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The Effect of Retrieval Practice in Primary School Vocabulary Learning
Author(s) -
Goossens Nicole A. M. C.,
Camp Gino,
Verkoeijen Peter P. J. L.,
Tabbers Huib K.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
applied cognitive psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.719
H-Index - 100
eISSN - 1099-0720
pISSN - 0888-4080
DOI - 10.1002/acp.2956
Subject(s) - psychology , vocabulary , active listening , recall , test (biology) , context (archaeology) , meaning (existential) , word (group theory) , vocabulary development , verbal learning , cued recall , cognitive psychology , word learning , vocabulary learning , word list , linguistics , mathematics education , free recall , cognition , artificial intelligence , communication , teaching method , computer science , class (philosophy) , paleontology , philosophy , neuroscience , psychotherapist , biology
Summary The testing effect refers to the finding that retrieval practice leads to better long‐term retention than additional study of course material. In the present study, we examined whether this finding generalizes to primary school vocabulary learning. We also manipulated the word learning context. Children were introduced to 20 words by listening to a story in which novel words were embedded (story condition) or by listening to isolated words (word pairs condition). The children practised the meaning of 10 words by retrieval practice and 10 words by restudy. After 1 week, they completed a cued recall test and a multiple choice test. Words learned by retrieval practice were recalled better than words learned by additional study, but there was no difference in recognition. Furthermore, the children in the word pairs condition outperformed the children in the story condition. These results show that retrieval practice may improve vocabulary learning in children. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.