrete vs. abstract words on Iranian EFL learners’ vocabulary development. Iranian Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 10(1), 88-107. https://dorl.net/dor/20.1001.1.24763187.2021.10.1.6.0
Finocchiaro, M. (1986). English As a Second or Foreign Language. In: New York.
Folse, K. S. (2006). The effect of type of written exercise on L2 vocabulary retention. TESOL quarterly, 40(2), 273-293. https://doi.org/10.2307/40264523
Folse, K. S., & Briggs, S. J. (2004). Vocabulary myths: Applying second language research to classroom teaching. University of Michigan Press Ann Arbor.
Graves, M. F. (2006). The vocabulary book: Learning and instruction. Newark. DE: International Reading Association, 69-70. Hummel, K. M. (2010). Translation and short-term L2 vocabulary retention: Hindrance or help?. Language teaching research, 14(1), 61-74. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362168809346497
Hung, H. T. (2015). Intentional vocabulary learning using digital flashcards. English Language Teaching, 8(10), 107-112. https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v8n10p107
Karpicke, J. D., & Zaromb, F. M. (2010). Retrieval mode distinguishes the testing effect from the generation effect. Journal of Memory and Language, 62(3), 227-239. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jml.2009.11.010
Khodashenas, M. R., Farahani, S. K., & Alishahi, Z. (2014). Flash cards versus animated cartoons: A comparative study in vocabulary teaching and learning. International Journal of Language Learning and Applied Linguistics World, 5(4), 290-298.
Komachali, M. E., & Khodareza, M. (2012). The Effect of Using Vocabulary Flash Card on Iranian Pre-University Students' Vocabulary Knowledge. International Education Studies, 5(3), 134-147. https://doi.org/10.5539/ies.v5n3p134
Köse, T., & Mede, E. (2016). Perceptions of efl learners about using an online tool for vocabulary learning in EFL classrooms: a     pilot       project in            turkey. Procedia-Social  and        Behavioral          Sciences, 232,     362-372. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2016.10.051
Laufer, B. (1992). Reading in a foreign language: How does L2 lexical knowledge interact with the reader's general academic ability'. Journal of Research in Reading, 15(2), 95-103. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9817.1992.tb00025.x
Laufer, B. (1998). The development of passive and active vocabulary in a second language: Same or different?. Applied linguistics, 19(2), 255-271. https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/19.2.255
Lee, L. (2004). Learners' perspectives on networked collaborative interaction with native speakers of Spanish in the US. Language Learning & Technology, 8(1), 83-100.
Mohammadnejad, S., Nikdel, H., & Oroujlou, N. (2012). Reactivating EFL Learners' Word Knowledge by Means of Two Techniques:       Flashcards           versus   Wordlists.            International     Journal of            Linguistics, 4(4), 393. https://doi.org/10.5296/ijl.v4i4.2913
Mojarradi, S. (2014). The effect of using flashcards on ESL (English as a Second Language) students’ ability to learn vocabulary. International Journal of Scientific World, 2(2), 56-61. https://doi.org/10.14419/ijsw.v2i2.3291
Nation, I. S. (2001). Learning vocabulary in another language. Ernst Klett Sprachen.
Nemati, A. (2009). Memory vocabulary learning strategies and long-term retention. International journal of vocational technical education, 1(2), 014-024. https://doi.org/10.4314/marang.v20i1.56821
Nicholson, T. (1998). Teaching Reading The flashcard strikes back. Reading Teacher, 52, 188-192.
Osman, S. N., & Al-Homoud, F. A. (2015). Flash Cards vs. Word Lists for Vocabulary Building among Majmmah High School Students. Journal of Human and Administrative Sciences, 201(3125), 1. https://doi.org/10.12816/0024010
Payne, D. G., Neely, J. H., & Burns, D. J. (1986). The generation effect: Further tests of the lexical activation hypothesis. Memory & Cognition, 14(3), 246-252. https://doi.org/10.3758/bf03197700
Richards, C.J. & Schmidt, R. (2002). Dictionary of language teaching and applied linguistics. New York: Pearson Education.
Saslow, J., & Ascher, A. (2011). Top Notch 1 Student Book and Workbook Pack (3rd ed.). Pearson Education ESL.
Scott, J. A., & Nagy, W. E. (1997). Understanding the definitions of unfamiliar verbs. Reading Research Quarterly, 32(2), 184-200.
Schmitt, N. (2010). Key issues in teaching and learning vocabulary. In Insights into non-native vocabulary teaching and learning (pp. 28-40). Multilingual Matters.https://doi.org/10.21832/9781847692900-004
Sitompul, E. Y. (2013). Teaching vocabulary using flashcards and word list. Journal of English and Education, 1(1), 52-58.
Taghizadeh, M., & Porkar, P. (2018). Tablet, flashcard and SMS and their effects on EFL learners' attitudes and vocabulary knowledge. way, 6(01).
Tan, A., & Nicholson, T. (1997). Flashcards revisited: Training poor readers to read words faster improves their comprehension of text. Journal of Educational Psychology, 89(2), 276. https://doi.org/10.1037//0022-0663.89.2.276
Teng, F. (2018). Incidental vocabulary acquisition from reading-only and reading-while-listening: A multi-dimensional approach.            Innovation          in            Language            Learning              and        Teaching,            12(3), 274-288. https://doi.org/10.1080/17501229.2016.1203328
Test, Q. P. (2001). Oxford University Press and University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate. Photocopiable at UCLES.
Tinkham, T. (1997). The effects of semantic and thematic clustering on the learning of second language vocabulary. Second language research, 13(2), 138-163. https://doi.org/10.1191/026765897672376469
Verhallen, M., & Schoonen, R. (1998). Lexical knowledge in L1 and L2 of third and fifth graders. Applied Linguistics, 19(4), 452-470.
Vidal, K. (2011). A comparison of the effects of reading and listening on incidental vocabulary acquisition. Language Learning, 61(1), 219-258. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9922.2010.00593.x
Webb, S. (2007). Learning word pairs and glossed sentences: The effects of a single context on vocabulary knowledge. Language teaching research, 11(1), 63-81. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362168806072463
Zung, I., Imundo, M. N., & Pan, S. C. (2022). How do college students use digital flashcards during self-regulated learning?. Memory, 30(8), 923-941.https://doi.org/10.1080/09658211.2022.2058553
Applied Linguistics Inquiry
Volume 1, Issue 2
September 2023
Pages 60-73

Files

History

  • Receive Date: 16 April 2023
  • Revise Date: 10 May 2023
  • Accept Date: 30 August 2023

Share

How to cite

Statistics