A comparison between the effect of reading-based and writing-based vocabulary instruction on college students' writing in Taiwan

• Main Author: Tai, Feng-Chen
• Published: Queen's University Belfast 2013
• Subjects: 418.007
• Online Access: http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.602936

The current study examines the effect of two methods of vocabulary instruction on writing: reading-based vocabulary instruction and writing-based vocabulary instruction. The two methods were compared on their impact on Taiwanese college students' writing quality, number of target words used, receptive vocabulary knowledge and productive vocabulary knowledge. Participants were 84 first-year ) technological college students, who were taught 75 target words over five weeks, receiving either writing-based or reading-based instruction. Reading-based instruction, learning vocabulary from a receptive approach, consisted of receptive learning activities including copying words, translation activities from L2 to L l , choosing and matching activities. Writing-based instruction, learning vocabulary from a productive approach, consisted of learning vocabulary through word pairs, translation activities from Ll to L2, sentence writing and story writing activities. Outcomes were measured on task of writing quality on pre and post picture-based story writing which was scored using two kinds of writing rubrics, number of target words used in post picture-based story writing tasks, receptive vocabulary knowledge as assessed by using a multiple-choice test and productive vocabulary knowledge assessed by using a sentence completion test. Students' pre and post writing attitude and perception toward the two learning methods after treatment were also compared. The findings suggest that the writing-based instruction may be a more effective method than reading-based instruction of improving writing quality and developing productive vocabulary knowledge. Students who received the writing-based instruction achieved higher scores on tests of writing quality and sentence completion, while no differences were found between groups in receptive vocabulary knowledge and writing attitude. The main implication is that learning vocabulary from a writing-based approach for writing may improve writing quality better than a reading-based approach.