Visual word learning in skilled readers of English

Abstract

Three experiments are reported analysing the processes by which adult readers of English learn new written words. Visual word learning was simulated by presenting short (four-letter) and longer (seven-letter) nonwords repeatedly and observing the reduction in naming latencies and the convergence in reaction times (RTs) to shorter and longer items that are the hallmarks of visual word learning. Experiment 1 presented nonwords in ten consecutive blocks. Naming latencies reduced over the first four or five presentations. The effect of length on naming RTs was large in block 1 but non-significant after four or five presentations. Experiment 2 demonstrated some reduction in RTs to untrained nonwords following practice on a trained set, but the reduction was less than for the trained items and RTs to shorter and longer nonwords did not converge. Experiment 3 included a retest after seven days which showed some slowing of RTs compared with the end of the first session but also considerable retention of learning. We conclude that four to six exposures to novel words (nonwords) are sufficient to establish durable lexical representations that permit parallel processing of newly-learned words. The results are discussed in terms of theoretical models of reading and word learning.

Semantic and phonological influences on visual word learning in a transparent language

“…This facilitation seems to be relatively universal, since even in regular words (where the orthographic-phonological mapping is highly predictable), it works. Furthermore, when the new lexical representation is stored it is extraordinarily resistant to decay, even when not refreshed for a month, a time significantly longer than that reported in other studies (Kwok & Ellis, 2014). This, to our knowledge, is the first study of the role of semantics and phonology in the formation of orthographic representations in Spanish adults.…”

“…Moreover, the new lexical representations were shown to be extraordinarily resistant to decay (Kwok & Ellis, 2014), the follow-up phase being important to reinforce the orthographic representations of new words (Clay, Bowers, Davis, & Hanley, 2007;Gaskell & Dumay, 2003). Comparing Block 6 and Block 1 of the follow-up session (a month later), RTs showed a small increase, especially regarding long words, but after only one presentation in the follow-up session, RTs decreased, and the length effect again disappeared in the three conditions.…”

“…Kwok and Ellis (2014) studied visual word learning in adult readers of English; they observed naming latencies reductions over 4 or 5 exposures to nonwords. More interesting, a re-test after 7 days showed some slowing of RTs compared with the end of the first session; the authors noted a considerable retention of learning.…”

“…In Condition 2, participants also read the words, after phonological training; while in Condition 3, participants read the words without previous training. On the basis of preceding studies (Kwok & Ellis, 2014;Maloney et al, 2009;Weekes, 1997) we expected to see a decrease of length effect across blocks for words in the three conditions, but if semantic information is involved in the reading process and is important to orthographic learning, an advantage should be found in the first condition, compared to the second and the third ones. In addition, this study seeks to provide information about the benefits of semantic information when reading inconsistent words, as suggested by the PDP framework (Plaut et al, 1996), with implications for typical adult reading processes.…”

“…Recently, a decrease in the length effect had been reported as a robust indicator of the presence of orthographic representations-that is, the change from the sublexical to the lexical route (Kwok & Ellis, 2014;Weekes, 1997). As known, the length effect occurs when long words are read more slowly than short ones.…”