What Types of Illustrations are Effective in Intentional Vocabulary Learning? Simple or Complex? Clear or Unclear?
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| Title: | What Types of Illustrations are Effective in Intentional Vocabulary Learning? Simple or Complex? Clear or Unclear? |
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| Authors: | Ide, Satoshi1 s2320051@u.tsukuba.ac.jp, Yanagisawa, Akifumi1 yanagisawa.akifum.ft@u.tsukuba.ac.jp |
| Source: | TESL-EJ. May2026, Vol. 30 Issue 1, p1-25. 25p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Visual aids, *Memorization, *Teaching aids, *Second language acquisition, Illustration (Art) |
| Abstract: | Visual aids are commonly used in language learning; however, empirical evidence on their benefits for vocabulary learning is mixed. As the effectiveness of illustrations could depend on their characteristics, the impact of different illustration features (e.g., clarity and complexity--simple vs. detailed images) as well as other potential moderating factors on intentional vocabulary learning was assessed in this study. Two experiments were conducted for this purpose, respectively adopting vocabulary lists and flashcards. In both experiments, Japanese EFL university students learned unfamiliar words in one of three conditions--noillustration, simple illustrations, or complex illustrations--and their learning was assessed via pretests, immediate posttests, and delayed posttests. The results showed that while no significant effects of illustrations were found for list learning, with flashcards, the effects of illustrations were moderated by word concreteness. Specifically, both simple and complex illustrations facilitated the learning of concrete words, whereas simple illustrations hindered the learning of abstract words. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of TESL-EJ is the property of TESL-EJ and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Education Research Complete |
| FullText | Links: – Type: pdflink Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: ehh DbLabel: Education Research Complete An: 194541079 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: What Types of Illustrations are Effective in Intentional Vocabulary Learning? Simple or Complex? Clear or Unclear? – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ide%2C+Satoshi%22">Ide, Satoshi</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><i> s2320051@u.tsukuba.ac.jp</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Yanagisawa%2C+Akifumi%22">Yanagisawa, Akifumi</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><i> yanagisawa.akifum.ft@u.tsukuba.ac.jp</i> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22TESL-EJ%22">TESL-EJ</searchLink>. May2026, Vol. 30 Issue 1, p1-25. 25p. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Visual+aids%22">Visual aids</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Memorization%22">Memorization</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teaching+aids%22">Teaching aids</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Second+language+acquisition%22">Second language acquisition</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Illustration+%28Art%29%22">Illustration (Art)</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Visual aids are commonly used in language learning; however, empirical evidence on their benefits for vocabulary learning is mixed. As the effectiveness of illustrations could depend on their characteristics, the impact of different illustration features (e.g., clarity and complexity--simple vs. detailed images) as well as other potential moderating factors on intentional vocabulary learning was assessed in this study. Two experiments were conducted for this purpose, respectively adopting vocabulary lists and flashcards. In both experiments, Japanese EFL university students learned unfamiliar words in one of three conditions--noillustration, simple illustrations, or complex illustrations--and their learning was assessed via pretests, immediate posttests, and delayed posttests. The results showed that while no significant effects of illustrations were found for list learning, with flashcards, the effects of illustrations were moderated by word concreteness. Specifically, both simple and complex illustrations facilitated the learning of concrete words, whereas simple illustrations hindered the learning of abstract words. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of TESL-EJ is the property of TESL-EJ and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.55593/ej.30117a5 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 25 StartPage: 1 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Visual aids Type: general – SubjectFull: Memorization Type: general – SubjectFull: Teaching aids Type: general – SubjectFull: Second language acquisition Type: general – SubjectFull: Illustration (Art) Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: What Types of Illustrations are Effective in Intentional Vocabulary Learning? Simple or Complex? Clear or Unclear? Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Ide, Satoshi – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Yanagisawa, Akifumi IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 05 Text: May2026 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 10724303 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 30 – Type: issue Value: 1 Titles: – TitleFull: TESL-EJ Type: main |
| ResultId | 1 |
