Extensive viewing in young English as a foreign language learners. Do aptitude and vocabulary size influence vocabulary learning?

Abstract

Audiovisual input has been shown to promote vocabulary acquisition in foreign language learners. However, there is limited research on the effects of extensive viewing in a classroom context with young beginner learners of English. This study investigates foreign language vocabulary learning through explicit teaching and additional viewing of subtitled TV series, as well as the role that second language (L2) vocabulary size and language aptitude may play. A teaching intervention lasting one academic year was implemented in primary school. Weekly, two groups of beginner learners of English enrolled in grade 6 and aged 11 (N = 47) were taught a set of target words. One group was additionally exposed to the target vocabulary through an episode of a TV series with subtitles in Spanish, their native language. Gains in form and meaning recall of the target vocabulary were measured. Participants’ L2 vocabulary size and language aptitude were also assessed at the beginning of the intervention. Multivariate tests showed that explicit teaching accounted for most vocabulary learning, although viewing the TV series significantly benefited learners at two testing points. L2 vocabulary size contributed to explaining lexical gains, while language aptitude did not have such a significant effect.