The effect of written text on comprehension of spoken English as a foreign language.

Based on cognitive load theory, this study investigated the effect of simultaneous written presentations on comprehension of spoken English as a foreign language. Learners' language comprehension was compared while they used 3 instructional formats: listening with auditory materials only, listening with a full, written script, and listening with simultaneous subtitled text. Listening with the presence of a script and subtitles led to better understanding of the scripted and subtitled passage but poorer performance on a subsequent auditory passage than listening with the auditory materials only. These findings indicated that where the intention was learning to listen, the use of a full script or subtitles had detrimental effects on the construction and automation of listening comprehension schemas.

[1]  J. Sweller,et al.  Natural Information Processing Systems , 2006 .

[2]  Isabel Borrás,et al.  Effects of Multimedia Courseware Subtitling on the Speaking Performance of College Students of French , 1994 .

[3]  J. Sweller.  COGNITIVE LOAD THEORY, LEARNING DIFFICULTY, AND INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN , 1994 .

[4]  Walter Schneider,et al.  Controlled and Automatic Human Information Processing: 1. Detection, Search, and Attention. , 1977 .

[5]  Detlev Leutner,et al.  Cognitive load in reading a foreign language text with multimedia aids and the influence of verbal and spatial abilities , 2003, Comput. Hum. Behav..

[6]  Patricia S. Koskinen.  Captioned Video and Vocabulary Learning: An Innovative Practice in Literacy Instruction. , 1993 .

[7]  Paul Markham,et al.  Captioned Videotapes and Second‐Language Listening Word Recognition , 1999 .

[8]  L. R. Peterson,et al.  Short-term retention of individual verbal items. , 1959, Journal of experimental psychology.

[9]  Wynne Wong.  MODALITY AND ATTENTION TO MEANING AND FORM IN THE INPUT , 2001, Studies in Second Language Acquisition.

[10]  Scotty D. Craig,et al.  Animated Pedagogical Agents in Multimedia Educational Environments: Effects of Agent Properties, Picture Features, and Redundancy , 2002 .

[11]  G. A. Miller.  THE PSYCHOLOGICAL REVIEW THE MAGICAL NUMBER SEVEN, PLUS OR MINUS TWO: SOME LIMITS ON OUR CAPACITY FOR PROCESSING INFORMATION 1 , 1956 .

[12]  C. Goh.  A cognitive perspective on language learners' listening comprehension problems , 2000 .

[13]  H. Simon,et al.  Perception in chess , 1973 .

[14]  David E. Eskey,et al.  The Effects of Closed-Captioned Television on the Listening Comprehension of Intermediate English as a Second Language (ESL) Students , 1999 .

[15]  Robert Vanderplank,et al.  The value of teletext sub-titles in language learning , 1988 .

[16]  R. Mayer,et al.  Verbal redundancy in multimedia learning: When reading helps listening , 2002 .

[17]  R. J. Lund.  A comparison of second language listening and reading comprehension. , 1991 .

[18]  J. Sweller.  Instructional Design Consequences of an Analogy between Evolution by Natural Selection and Human Cognitive Architecture , 2004 .

[19]  J. S. Johnson,et al.  Critical Period Effects in Second Language Acquisition: The Effect of Written versus Auditory Materials on the Assessment of Grammatical Competence† , 1992 .

[20]  John Sweller,et al.  Efficiency in Learning: Evidence-Based Guidelines to Manage Cognitive Load , 2005 .

[21]  Patricia S. Koskinen,et al.  Captioned Television as Comprehensible Input: Effects of Incidental Word Learning from Context for Language Minority Students. , 1992 .

[22]  Peter Kelly.  Lexical Ignorance: The Main Obstacle to Listening Comprehension with Advanced Foreign Language Learners. , 1991 .

[23]  Tony Lynch,et al.  Theoretical Perspectives on Listening , 1998, Annual Review of Applied Linguistics.

[24]  Paul Chandler,et al.  When Redundant On-Screen Text in Multimedia Technical Instruction Can Interfere With Learning , 2004, Hum. Factors.

[25]  Walter Schneider,et al.  Controlled and automatic human information processing: II. Perceptual learning, automatic attending and a general theory. , 1977 .

[26]  J. Sweller.  Evolution of human cognitive architecture , 2003 .

[27]  K. A. Ericsson,et al.  Long-term working memory. , 1995, Psychological review.

[28]  J. Sweller.  Implications of Cognitive Load Theory for Multimedia Learning , 2005, The Cambridge Handbook of Multimedia Learning.

[29]  P. Chandler,et al.  Why Some Material Is Difficult to Learn , 1994 .

[30]  R. Mayer,et al.  Nine Ways to Reduce Cognitive Load in Multimedia Learning , 2003 .

[31]  J. Chung,et al.  The Effects of Using Video Texts Supported with Advance Organizers and Captions on Chinese College Students' Listening Comprehension: An Empirical Study , 1999 .

[32]  Akiyo Hirai,et al.  The Relationship between Listening and Reading Rates of Japanese EFL Learners , 1999 .

[33]  F. Paas,et al.  Cognitive Load Theory and Instructional Design: Recent Developments , 2003 .

[34]  Carla Meskill,et al.  Listening skills development through multimedia , 1996 .

[35]  John Sweller,et al.  Instructional Design in Technical Areas , 1999 .

[36]  John Sweller,et al.  Cognitive Load Theory: Instructional Implications of the Interaction between Information Structures and Cognitive Architecture , 2004 .

[37]  A. D. D. Groot.  Thought and Choice in Chess , 1978 .

[38]  R. Mayer,et al.  Cognitive constraints on multimedia learning: When presenting more material results in less understanding. , 2001 .

[39]  J. Sweller,et al.  Cognitive Load Theory and Complex Learning: Recent Developments and Future Directions , 2005 .

[40]  Thomas J. Garza,et al.  Evaluating the Use of Captioned Video Materials in Advanced Foreign Language Learning , 1991 .

[41]  Susan Sheerin.  Listening Comprehension: Teaching or Testing?. , 1987 .

[42]  F. Paas,et al.  Cognitive Architecture and Instructional Design , 1998 .

[43]  Slava Kalyuga,et al.  Incorporating Learner Experience into the Design of Multimedia Instruction. , 2000 .