The Effects of Pre-learning Vocabulary on Reading Comprehension and Writing

Abstract

This study investigates the effects of pre-learning vocabulary on reading comprehension and writing. Japanese students studying English as a foreign language (EFL) learned word pairs receptively and productively; four tests were used to measure reading comprehension, writing, and receptive and productive vocabulary knowledge. The findings suggest that pre-learning FL vocabulary may be an effective method of improving reading comprehension and writing, with the direction of learning having a significant effect on a learner's ability to use or understand a word. Participants who completed the productive learning task had higher scores on the writing test and on the test of productive vocabulary knowledge, while participants who completed the receptive learning task had higher scores on the comprehension test. The study highlights the importance of the direction of learning in attaining communicative skills.