Rehearsal and aptitude in foreign vocabulary learning

Foreign language learners rehearse the language they are learning, both vocally and subvocally, as part of inner speech development (Guerrero, 2005). To add to the research on which method of rehearsal is more effective for initial foreign vocabulary learning, this study examined two hypotheses: fir...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Modern language journal (Boulder, Colo.) Colo.), 2013-12, Vol.97 (4), p.902-916
Main Authors: Dahlen, Kristina, Caldwell-Harris, Catherine
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
aptitude
Aptitudes
Aural learning
Foreign language learning
inner speech
Inner Speech (Subvocal)
Language Aptitude
Learning Strategies
Memory
Modern language
Nonnative languages
Phonetics
Phonological awareness
Phonology
Rehearsal
Second language learning
Syllables
Vocabulary development
Words
working memory
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Summary:Foreign language learners rehearse the language they are learning, both vocally and subvocally, as part of inner speech development (Guerrero, 2005). To add to the research on which method of rehearsal is more effective for initial foreign vocabulary learning, this study examined two hypotheses: first, that the manner of rehearsal of foreign vocabulary words influences subsequent recall and recognition of those words and second, that foreign language aptitude, as measured by the Modern Language Aptitude Test, can predict the level of success in initial learning of foreign vocabulary. English speakers (n = 88) heard a Turkish noun said three times while looking at a picture of that noun. They then rehearsed the 20 Turkish nouns in 1 of 4 conditions: vocal rehearsal with their own auditory feedback, vocal rehearsal with their auditory feedback suppressed by white noise, subvocal rehearsal as part of inner speech, and no rehearsal. Participants were then asked to recall the Turkish word for each picture and recognize the words when said in a sentence. We found that participants with high foreign language (FL) aptitude recalled and recognized more target words than participants with low FL aptitude. Also, the ability to rehearse undisturbed, either vocally or subvocally, yielded the best results in recall and recognition of the foreign vocabulary across all levels of foreign language aptitude. The results suggest that students with LI cognitive factors correlated with low FL aptitude should receive early training in phonological sensitivity and learning strategies to help them be successful language learners (de Jong, Seveke, & van Veen, 2000).
ISSN:0026-7902
1540-4781
DOI:10.1111/j.1540-4781.2013.12045.x