Papers by Michael Rodgers
Canadian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 2021
Newcomers to Canada with low proficiency in English or French often face challenges in the workfo... more Newcomers to Canada with low proficiency in English or French often face challenges in the workforce (Kustec, 2012). While language classes provide workplace language training, not all newcomers are able to attend face-to-face classes (Shaffir & Satzewich 2010), suggesting a need for outside the classroom, occupation-specific language training. The use of technology has been shown to be advantageous for second language (L2) learning (Stockwell, 2007), especially when used outside the classroom (i.e., mobile-assisted language learning), as mobile technology affords learners greater control and flexibility over their own learning (Yang, 2013). This paper reports on a study investigating the development of a blended curriculum for L2 learners employed in customer service. A technology-mediated module was designed and developed within a task-based language teaching framework to provide workplace-linguistic support on mobile devices, enabling learners to access the language instruction t...
System, 2019
This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the ad... more This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the addition of a cover page and metadata, and formatting for readability, but it is not yet the definitive version of record. This version will undergo additional copyediting, typesetting and review before it is published in its final form, but we are providing this version to give early visibility of the article. Please note that, during the production process, errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.
English for Specific Purposes, 2017
This study investigated the lexical coverage and frequency of occurrence of 318 common science-sp... more This study investigated the lexical coverage and frequency of occurrence of 318 common science-specific technical word families in a corpus of science fiction-fantasy texts in order to determine the potential for science fiction-fantasy literature to be a resource for incidental technical vocabulary acquisition. Coverage of the word list in the science fictionfantasy corpus was found to be 0.50%, which was 46% higher than coverage of the same list in a corpus of fiction texts (0.27%), and 70% lower than coverage of the same list in a corpus of academic science journals (1.68%). These findings suggest that, in terms of exposure to technical vocabulary, science fiction-fantasy could serve as a bridge resource for second-language learners studying or prespecializing in the Sciences. A frequency analysis revealed that the highest potential for lexical learning occurs at the 500,000-word reading level, at which 21% of science words occurred 10þ times and 83% occurred 1þ times. Potential lexical gains, as well as both practical and theoretical implications, are discussed.
CALICO Journal, 2016
The Multimedia Principle (Fletcher & Tobias, 2005) states that people learn better and comprehend... more The Multimedia Principle (Fletcher & Tobias, 2005) states that people learn better and comprehend more when words and pictures are presented together. The potential for English language learners to increase their comprehension of video through the use of captions, which graphically display the same language as the spoken dialogue, has been documented in previous research. However, studies have generally used short videos (Markham & Peter, 2003; Montero Perez, Peters & Desmet, 2014) or videos designed for language learning (Chung, 1999) rather than episodes of L2 television programs that students are most likely to watch on their own outside of the classroom. The present study aimed to fill this gap by investigating the comprehension of 372 Japanese university students who watched ten 42-minute episodes of an American television program with and without captions. While viewing the episodes, the participants completed comprehension tests. Analysis indicated that although the participa...
In the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) setting it may be a challenge to obtain the second lan... more In the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) setting it may be a challenge to obtain the second language input necessary for language learning. A potential source of input may be episodes of television; however, little previous research has been done indicating whether episodes are a suitable source of aural input for EFL learning. Past research has concentrated on short videos of a type that learners might not choose to learn English from. The experimental design employed in this thesis expands upon earlier methodologies by employing full-length episodes of television intended for an English-speaking audience. The thesis is comprised of five studies investigating aspects of language learning through viewing television. The first study examines comprehension gains from the first to the tenth episode viewed, comprehension across 10 episodes viewed, and the effects of vocabulary knowledge on comprehension. The results showed significant comprehension gains from the first to the final ep...
Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 2020
Theories of multimedia learning suggest that learners can form better referential connections whe... more Theories of multimedia learning suggest that learners can form better referential connections when verbal and visual materials are presented simultaneously. Furthermore, the addition of auditory input in reading-while-listening conditions benefits performance on a variety of linguistic tasks. However, little research has been conducted on the processing of multimedia input (written text and images) with and without accompanying audio. Eye movements were recorded during young L2 learners’ (N = 30) processing of a multimedia story text in reading-only and reading-while-listening conditions to investigate looking patterns and their relationship with comprehension using a multiple-choice comprehension test. Analysis of the eye-movement data showed that the presence of audio in reading-while-listening conditions allowed learners to look at the image more often. Processing time on text was related to lower levels of comprehension, whereas processing time on images was positively related t...
TESL Canada Journal, 2017
This study investigates the relative effectiveness of different teaching approaches on the learni... more This study investigates the relative effectiveness of different teaching approaches on the learning of formulaic sequences. Three comparisons were made in this study: the effects of explicit teaching of formulaic sequences versus teaching embedded in traditional coursebook instruction, the effects of the degree of salience of the sequences in the coursebook on learning, and the effects of explicit teaching of formulaic sequences with context versus teaching without context. Sixtynine formulaic sequences occurring in an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) coursebook were selected for the study. The participants were 60 low-proficiency university students majoring in technology in Vietnam. Participants were quasirandomly assigned to one of three groups: control, no-context learning, and sentence-context learning. Learning was measured by two multiple-choice tests of receptive knowledge of form and meaning. Findings indicated that although explicit instruction was effective, the degree of salience in traditional coursebook instruction had no significant effects on learning formulaic sequences. Explicit teaching combined with incidental exposure to formulaic sequences in the coursebook was superior to the traditional coursebook instruction approach in the classroom setting. Furthermore, the results from explicit instruction with context sentences did not differ significantly from those of instruction without context. Explanations for the findings and pedagogical applications are offered.
ITL - International Journal of Applied Linguistics, 2022
Through the lens of Dörnyei's (2005) Second Language Motivational Self System, this exploratory s... more Through the lens of Dörnyei's (2005) Second Language Motivational Self System, this exploratory study focused on two groups of Canadian newcomers learning English in the traditional classroom setting (English as a Second Language [ESL]; n=37) and the workplace (Workplace Language Training [WLT]; n=29) to determine the role of motivation in their integration into Canadian society and development of the 'Canadian self'. The results, collected by way of a questionnaire and follow-up interviews, show newcomers holding positive attitudes towards English learning and building their Canadian identity in the process. Notably, beliefs concerning the value of employment to fulfill personal obligations and duties promoted the WLT learners' motivation and willingness to engage with language learning significantly more than those of their ESL counterparts. Pedagogical implications are discussed.
Language Learning, May 7, 2009
This study investigated vocabulary coverage and the number of encounters of lowfrequency vocabula... more This study investigated vocabulary coverage and the number of encounters of lowfrequency vocabulary in television programs. Eighty-eight television programs consisting of 264,384 running words were categorized according to genre. Television shows were classified as either British or American and then put into the following genres: news, drama, situation comedy, older programs, children's programs, and science fiction. The results showed that knowledge of the most frequent 3,000 word families plus proper nouns and marginal words provided 95.45% coverage, and knowledge of the most frequent 7,000 word families plus proper nouns and marginal words provided 98.27% coverage. The vocabulary size necessary to gain 95% coverage of the different genres ranged from 2,000 to 4,000 word families plus proper nouns and marginal words; 5,000 to 9,000 word families plus proper nouns and marginal words to gain 98% coverage. The analysis also indicated that there was great variation in coverage between episodes. The results showed that there were relatively few encounters with low-frequency vocabulary. However, if learners knew the most frequent 3,000 word families and they watched at least an hour of television a day, there is the potential for significant incidental vocabulary learning. Keywords television; coverage of text; listening comprehension; incidental vocabulary learning; corpus studies; vocabulary frequency There is little doubt that television provides a massive amount of first language (L1) input. Research suggests that people watch television in their native language from 3 (Statistics Canada, 2004) to 7 (Literacy Trust, 2006) hours a day The authors wish to thank Paul Nation, Victoria University of Wellington, for his helpful comments on an earlier draft of this article, and the anonymous reviewers, for their useful comments.
Pop Culture in Language Education, 2021
Technological advancements have meant that the classroom is no longer necessarily the primary sou... more Technological advancements have meant that the classroom is no longer necessarily the primary source of foreign language input with other input sources such as videogames gaining attention. Gaming's biggest strength as input may be its popularity as it has been shown to be one of the most common extramural language activities amongst learners. One area of language proficiency that has potential for growth through input from gaming is vocabulary knowledge. However, at present, little is known about the lexical profile of videogames. The present study addresses this gap by analysing a corpus of games (over 5 million words) to ascertain the vocabulary level necessary for increased likelihood of comprehension and word learning, and the number of encounters of potentially learnable vocabulary. Results indicate a lexical profile, and a rate of encountering vocabulary in line with similar forms of language input. Implications for learning through gaming and future research are addressed.
Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 2020
Theories of multimedia learning suggest that learners can form better referential connections whe... more Theories of multimedia learning suggest that learners can form better referential connections when verbal and visual materials are presented simultaneously. Furthermore, the addition of auditory input in reading-while-listening conditions benefits performance on a variety of linguistic tasks. However, little research has been conducted on the processing of multimedia input (written text and images) with and without accompanying audio. Eye movements were recorded during young L2 learners' (N = 30) processing of a multimedia story text in reading-only and reading-while-listening conditions in order to investigate looking patterns and their relationship with comprehension using a multiple-choice comprehension test. Analysis of the eye movement data showed that the presence of audio in reading-while-listening conditions allowed learners to look at the image more often. Processing time on text was related to lower levels of comprehension, whereas processing time on images was positively related to comprehension.
TESL Canada Journal, 2017
This study investigates the relative effectiveness of different teaching approaches on the learni... more This study investigates the relative effectiveness of different teaching approaches on the learning of formulaic sequences. Three comparisons were made in this study: the effects of explicit teaching of formulaic sequences versus teaching embedded in traditional coursebook instruction, the effects of the degree of salience of the sequences in the coursebook on learning, and the effects of explicit teaching of formulaic sequences with context versus teaching without context. Sixty-nine formulaic sequences occurring in an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) coursebook were selected for the study. The participants were 60 low-proficiency university students majoring in technology in Vietnam. Participants were quasi-randomly assigned to one of three groups: control, no-context learning, and sentence-context learning. Learning was measured by two multiple-choice tests of receptive knowledge of form and meaning. Findings indicated that although explicit instruction was effective, the degree of salience in traditional course-book instruction had no significant effects on learning formulaic sequences. Explicit teaching combined with incidental exposure to formulaic sequences in the coursebook was superior to the traditional coursebook instruction approach in the classroom setting. Furthermore, the results from explicit instruction with context sentences did not differ significantly from those of instruction without context. Explanations for the findings and pedagogical applications are offered. Cette étude porte sur l'efficacité relative de différentes approches pédagogiques visant l'enseignement de formules. Trois comparaisons ont été effectuées: les ef-fets de l'enseignement explicit de formules comparativement à l'enseignement traditionnel dans le cadre de cours basés sur un manuel de classe; les effets sur l'apprentissage du degré de pertinence des formules du manuel; et les effets de l'en-seignement explicit de formules avec un contexte comparativement à l'enseigne-ment sans contexte. D'un manuel d'anglais langue étrangère, on a tiré soixante neuf formules pour notre étude. Soixante étudiants à l'université, avec un bas niveau de compétence et poursuivant une majeur en technologie au Vietnam, ont participé à l'étude. Les participants ont été assignés, de façon quasi-aléatoire, à un de trois groupes: témoin, apprentissage sans contexte et apprentissage avec contexte. L'apprentissage a été mesuré avec deux tests à choix multiples portant sur les connaissances réceptives de la forme et du sens. Les résultats indiquent que si l'enseignement explicit est efficace, le degré de pertinence de l'enseignement traditionnel avec un manuel n'a eu aucun effet significatif sur l'apprentissage des formules. L'enseignement explicit combiné à l'exposition accidentelle aux for-TESL CANADA JOURNAL/REVUE TESL DU CANADA 111
This study investigates the relative effectiveness of different teaching approaches on the learni... more This study investigates the relative effectiveness of different teaching approaches on the learning of formulaic sequences. Three comparisons were made in this study: the effects of explicit teaching of formulaic sequences versus teaching embedded in traditional coursebook instruction, the effects of the degree of salience of the sequences in the coursebook on learning, and the effects of explicit teaching of formulaic sequences with context versus teaching without context. Sixty-nine formulaic sequences occurring in an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) coursebook were selected for the study. The participants were 60 low-proficiency university students majoring in technology in Vietnam. Participants were quasi-randomly assigned to one of three groups: control, no-context learning, and sentence-context learning. Learning was measured by two multiple-choice tests of receptive knowledge of form and meaning. Findings indicated that although explicit instruction was effective, the degree of salience in traditional course-book instruction had no significant effects on learning formulaic sequences. Explicit teaching combined with incidental exposure to formulaic sequences in the coursebook was superior to the traditional coursebook instruction approach in the classroom setting. Furthermore, the results from explicit instruction with context sentences did not differ significantly from those of instruction without context. Explanations for the findings and pedagogical applications are offered. Cette étude porte sur l'efficacité relative de différentes approches pédagogiques visant l'enseignement de formules. Trois comparaisons ont été effectuées: les ef-fets de l'enseignement explicit de formules comparativement à l'enseignement traditionnel dans le cadre de cours basés sur un manuel de classe; les effets sur l'apprentissage du degré de pertinence des formules du manuel; et les effets de l'en-seignement explicit de formules avec un contexte comparativement à l'enseigne-ment sans contexte. D'un manuel d'anglais langue étrangère, on a tiré soixante neuf formules pour notre étude. Soixante étudiants à l'université, avec un bas niveau de compétence et poursuivant une majeur en technologie au Vietnam, ont participé à l'étude. Les participants ont été assignés, de façon quasi-aléatoire, à un de trois groupes: témoin, apprentissage sans contexte et apprentissage avec contexte. L'apprentissage a été mesuré avec deux tests à choix multiples portant sur les connaissances réceptives de la forme et du sens. Les résultats indiquent que si l'enseignement explicit est efficace, le degré de pertinence de l'enseignement traditionnel avec un manuel n'a eu aucun effet significatif sur l'apprentissage des formules. L'enseignement explicit combiné à l'exposition accidentelle aux for
English for Specific Purposes, 2017
This study investigated the lexical coverage and frequency of occurrence of 318 common science-sp... more This study investigated the lexical coverage and frequency of occurrence of 318 common science-specific technical word families in a corpus of science fiction-fantasy texts in order to determine the potential for science fiction-fantasy literature to be a resource for incidental technical vocabulary acquisition. Coverage of the word list in the science fiction-fantasy corpus was found to be 0.50%, which was 46% higher than coverage of the same list in a corpus of fiction texts (0.27%), and 70% lower than coverage of the same list in a corpus of academic science journals (1.68%). These findings suggest that, in terms of exposure to technical vocabulary, science fiction-fantasy could serve as a bridge resource for second-language learners studying or prespecializing in the Sciences. A frequency analysis revealed that the highest potential for lexical learning occurs at the 500,000-word reading level, at which 21% of science words occurred 10+ times and 83% occurred 1+ times. Potential lexical gains, as well as both practical and theoretical implications, are discussed.
The Multimedia Principle (Fletcher & Tobias, 2005) states that people learn better and comprehend... more The Multimedia Principle (Fletcher & Tobias, 2005) states that people learn better and comprehend more when words and pictures are presented together. The potential for English language learners to increase their comprehension of video through the use of captions, which graphically display the same language as the spoken dialogue, has been documented in previous research. However, studies have generally used short videos (Markham & Peter, 2003; Montero Perez, Peters & Desmet, 2014) or videos designed for language learning (Chung, 1999) rather than episodes of L2 television programs that students are most likely to watch on their own outside of the classroom. The present study aimed to fill this gap by investigating the comprehension of 372 Japanese university students who watched ten 42-minute episodes of an American television program with and without captions. While viewing the episodes, the participants completed comprehension tests. Analysis indicated that although the participants who viewed the episodes with captions had comprehension scores that were slightly higher across all episodes, their scores were only significantly different for three of the ten episodes. The results revealed that captions are likely to aid comprehension when episodes are most difficult. Explanations for the findings and pedagogical applications are offered.
TESOL Quarterly, 2011
In this study, the scripts of 288 television episodes were analyzed to determine the extent to wh... more In this study, the scripts of 288 television episodes were analyzed to determine the extent to which vocabulary reoccurs in related and unrelated television programs, and the potential for incidental vocabulary learning through watching one season (approximately 24 episodes) of television programs. The scripts consisted of 1,330,268 running words and had a total running time of 203 hours and 49 minutes with a mean running time of 42 minutes. The vocabulary from a single season of six individual television programs (142 episodes) ...
Applied Linguistics, 2009
Abstract The scripts of 318 movies were analyzed in this study to determine the vocabulary size n... more Abstract The scripts of 318 movies were analyzed in this study to determine the vocabulary size necessary to understand 95% and 98% of the words in movies. The movies consisted of 2,841,887 running words and had a total running time of 601 hours and 33 minutes. The movies were classified as either American or British, and then put into the following genres: action, animation, comedy, suspense/crime, drama, horror, romance, science fiction, war, western, and classic. The results showed that knowledge of the most frequent 3,000 word ...
There has been considerable attention devoted to the benefits of Extensive reading primarily for ... more There has been considerable attention devoted to the benefits of Extensive reading primarily for its ability to expose language learners to large amounts of written input and the benefits associated with this. Recently, there has been increased interest of the possibility of providing learners with large amounts of aural input through extensive listening programs involving graded reader audiobooks. An extension of this idea is the concept of extensive viewing where the aural input is provided by episodes of television. This article describes the suitability of audiobooks and television for use in extensive programs and the benefits of learning in this manner. It goes onto to describe the principles of well-designed extensive listening and viewing programs, examples of research that has been carried out to support the use of these programs, and recommendations for further research that needs to be undertaken to support this nascent field.
http://researcharchive.vuw.ac.nz/handle/10063/2870
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Papers by Michael Rodgers