1

Islamic Azad University Science and Research Branch

Master of Arts Thesis in Teaching English

as a Foreign Language (M.A.)

Title:

The Impact of Task-Induced Involvement Load on Vocabulary

Learning of Iranian EFL Learners

Advisor:

Dr. Arshya Keyvanfar

Reader:

Dr. Hossein Vossoughi

By:

Abdulhakim Badraghi

July 2011

2

Acknowledgements

My heartfelt thanks go to Dr. Keyvanfar who honored me to supervise this

thesis and was of abundant help and inspiration during the different stages of its

accomplishment. I would also like to express my gratitude to Dr. Vossoughi,

my honorable reader, who carefully went through all the pages of the thesis and

made many useful suggestions.

3

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements……………………………….……………………...і

Table of Contents……………………………………..……………….....п

List of Tables…………………………………………………………….v

Abstract…………………………………………………………………..1

Chapter І: Background and Purpose

1.1 Statement of the Problem ……………………………..……………. 5

1.2 Significance of the Study ………………………...……...…………. 6

1.3 Research Questions ………………………………………..……….. 7

1.4 Research Hypotheses …………………………...……………...…... 7

1.5 Definition of Key Terms …………………………...……………… 8

1.6 Limitations and Delimitations of the Study…………………..……. 9

Chapter П: Review of the Related Literature

2.1 Vocabulary Learning and Teaching……………………………….. 10

2.1.1 Structure Words Vs. Content Words ……………………...… 11

2.1.2 Incidental Vs. Intentional Learning ………………………….. 11

2.1.3 Ways and Means of Vocabulary Learning …………………... 12

2.1.4 Approaches and Methods of Vocabulary Teaching ………......14

2.2 Task-based Language Learning and Teaching ………………..….. 16

2.2.1 Definition of Task ……………………………………...…… 16

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2.2.2 Advantages of TBLT ……………………………….…...…19

2.2.3 Teacher and Learner Roles in Task-based Learning ………..21

2.2.4 Features of TBLT………………………….……………........22

2.2.5 Pedagogical Tasks Vs. Real World Tasks ……………….….24

2.2.6 Task Vs. Exercise …………………………………………...24

2.2.7 Strong Vs. Weak Form of Task-based Approach ………….. 25

2.2.8 Task Types …………………………..……………………… 26

2.2.9 Task Familiarity …………………………………………….. 27

2.2.10 Task Classification ………………………………………....29

2.2.11 Components of TBLT Framework …………………………31

2.2.12 Theory of Language in TBLT ……………………………... 32

2.3 Involvement Load Hypothesis ………………………………...…..34

2.3.1 Theoretical Background……………………..………….……34

2.3.2 Empirical Evidence for Involvement Load Hypothesis ….… 36

Chapter ІІІ: Method

3.1 Design …………...………………………………….…………….. 39

3.2 Participants …………………………………………..……………. 39

3.3 Instrumentation ………………………….....…………..…………. 40

3.4 Procedure ……………………………………………..…………… 42

3.5 Scoring …………………………………………………..………... 42

3.6 Data Analysis ………………………………………..……………. 43

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Chapter ІV: Results

4.1 Equality of the Three Groups of the Participants …………...…….. 45

4.2 Data Analysis of the Immediate post-test ……………...…………. 47

4.3 Data Analysis of the Delayed Post-test ………………....………… 50

Chapter V: Conclusion and Implications

5.1 Interpretation of the Findings ………………..…….………..…….. 55

5.2 Pedagogical Implications ……………………..……...…………… 57

5.3 Suggestions for Further Research ………...…………..…………... 59

References ……………………………………..……………………… 61

Appendices ……………………………………..……………………... 68

Persian abstract…………………………………………………………85

6

List of Tables

Table 4.1 Descriptive statistics of the reading scores of the three groups……..45

Table 4.2 Test of homogeneity on the reading scores…………………………46

Table 4.3 One-Way ANOVA of the reading scores…………………………...46

Table 4.4 Descriptive statistics of listening scores of the three groups……….46

Table 4.5 Test of homogeneity on the listening scores………………………..47

Table 4.6 One-Way ANOVA of the listening scores………………………….47

Table 4.7 Descriptive statistics of the immediate vocabulary post test……….48

Table 4.8 Test of homogeneity on the immediate post test……………………49

Table 4.9 One-Way ANOVA of the immediate vocabulary post test………....49

Table 4.10 Scheffe post hoc for the immediate vocabulary post test………….50

Table 4.11 Descriptive statistics of the delayed vocabulary post test…………50

Table 4.12 Descriptive statistics of the delayed vocabulary post test

in terms of ranks…………………………………………………..51

Table 4.13 Kruskal-Wallis test for the delayed vocabulary post test………….51

Table 4.14 Median of the three groups on the delayed vocabulary post test…..51

Table 4.15 The mean ranks of the glossing and fill-in groups………………...52

Table 4.16 The mean ranks of the glossing and fill-in groups………………...52

Table 4.17 The mean ranks of the glossing and sentence making groups……..53

Table 4.18 The mean ranks of the glossing and sentence making groups……..53

Table 4.19 The mean ranks of the fill-in and sentence making group…………54

Table 4.20 The mean ranks of fill-in and sentence making groups……………54

7

Abstract

This study investigated whether word learning and retention in a second

language are contingent upon a task's involvement load (i.e., the amount of

need, search, and evaluation it imposes), as proposed by Laufer and Hulstijn

(2001). For this purpose, 77 male and female pre-intermediate Iranian EFL

learners were selected based on their performance on a Cambridge reading test.

They were then divided into three groups, each completing one of the three

vocabulary learning tasks that varied in the amount of involvement they

induced. The tasks were reading, reading plus fill-in target words, and sentence

writing. Initial learning and retention of the 14 unfamiliar target words of the

tasks were tested immediately after completing the tasks and two weeks later.

The results indicated that learners benefited more from sentence making which

required the comparison of novel words with words already known for the

purpose of production. It was hence concluded that the evaluation component

may play a major role in task-induced involvement load.

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چکید

اشتغال ذی حاصل از فعالیت زبای و گسترش واژگای در زباى آهوزاى ایرای

تذقیق داضش هیضاى واگی یادگیشی و ت خاطش سپاسی واژگاى تا تاس اشتغال ری صتاى آهوصاى سا هوسد تشسسی

هطشح شذ است اشتغال ری سا هثتی تش هیضاى 2111قشاس داد است. ایي ظشی ک توسظ الفش و ولشتایي دس سال

صتاى آهوص سطخ 77الیت صتای هی داذ. تذیي هظوس ضشوست، جست و جو و اسصیاتی واژگاى دس طی اجام یک فع

پیش هتوسظ ایشای اتخاب و تا استفاد اص تخش خواذى یکی اص آصهوى ای کوثشیج ت س گشو تشاتش تقسین شذذ. ش

گشو یک اص گشو ا یکی اص فعالیت ای یادگیشی واژگاى تا هیضاى هتفاوتی اص اشتغال ری سا تجشت کشدذ. فعالیت

واژ ی پشسگ شذ و هتعاقة آى پاسخگویی ت سواالت دسک هطلة تود. ت 14اول هذصش ت خواذى یک هتي تا

گشو دوم پس اص خواذى واى هتي تواسیي پش کشدى جای خالی داد شذ و گشو سوم یض تا واژگاى هوسد ظش جول

زشت دو فت یادگیشی و ت خاطش سپاسی واژگاى هوسد ظش دس ساختذ. تالفاصل پس اص اتوام فعالیت و سپس تعذ اص گ

س گشو اسصیاتی شذ. تایج داصل اص ایي تذقیق شاى داد ک جول ساصی تیشتشیي اشتغال ری سا دس صتاى آهوصاى ت

ست ای پیشیي سا وجود آوسد. هی تواى چیي تفسیش کشد ک دس تولیذ صتاى هولف اسصیاتی ک هقایس واژگاى جذیذ و دا

اقتضا هی کذ، اشتغال ری تیشتشی سثت ت هولف ای ضشوست و جست و جو ت وجود هی آوسد.

عثذالذکین تذساقی

87

داشگا آزاد اسالهی واحد علوم و تحقیقا ت

(M.A).زباى اگلیسی شپایاى اه کارشاسی ارشد رشت آهوز

هوضوع:

یگسترش واژگا بر یت زبایحاصل از فعال یاشتغال ذ تأثیر

یرایزباى آهوزاى ا

:استاد راوا

دکترارشیا کیوافر

:استاد هشاور

دکتر حسیي وثوقی

:دگار

عبدالحکین بدراقی

9830-09سال تحصیلی