Abstract Summary
This study investigates whether the effects of input- and output-based tasks on L2 vocabulary gains are influenced by task modality (oral vs. written). The findings demonstrate that both task types are beneficial for word learning, but their effects depend on task modality.
Abstract :
Among various task factors influencing task performance in L2 learning, task modality has surprisingly attracted less attention than others (Kuiken & Vedder, 2012). Noticeably, the effect of mode in relation to task factors has been far less investigated. Kuiken and Vedder’s (2011) study is the only one exploring the effect of task complexity in relation to mode. No study has explored the effect of focused tasks in relation to mode. This study fills the gap by comparing the effect of input- and output-based tasks on L2 vocabulary learning of Vietnamese EFL learners in two modalities, oral versus written.
In the first experiment, we compared the effects of written input- and output-based tasks on learners’ written vocabulary knowledge (k=20) (spontaneous use of words in a writing task, written form recall, meaning recall, and meaning recognition) in a pretest-posttest between-participants design (n=60). In the second experiment, we used the same input- and output-based tasks, but in the spoken mode and investigated their effects on learners’ spoken vocabulary knowledge (spontaneous use of words in a speaking task, spoken form recall, and meaning recall). The second experiment adopted a pretest-posttest within-participants design (n= 32). The same 20 target items were used, but distractors were added to the tests to control for a test effect.
The analyses showed that input- and output-based tasks resulted in vocabulary gains in both oral and written mode. Yet, the participants learned more items in the writing tasks than in the speaking tasks. Further, in both modalities, the input tasks resulted in higher gains at the level of meaning recall, whereas the output tasks resulted in better scores in the form recall test. However, the differences were only significant in the written mode. Our findings suggest that the effects of input- and output-based tasks may be affected by task modality.
