KIWAMU KASAHARA (HOKKAIDO UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION)

EFFECTS OF RANDOM SELECTION TESTS ON VOCAVULARY LEARNING IN EFL LEARNERS : METHODOLOGIES AND TEACHING APPROACHES

Recent L2 vocabulary studies have explored the effects of spaced retrieval practice, which combines retrieval practice and spaced learning (Kanayama et al., 2022). The former, also known as the testing effect, involves retrieving previously learned items from memory with mental effort. The latter involves learning the same items over several sessions with intervals between them. Nakata et al. (2021) confirmed a positive effect of spaced retrieval practice on L1-L2 paired-associate vocabulary learning using cumulative tests (CTs). CTs consistently include previously tested items in new tests, requiring learners to repeatedly study previously studied items, potentially leading to better long-term retention. However, CTs have a potential limitation: items introduced in later test sessions may receive less attention from learners than items introduced in earlier sessions. To address this limitation, this study introduced a random selection test (RST), which randomly tests items from all target words. Experiment 1, involving university students, found RSTs to be superior to CTs. Experiment 2 compared RSTs with traditional tests in a junior high school setting, where a limited number of target items are tested only once. The results did not show the superiority of RSTs over traditional tests for junior high school students, suggesting that the number of target items and proficiency levels may have influenced the results.

Kiwamu Kasahara is a professor at Hokkaido University of Education, Japan. His main academic interests include L2 vocabulary acquisition, testing, and teacher training. He has published articles on vocabulary acquisition and assessment in periodicals such as System, Language Teaching Research, and Language Assessment Quarterly.