1. GLoCALL 2013 Conference
on 30th of Nobember 2013 at University of Danang, Da Nang, Vietnam
From Glosses to Visual Tools:
Do visual aids enhance listening
comprehension?
Takeshi SATO
1Tokyo
University of Agriculture and Technology, Japan
tsato@cc.tuat.ac.jp

2. Does visual glosses help L2
vocabulary learning?
Yes, they do.
(e.g. Chun & Plass 1996; Al-Seghayer 2001;
Yoshii & Flaiz 2002; Sato & Suzuki 2010, 2012)

3. Various multimedia glosses
Animation
Image
Sound
Picture
from BBC learning English
(http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/)

4. The more
technologically
advanced
functions the
materials are, the
better outcome
will be given
from COCONE
(http://www.cocone.jp)

5. Which visual gloss could be
more effective?

6. Outline
1. Background
2. Research procedure
3. Findings
4. Conclusion & Discussion

7. Background
• Multimedia glosses are effective in L2
vocabulary learning
• Al-Seghayer (2001)
Video > Still picture
• Yoshii & Flaitz (2002)
Text and picture > Text only and picture only

8. My concerns
Previous studies
Our study
• Effective in intentional
• Effective in an incidental learning?
learning
• Effective to learn a
• Effective to learn any
certain type of L2
L2 vocabulary
vocabulary?
• Effective for longer
retention of the
vocabulary
• Effective for better L2
sentence
comprehension and
production?

9. Incidental vs Intentional
• Reading
• Writing etc.
• visual
glosses
• visual glosses
• Reading and
writing
• longer
retention
• better text
comprehension
and production

10. My study
✓Effectiveness of visual glosses in
intentional (explicit) learning
✓spatial prepositions as target words
✓pictorial image and live-action image

11. Why prepositions?
Learning English
prepositions is difficult to
learn.

12. Why are prepositions
difficult?
•
•
•
They appear very frequently but learners do
not always understand their meanings.
(Lingstromberg 2001a)
Learners cannot use them according to
contexts if only by memorization.
(Lingstromberg 2001b)
Translation makes L2 learning more
difficult.(Tanaka, 1990)

13. Why “image schema” as a
visual gloss?
(I)mage schemata are
abstract patterns in
our experience and
understanding...
(Johnson 1987, p.2)

14. prototype
The clouds
above the
mountain.
Schematic
pictorial
Extension
information of
Extended
basic
Examples
prepositional
aresenses should
The amount is above
be used.100.
$ (Brala,
2002) high above the
A flat
river.

15. Why pictorial or live-motion?
Research on CALL
•
•
Computer-mediated
annotation has a positive
impact on L2 vocabulary
laearning.
Animation or video
facilitates L2 vocabulary
learning (Al-Seghayer
2001; Mayer and Moreno
2002)
Cognitive Linguistics
•
•
Schematic images have
flexibility and changeability
(Langacker, 1987).
(foregrounding, rotation
and focusing)
live-motion images might
prevent learners from
modifying the images.

16. Our research question
Which image of the pictorial and
live-action images can serve a
better facilitator to learn the
meanings of prepositions?

17. Procedure
1.Japanese university students (n=52)
2.Two groups at random
3.Pre vocabulary test (45 qestions with
no feedback)
4.Learning with web-based dictionaries
with the images
5.Post vocabulary test
6.ANOVA with between- and withinsubject variables

18. Visual gross
Index
Examples and
translations
Dictionary with pictorial image

19. Visual gross
Index
Examples and
translations
Dictionary with animation

20. Results
M
Picture×
Pretest
4.405
24.577
3.992
Animation×
Pretest
19.231
19.231
Animation×
Posttest
•
19.231
Picture×
Posttest
•
SD
24.308
24.308
Images: (F(1,50)=0.018
p>.05)
Tests: (F(1,50)=112.5
p<.05)

21. Findings
• No significant difference between the visual
glosses.
• Significant difference between pretest and
post test after the treatments.
• No interaction between the visual gloss and
the tests.
➡Pictorial glosses facilitate learning of
prepositions even though they are still
images or animations.

22. Conclusion
• Images as effective glosses regardless of
their configurations
• Our relevant studies (Sato & Suzuki 2010;
Sato & Suzuki 2011) show the same result.
• In terms of intentional L2 vocabulary learning,
technologically advanced glosses do not
always bring about a better result.
• Optimization of glosses should be required.

23. References
Al-Seghayer, K. (2001). The effect of multimedia annotation modes on L2 vocabulary acquisition: a comparative
study. Language Learning and Technology, 5(1), 202-232
Chun,D.L., & Plass, J.L. (1996). Effects of multimedia annotations on vocabulary acquisition. Modern Language
Journal, 80(2), 183-198.
Mayer, R. & Moreno, R. (2002). Aids to computer-based multimedia learning. Learning and Instruction, 12, 107-119.
Lakoff, G.(1987) Woman, fire and dangerous thing. Chicago: Chicago University Press.
Langacker, R, W.(1987) Foundations of Cognitive Grammar, Volume I, Theoretical Prerequisites. Stanford,
California: Stanford University Press.
Lindstromberg, S.(2001a) "Preposition Entries in UK Monolingual Learner’s Dictionaries: Problems and Possible
Solutions." Applied Linguistics 22(1),pp79-103.
Lindstromberg, S. (2001b). Are English prepositions really incredibly idiomatic? Humanising Language Teaching
Magazine, 3(3). Available on the Web: http://www.hltmag.co.uk/may01/lind.htm
Sato, T., & Suzuki, A. (2010). Do multimedia-oriented visual glosses really facilitate EFL vocabulary learning? : A
comparison of planar images with three- dimensional images. Asian EFL Journal, 12(4):160-172.
Sato, T., & Suzuki A. (2011). Verifying Multimedia Gloss: Image Schema and Polysemous Vocabulary in English.
Proceedings of the annual conference of the European Association for Computer-Assisted Language Learning,
285-293.
Tanaka, S. (1990) Cognitive Semantics. Sanyusha: Tokyo.
Yoshii,M., & Fraitz, J.(2002). Second Language Incidental Vocabulary Retention: The Effect of Text and Picture
Annotation Types. CALICO Journal, 20(1), 33-58.
Yeh, Y., & Wang, C. (2003). Effects of Multimedia Vocabulary Annotations and learning styles on vocabulary
learning. CALICO Journal, 21(1). 131-144.