補充閱讀對台灣以英語為外語學習者在英文字彙習得與保存的成效

The Impact of Supplemental Reading on Vocabulary Acquisition and Retention with EFL Learners in Taiwan

研究顯示大量閱讀可無意間促進字彙習得。但是台灣大部分的英語學習者並未能大量閱讀英語讀物。本研究旨在比較「閱讀加字彙練習」與「窄讀」（大量閱讀有關同一主題的文章）兩種方式對台灣高中生在英文字彙習得與保存的成效。五十位英文程度中級的高三學生，分別接受前述兩種教學方式，為時五週共十小時。「閱讀加字彙練習」組除了閱讀文章外，另作不同的單字練習；「窄讀」組除閱讀相同文章外，還閱讀與主題相同之文章二至三篇。實驗測試工具為中譯版的「單字知識等級表」。結果顯示：「閱讀加字彙練習」組的字彙習得與保存顯著地贏過「窄讀」組。在細項方面：「閱讀加字彙練習」組所認識的字彙多於窄讀組；能正確使用的字彙亦顯著地多於「窄讀」組。

Research has shown that incidental vocabulary learning takes place when learners read extensively. However, not many EFL students can engage in large amounts of reading in Taiwan. In an attempt to incorporate larger amounts of reading into EFL classroom instruction and to compare the effect of this practice with that of vocabulary exercises, the researchers conducted a classroom-based study over a 5-week period. The participants were 50 male students, at an intermediate level of English proficiency, in their third year of study in a senior high school. Half of them received the reading-plus-vocabulary- enhancement（RV） instructional treatment: they read selected texts and also practiced various vocabulary exercises. The other half received the narrow reading（NR） treatment: they read thematically-related supplemental materials on the same topics presented in the selected texts. A Chinese version of the Vocabulary Knowledge Scale（VKS） was then employed to assess students' knowledge of 50 vocabulary items. The RV group significantly outperformed the NR group on both acquisition and retention tests, and demonstrated significantly more productive knowledge on the acquisition test and more receptive knowledge on both tests.