Abstract:
The studies that have investigated the effects of multimodality on reading comprehension and vocabulary retention of EFL learners in the context of Iran through mixed methodology are very limited. Accordingly, this two-phase study aimed to investigate the effect multimodalities might have on reading comprehension and vocabulary retention of Iranian EFL learners. To this end, the first phase of the study included a sample of 30 male EFL learners selected through intact group sampling who were homogenized by using an OPT (Oxford Placement Test). Then they divided into experimental and control groups randomly. Passages used for experimental group were accompanied by visual images, videos, and audio tracks, while passages used for control group were the same texts without any of these. For conducting the second phase of the study, in the control group the teacher introduced the new vocabularies of each text only by their L2 definition but in the experimental group the teacher used L2 definition and image for introducing the new vocabularies. In the qualitative part of the study, an open-ended questionnaire and interview were used. By comparing pre-tests and post-tests using MANCOVA, the results showed the effectiveness of using multimodality in L2 reading classrooms and vocabulary retention of EFL learners. The analysis of the results obtained from the qualitative phase revealed that learners preferred texts to be accompanied by visual images.
Machine summary:
By comparing pre-tests and post-tests using MANCOVA, the results showed the effectiveness of using multimodality in L2 reading classrooms and vocabulary retention of EFL learners.
Specially, paradigmatic shift is looked for in the area of literacy education that the growing emergence of technologies has provided challenge on practices and theories in ‘multimodality’ – a term that refers to the practice of meaning-making including the determined combination of semiotic sources involving, speech, writing, photos, gestures, sound, and drawing (Emmison & Smith, 2000; Kress, 2003; The New London Group, 1996; Van Leeuwen & Jewitt, 2001).
Although many studies have investigated the closed connection between multimodality and multiliteracies in the current instructional settings (Serafini, 2011; Sewell & Denton, 2011; Unsworth, 2001; Walsh, 2010), or the link between multimodality and foreign languages (Farias, Obilinovic & Orrego, 2011; Lamy, 2007), rarely any previous research has emphasized on the role of multimodality in reading comprehension, and vocabulary retention of a foreign language.
Therefore, the present study aims at making contribution to this field by examining the multimodal texts and their effect on reading comprehension skills and vocabulary retention of Iranian EFL learners.
g. , Asraf & Ahmad, 2003; Bell, 2001; Mason & Krashen, 1997; Lao & Krashen, 2000).
In Aghaei and Gouglani ' s study, the use of different modes of meaning-making, a combination of visual, linguistic, spatial, audio, and gestural communicative modes in the recent century in learning language skills and sub-skills have been considered as Multimodal Pedagogy that the experimental group got vocabulary presentation applying Multimodal Pedagogy.