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How Do Text Type, Prior Vocabulary Knowledge, and Working Memory Capacity Affect Second Language Incidental Vocabulary Learning through Reading?

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Title: How Do Text Type, Prior Vocabulary Knowledge, and Working Memory Capacity Affect Second Language Incidental Vocabulary Learning through Reading?
Language: English
Authors: Soomin Lim (ORCID 0000-0002-8034-5441), Sang-Ki Lee (ORCID 0000-0001-6385-5055)
Source: Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching. 2025 15(3):623-651.
Availability: Adam Mickiewicz University Department of English Studies. Faculty of Pedagogy and Fine Arts, Ul. Nowy Swiat 28-30, 62-800 Kailsz, Poland. e-mail: ssllt@amu.edu.pll; Web site: http://pressto.amu.edu.pl/index.php/ssllt
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 29
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: High Schools
Secondary Education
Grade 10
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Second Language Learning, High School Students, Vocabulary, Vocabulary Development, Reading, Short Term Memory, Retention (Psychology), Influences, Prior Learning, Expository Writing, Descriptive Writing, Grade 10, English (Second Language)
Geographic Terms: South Korea
ISSN: 2083-5205
2084-1965
Abstract: Incidental vocabulary learning through reading may be influenced by a range of learner-internal as well as learner-external factors. This study, specifically, examined the potential impacts of three factors: text type, prior L2 vocabulary knowledge, and working memory capacity. Forty-six 1st grade high school students in Korea completed a battery of tests: (a) the Vocabulary Levels Test and (b) a reading span task as measures of prior vocabulary knowledge and working memory capacity, respectively. All the participants read two texts (one narrative and one expository) containing pseudowords and completed two reading comprehension tasks. Immediately after reading and again two days later, two measures of vocabulary gains were administered: (a) a form recognition test and (b) a meaning recognition test. The results revealed that the narrative text was more effective in aiding L2 vocabulary acquisition in the long term than the expository text. Both prior vocabulary knowledge and working memory capacity played facilitative roles in the lexical inferencing process and retention, but working memory capacity had much stronger effects throughout all the posttests. A significant interaction between text type and working memory capacity was also observed, suggesting that the text type effective for incidental learning differed according to learners' individual differences in language learning aptitude. Some implications for designing the classes that implement incidental vocabulary learning are discussed.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1483949
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
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  Data: How Do Text Type, Prior Vocabulary Knowledge, and Working Memory Capacity Affect Second Language Incidental Vocabulary Learning through Reading?
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Soomin+Lim%22">Soomin Lim</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8034-5441">0000-0002-8034-5441</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sang-Ki+Lee%22">Sang-Ki Lee</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6385-5055">0000-0001-6385-5055</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Studies+in+Second+Language+Learning+and+Teaching%22"><i>Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching</i></searchLink>. 2025 15(3):623-651.
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  Data: Adam Mickiewicz University Department of English Studies. Faculty of Pedagogy and Fine Arts, Ul. Nowy Swiat 28-30, 62-800 Kailsz, Poland. e-mail: ssllt@amu.edu.pll; Web site: http://pressto.amu.edu.pl/index.php/ssllt
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  Data: 29
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Second+Language+Learning%22">Second Language Learning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22High+School+Students%22">High School Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Vocabulary%22">Vocabulary</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Vocabulary+Development%22">Vocabulary Development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Reading%22">Reading</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Short+Term+Memory%22">Short Term Memory</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Retention+%28Psychology%29%22">Retention (Psychology)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Influences%22">Influences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Prior+Learning%22">Prior Learning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Expository+Writing%22">Expository Writing</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Descriptive+Writing%22">Descriptive Writing</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+10%22">Grade 10</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22English+%28Second+Language%29%22">English (Second Language)</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22South+Korea%22">South Korea</searchLink>
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  Data: 2083-5205<br />2084-1965
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Incidental vocabulary learning through reading may be influenced by a range of learner-internal as well as learner-external factors. This study, specifically, examined the potential impacts of three factors: text type, prior L2 vocabulary knowledge, and working memory capacity. Forty-six 1st grade high school students in Korea completed a battery of tests: (a) the Vocabulary Levels Test and (b) a reading span task as measures of prior vocabulary knowledge and working memory capacity, respectively. All the participants read two texts (one narrative and one expository) containing pseudowords and completed two reading comprehension tasks. Immediately after reading and again two days later, two measures of vocabulary gains were administered: (a) a form recognition test and (b) a meaning recognition test. The results revealed that the narrative text was more effective in aiding L2 vocabulary acquisition in the long term than the expository text. Both prior vocabulary knowledge and working memory capacity played facilitative roles in the lexical inferencing process and retention, but working memory capacity had much stronger effects throughout all the posttests. A significant interaction between text type and working memory capacity was also observed, suggesting that the text type effective for incidental learning differed according to learners' individual differences in language learning aptitude. Some implications for designing the classes that implement incidental vocabulary learning are discussed.
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  Data: 2025
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  Data: EJ1483949
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    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
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        PageCount: 29
        StartPage: 623
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Second Language Learning
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: High School Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Vocabulary
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      – SubjectFull: Reading
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      – SubjectFull: Short Term Memory
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Retention (Psychology)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Influences
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      – SubjectFull: Prior Learning
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      – SubjectFull: Expository Writing
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Descriptive Writing
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      – SubjectFull: Grade 10
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      – SubjectFull: English (Second Language)
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      – SubjectFull: South Korea
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      – TitleFull: How Do Text Type, Prior Vocabulary Knowledge, and Working Memory Capacity Affect Second Language Incidental Vocabulary Learning through Reading?
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            NameFull: Sang-Ki Lee
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