The Use of a Reading Lexicon to Aid Contextual Vocabulary Acquisition by EFL Arab Learners

Abstract

This article investigates how the use of a deliberate approach of analyzing a given reading may predict differences in CVA effectiveness. Sixty Arab EFL learners were randomly assigned to an experimental group and a control group, thirty participants for each. The experimental group received training in the deliberate Clarke and Nation (System 8:211–220, 1980) CVA technique, whereas the control group were not guided through a training method. Then, both groups were asked to answer three vocabulary tests and then participate to finish a series of six readings adjusted using Nation’s K-level reading lexicon to control the difficult words during readings. After treatments, the students took a post-test vocabulary session. Results show that the group that have used the deliberate CVA technique retained about twice as many new words as the other group did. That is the use of a deliberate-CVA methodology significantly improves learning. The experimental manipulation produced a learning effect that was 76.1% greater than that of the control group in terms of word context recognition and 128.0% greater than that of the control group in terms of word definition accuracy. Pedagogical implications, limitations and directions for further research are discussed.

Appendices

Appendix 1: Script for Initial Training, Experimental Group

EFL Paragraph Exercises

For Learning the Deliberate Contextual Vocabulary Acquisition (CVA) Technique

DAY ONE

“Please read the first paragraph on your sheet.” (Students read.)

Look for the word “cad” (difficulty level 7).

• 1. What part of speech is it? [noun, singular, concrete]

• 2. Look at the whole clause. What is the logic? [description of a person]

• 3. Look at the whole sentence and surrounding sentences. Do you see any other clues?

[opposite of hero; different writers may disagree a lot]

• 4. Now give a meaning to the word. [a man without honor]

The trouble with history is that it can be used to prove whatever you want it to prove. One historian turns to one set of facts and proves one thing. Another prefers another set of facts or perhaps reads the same set in a different way and proves something else. Some historians treat a man like a hero and others make him out to be a cad. As long as personal preference rules the day in the selection of historical data, all conclusions are suspect and probably misleading.

“Now read the second paragraph on your sheet.” (Students read.)

Look for the word “empowered” (difficulty level 5).

• 1. What part of speech is it? [adjective, past participle]

• 2. Look at the whole clause. What is the logic? [someone who can do great things]

• 3. Look at the whole sentence and surrounding sentences. Do you see any other clues?

[implies self-confidence and self-trust]

• 4. Now give a meaning to the word. [free to make one’s own decisions]

Walter Lippmann once observed that religious experience gives people a new confidence in their power and potential as human beings. The feeling that one stands in the immediate presence of God is associated with inner assurance, inner discipline, inner strength. The problems of this world lose their importance, and a person begins for the first time to feel the full significance of individuality. A new self-confidence and self-trust show themselves in every area, including the economic, and the empowered individual begins to do great things with his life.

Appendix 2: Script for Initial Training, Experimental Group

DAY TWO

“Please read the first paragraph on your sheet.” (Students read.)

Look for the word “bewildered” (difficulty level 5).

• 1. What part of speech is it? [adjective, past participle]

• 2. Look at the whole clause. What is the logic? [expecting to experience something]

• 3. Look at the whole sentence and surrounding sentences. Do you see any other clues?

[people did not expect to understand Emerson’s lectures]

• 4. Now give a meaning to the word. [very deeply confused]

Ralph Waldo Emerson was born in Boston. The son of a minister, he tried at first to follow his father’s example. After a few years he threw off the cloth and went out on the lecture circuit, where he soon became a star attraction. When he came to Pittsburgh in 1851, businesses closed early so that young office workers could go listen to him. Many were expecting to find themselves bewildered: it had been said of his philosophical works that his appeal arose from the fact, not that people understood him, but that they believed minds such as his should be encouraged. But when he began, the confusion cleared, and those who attended the lectures reported that what he said was just common sense.

“Now read the second paragraph on your sheet.” (Students read.)

Look for the word “entrepreneurs” (difficulty level 4).

• 1. What part of speech is it? [noun, plural, concrete]

• 2. Look at the whole clause. What is the logic? [other people]

• 3. Look at the whole sentence and surrounding sentences. Do you see any other clues?

[people like Honda and Morita, but smaller, hence with smaller businesses]

• 4. Now give a meaning to the word. [people who start new businesses]

This is what happened in Japan. We all know about the great institutions created by men of exceptional talent, Soichiro Honda, for example, or Sony’s Akio Morita. The achievements of such men were an essential part of the Japanese success story. But they were not the whole story. Important also were smaller entrepreneurs, who created tiny enterprises to supply the industrial giants with high-quality parts. Important also were millions of workers who were excited about their jobs and committed to the production of high-quality cars. (A story from the early eighties tells about a worker who stopped to straighten the wind-shield wipers of every Honda that he passed on his way home from work: he just couldn’t stand to see an imperfection in a Honda.)

Appendix 3: Script for Initial Training, Control Group

EFL Paragraph Exercises

For the Control Group

DAY ONE

“Please read the first paragraph on your sheet.” (Students read.)

Look for a word that you do not understand. [cad, hero, historian, misleading, preference]

• 1. (Call on a student.) What word did you identify?

• 2. (To everyone.) Who knows what the word means?

• 3. (To the first student.) Does the meaning work in this sentence?

(To everyone.) What other meanings are possible?

• 4. (Call on another student, and repeat the process.)

The trouble with history is that it can be used to prove whatever you want it to prove. One historian turns to one set of facts and proves one thing. Another prefers another set of facts or perhaps reads the same set in a different way and proves something else. Some historians treat a man like a hero and others make him out to be a cad. As long as personal preference rules the day in the selection of historical data, all conclusions are suspect and probably misleading.

“Now read the second paragraph on your sheet.” (Students read.)

Look for a word that you do not understand. [assurance, empowered, individuality, potential]

• 1. (Call on a student.) What word did you identify?

• 2. (To everyone.) Who knows what the word means?

• 3. (To the first student.) Does the meaning work in this sentence?

(To everyone.) What other meanings are possible?

• 4. (Call on another student, and repeat the process.)

Walter Lippmann once observed that religious experience gives people a new confidence in their power and potential as human beings. The feeling that one stands in the immediate presence of God is associated with inner assurance, inner discipline, inner strength. The problems of this world lose their importance, and a person begins for the first time to feel the full significance of individuality. A new self-confidence and self-trust show themselves in every area, including the economic, and the empowered individual begins to do great things with his life.

Appendix 4: Script for Initial Training, Control Group

DAY TWO

“Please read the first paragraph on your sheet.” (Students read.)

Look for a word that you do not understand. [appeal, bewildered, circuit, encouraged, lecture]

• 1. (Call on a student.) What word did you identify?

• 2. (To everyone.) Who knows what the word means?

• 3. (To the first student.) Does the meaning work in this sentence?

(To everyone.) What other meanings are possible?

• 4. (Call on another student, and repeat the process.)

Ralph Waldo Emerson was born in Boston. The son of a minister, he tried at first to follow his father’s example. After a few years he threw off the cloth and went out on the lecture circuit, where he soon became a star attraction. When he came to Pittsburgh in 1851, businesses closed early so that young office workers could go listen to him. Many were expecting to find themselves bewildered: it had been said of his philosophical works that his appeal arose from the fact, not that people understood him, but that they believed minds such as his should be encouraged. But when he began, the confusion cleared, and those who attended the lectures reported that what he said was just common sense.

“Now read the second paragraph on your sheet.” (Students read.)

Look for a word that you do not understand. [entrepreneurs, essential, imperfection]

• 1. (Call on a student.) What word did you identify?

• 2. (To everyone.) Who knows what the word means?

• 3. (To the first student.) Does the meaning work in this sentence?

(To everyone.) What other meanings are possible?

• 4. (Call on another student, and repeat the process.)

This is what happened in Japan. We all know about the great institutions created by men of exceptional talent, Soichiro Honda, for example, or Sony’s Akio Morita. The achievements of such men were an essential part of the Japanese success story. But they were not the whole story. Important also were smaller entrepreneurs, who created tiny enterprises to supply the industrial giants with high-quality parts. Important also were millions of workers who were excited about their jobs and committed to the production of high-quality cars. (A story from the early eighties tells about a worker who stopped to straighten the wind-shield wipers of every Honda that he passed on his way home from work: he just couldn’t stand to see an imperfection in a Honda.)

Appendix 5: Technical Attributes of the Selected Readings

Note: Calculations are from Child (2016), except for new-word data (Cobb 2016).

Reading 1: “The Values of an Achieving Society,” by Harold B. Jones, Jr.

Source: Jones, H. B. Jr. (2002). Personal character and national destiny (p. 13). St. Louis, MO: Paragon House.
FKRE	71.4	FKGL	5.4	GFC	8.7	CLI	10.8	SMOG	9.4
ARI	4.2	Spache	3.4	DCS	3.8	NRT	1:57	Sentim	2
New-word count (difficulty level of K-4 or higher):					4	Average new-word K-level:			4.50

Reading 2: “Some Lessons Learned by Seventy,” by Zell Miller.

Source: Miller, Z. (2003). A national party no more: The conscience of a conservative democrat (p. 189). Atlanta, GA: Stroud and Hall.
FKRE	86.5	FKGL	3.0	GFC	5.8	CLI	8.1	SMOG	7.4
ARI	1.3	Spache	2.7	DCS	2.0	NRT	2:01	Sentim	1
New-word count (difficulty level of K-4 or higher):					5	Average new-word K-level:			5.20

Reading 3: “Why Am I a Slave?” by Frederick Douglass.

Source: Douglass, F. (1855). My bondage and my freedom (p. 89). New York, NY: Dover, 1969.
FKRE	85.2	FKGL	3.6	GFC	7.2	CLI	8.2	SMOG	8.4
ARI	2.3	Spache	3.1	DCS	2.6	NRT	1:59	Sentim	1
New-word count (difficulty level of K-4 or higher):					6	Average new-word K-level:			5.50

Reading 4: “The Meaning of Money,” by Ayn Rand.

Source: Rand, A. (1957). Atlas shrugged (p. 410). New York, NY: Dutton, 2005.
FKRE	84.6	FKGL	3.6	GFC	6.1	CLI	7.7	SMOG	7.6
ARI	1.7	Spache	3.2	DCS	2.8	NRT	2:05	Sentim	1
New-word count (difficulty level of K-4 or higher):					7	Average new-word K-level:			5.50

Reading 5: “American Identity,” by Samuel P. Huntington.

Source: Huntington, S. P. (2004). Who are we? The challenges to America’s national identity (p. 8). New York, NY: Simon and Schuster.
FKRE	47.7	FKGL	8.5	GFC	11.7	CLI	13.8	SMOG	10.8
ARI	6.4	Spache	6.4	DCS	5.8	NRT	1:44	Sentim	1
New-word count (difficulty level of K-4 or higher):					8	Average new-word K-level:			5.75

Reading 6: “We Have Earned the Whirlwind,” by Roy Moore.

Source: Moore, R. (2005). So help me God: The ten commandments, judicial tyranny, and the battle for religious freedom (p. 143). Nashville, TN: Broadman and Holman.
FKRE	69.8	FKGL	6.2	GFC	8.7	CLI	11.1	SMOG	9.5
ARI	5.5	Spache	4.2	DCS	4.5	NRT	1:50	Sentim	3
New-word count (difficulty level of K-4 or higher):					9	Average new-word K-level:			5.78

———

Key: FKRE (Flesch-Kincaid Reading Ease); FKGL (Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level); GFC (Gunning-Fog Score); CLI (Coleman-Liau Index); SMOG (SMOG Index); ARI (Automatic Readability Index); Spache (Spache Score); DCS (Dall-Chall Score); NRT (normal reading time for native speakers); Sentim (sentiment index; see below).

Sentiment: 1 = neutral (slightly positive); 2 = neutral (moderately positive); 3 = positive.