The Effect of Visual Representation, Textual Representation, and Glossing on Second Language Vocabulary Learning

In this study, the researcher chose three different vocabulary techniques (Visual Representation, Textual Enhancement, and Glossing) and compared them with traditional method of teaching vocabulary. 80 advanced EFL Learners were assigned as four intact groups (three experimental and one control group) through using a proficiency test and a vocabulary test as a pre-test. In the visual group, students used flashcards; in the textual enhancement, every synonym and antonym were highlighted and numbered and in the glossing group new vocabularies were numbered and their explanations were provided in the margins or footnotes. Students in the control group learned vocabulary through traditional way by meaning explanation, translation, or providing synonyms and antonyms. All the other three groups had the same procedure as control group but besides these processes they had access to visual, textual, or glossing techniques, too. The results showed that in the posttest, all three experimental groups outperformed the control group. However, the highest improvement in both post-test and delayed post-test was for glossing group. As a whole, we can say improvement in vocabulary learning was respectively for glossing, then visual, and finally textual enhancement. Therefore, it can be concluded that using pictorial, textual cues and glossing enhance their interlanguage system.