Vocabulary learning through data-driven learning in the context of Spanish as a foreign language

Abstract

An increasing number of studies have shown the potential associations between corpus work and second language acquisition and teaching. Some research, for example, explores the effect of data-driven learning (DDL, Johns 1991) in the context of foreign language learning. Up till now, however, empirical quantitative studies on the topic have been limited, especially with respect to foreign languages other than English. In order to bridge this gap, a quasi-experimental longitudinal design was used in the present study to examine whether there is a statistically significant difference between the DDL approach to vocabulary learning and more traditional learning methods (e.g., dictionary approach) in the context of Spanish as a foreign language (SFL) by Chinese students. The study further gauged students’ attitude towards DDL activities. The results of two post-tests revealed that the DDL group of students significantly outperformed the group of students following a traditional learning method. Furthermore, a questionnaire assessment collected from the experimental group showed that the respondents generally favored DDL and adopted a positive attitude towards its future application to Spanish learning.