Incidental L2 Vocabulary Learning through Using Hypertext Glosses

Abstract

Current computer technologies can provide several resources for the English foreign language learners to improve lexical knowledge through glosses. As the learner is engaged in processing the text, s/he can easily access definitions of terms or get more information about the topic through hyperlinks. This study extends current knowledge by exploring the attitude of EFL learners when using hypertext glosses that can appear in different locations in the text (in margin, in a pop-up window, on bottom of screen, and at the end of the text). The effect of glosses on the incidental learning of vocabulary is also investigated. Data are collected from 41 English-majored university students in Saudi Arabia. The results indicated that hypertext glosses is one of the ways for L2 vocabulary learning. Among the 4 gloss formats, the marginal type is considered the most preferred type by participants. Findings of the research provided deep insights on the design for online reading.