Is a picture really worth a thousand words? Evaluating contributions of fluency and analytic processing in metacognitive judgements for pictures in foreign language vocabulary learning

Abstract

Previous research shows that participants are overconfident in their ability to learn foreign language vocabulary from pictures compared with English translations. The current study explored whether this tendency is due to processing fluency or beliefs about learning. Using self-paced study of Swahili words paired with either picture cues or English translation cues, picture cues garnered higher confidence judgements but not faster study times, and this was true whether judgements of learning were made after a delay (Experiment 1) or immediately (Experiment 2). In Experiment 3, when participants learned Swahili words with only one type of cue (pictures or English translations) and then estimated which one would be more effective for learning, the majority of participants believed pictures would be more effective regardless of whether they had experienced those cues during learning. Experiment 4 showed the same results when participants had experienced neither type of cue during a learning phase. These results suggest that metacognitive judgements in foreign language vocabulary learning are driven more by students’ beliefs about learning than by processing fluency as reflected in self-paced study times.

Distributed retrieval practice and picture illustrations: Improving initial aural foreign vocabulary learning.

“…Numerous studies have explored the effects of picture illustrations in improving learners’ memory retention of foreign vocabulary, which yielded inconsistent results. Some found that providing pictures alone benefited the encoding and free recall of aural foreign words (e.g., Morett, 2019); others suggested that the advantages of pictures over native translations were moderated by other factors, including learners’ sense of confidence (Carpenter & Geller, 2020), perceived ease of study (Carpenter & Olson, 2012; Lenzner et al, 2013), and timing of presentation (van den Broek et al, 2021); or some failed to find the benefits of pictures over native translations (e.g., Lotto & De Groot, 1998). For example, Morett (2019) found that for beginners, to aurally learn concrete Hungarian words, providing pictures depicting the meanings was more effective in enhancing encoding and free recall than providing native English translations and glosses.…”

“…Only when the sense of overconfidence was mitigated through retrieval practice or warning instructions, the participants recalled Swahili words better from pictures compared with English translations. Furthermore, beyond influencing cognitive processes, pictures have the potential to impact learners’ learning experiences (Carpenter & Geller, 2020; Lenzner et al, 2013; van den Broek et al, 2021). To offer a comprehensive understanding of the picture’s effects, this study also gathered data on learners’ experiences.…”

Multimedia effects during retrieval practice: Images that reveal the answer reduce vocabulary learning.

“…When asked, many learners self-identify as “visual learners” who prefer materials with a visual component (Mayer & Massa, 2003 in Butcher, 2014) and learners predict their learning outcomes to be higher when instructional materials contain images in addition to written text, compared to text-only materials (e.g., Eitel, 2016; Jaeger & Wiley, 2014; Serra & Dunlosky, 2010). For instance, learners expect that vocabulary items that are paired with images of their meaning are learned better than the same vocabulary items paired with a written translation (Carpenter & Geller, 2020; Carpenter & Olson, 2012, Experiment 4). However, multimedia heuristics are not always accurate and might actually make learners over confident in their ability to recall learning materials that contain images (Carpenter & Geller, 2020; Carpenter & Olson, 2012).…”

“…For instance, learners expect that vocabulary items that are paired with images of their meaning are learned better than the same vocabulary items paired with a written translation (Carpenter & Geller, 2020; Carpenter & Olson, 2012, Experiment 4). However, multimedia heuristics are not always accurate and might actually make learners over confident in their ability to recall learning materials that contain images (Carpenter & Geller, 2020; Carpenter & Olson, 2012). Retrieval practice with images might thus—incorrectly—appear more effective to learners than practice without images.…”

The Gamifying Teaching Elementary English: Word Search Game to Reach Vocabulary Mastery

“…The vocabulary mastery cannot be done spontaneously but step by step. Carpenter & Geller (2020) mentioned that there are at least three steps in processing vocabulary mastery. First is the children period, this term children can define concept vocabulary to say their concrete idea.…”