THE EFFECT OF ASSISTED READING ON IMPROVING VOCABULARY KNOWLEDGE OF THE IRANIAN EFL LEARNERS

Given the strong link between reading comprehension and vocabulary learning, this classroom-based study was designed to examine 1) the effect of assisted reading on vocabulary learning of Iranian EFL learners, 2) the progressive degree of vocabulary learning, and 3) the type of acquired vocabulary knowledge, i.e., whether it is receptive or productive. The participants were 62 language learners in two pre-TOEFL reading comprehension classes who were randomly assigned to the control and experimental groups. A reading comprehension and vocabulary test was administered at the beginning of the course which served as a pretest. Also, a total of 60 target words selected from their textbook were pretested using the Vocabulary Knowledge Scale (VKS) (Paribakht & Wesche, 1997). Then, the normal procedure of the reading classes which consisted of a series of pre-reading, during-reading, and post-reading practices was followed in the control group whereas the experimental group received both the normal procedure and the assisted reading treatment including 1) tape reading, 2) read-aloud, and 3) repeated reading. At the end of the course, a reading comprehension and vocabulary test was administered which served as a posttest and the VKS was post tested to observe which group had attained higher vocabulary gains. The results of the study were obtained by paired and independent T-Tests. Whereas the analysis of vocabulary gains within groups indicated that both groups had significant vocabulary gains in the posttests compared to their pretest, the analysis of the gains between groups showed no outperformance of the experimental over the control group. Analysis of the VKS showed that students acquired a very high percentage of new vocabulary; however, they mostly developed a receptive knowledge of the words than a productive knowledge. The proportion of the productive vocabulary knowledge was higher in the experimental group suggesting the positive effect of assisted reading on vocabulary gains.