The role of text comprehension, L2 reading proficiency, incidental vs. intentional vocabulary exposure in intake, gain, and retention of target vocabulary

How best to learn vocabulary is still unclear, partly because its realization is dependant upon a variety of factors. The purpose of this experimental study reported here is to investigate the relative contributions of text comprehension in more and less familiar texts, L2 reading proficiency, incidental vs. intentional vocabulary exposure to intake, gain, and retention of target words.The research was conducted at the preparatory school of an English-medium university. Participants were 68 native speakers of Turkish learning English as a Foreign Language. They were randomly assigned to one of the incidental or intentional vocabulary learning groups. Data collection was completed in five separate sessions. In session 1, participants took the Oxford Placement Test. In session 2, Topic Familiarity Questionnaire and Cambridge Preliminary English Test were administered. In session 3, participants were asked to perform a Written Recall for more and less familiar texts in their L1 (Turkish). In session 4, Word Recognition Memory Test was administered to measure intake of nonsense TWs. Following the Word Recognition Memory Test, Translation Production Test and Translation Recognition Test were administered to assess gain of nonsense TWs. In session 5, Translation Production Test and Translation Recognition Test were re-administered four weeks later to assess retention of TWs.Data were submitted to stepwise regression analysis. The findings revealed that text comprehension from less familiar texts was a significant predictor of intake. Text comprehension from more familiar texts and L2 reading proficiency were significant predictors of gain. Text comprehension from more familiar texts, incidental vs. intentional vocabulary exposure, and L2 reading proficiency were significant predictors of retention.