Comparison between the effectiveness of code-mixing and providing L2 definitions in EFL vocabulary acquisition

Abstract

This study compares the effectiveness of two vocabulary teaching techniques: code-mixing (inserting an L1 word into an L2 utterance) and providing L2 definitions of target words. It also tests the effect of English level in vocabulary acquisition when learning through these methods. 75 12-13-year-old EFL students from a Spanish high-school participated in the research, divided into two experimental groups and one control group. They listened to a text with 5 target words presented with the different techniques. A pre-test and two immediate post-tests for word recognition and production were administered. The group who received the L2 definitions outperformed the other two groups in both tests, and students with a higher English competence level scored significantly better than their lower level counterparts. Therefore, two main conclusions were drawn: first, that providing L2 definitions was the most effective technique, and second, that English competence level had an important impact on students’ vocabulary gains. The findings of this study may have important implications for foreign language teachers.