An exploratory study of computer assisted language learning (CALL) glosses and traditional glosses on incidental vocabulary learning and Spanish literature reading comprehension

The following is an exploratory study investigating the difference in the incidental vocabulary learning (or recall) of Spanish vocabulary while reading for comprehension. A secondary area of investigation is the influence of learner characteristics on gloss access. High-intermediate/low-advanced Spanish students from two sections of the same Spanish course at an American university participated in this study. One group of participants was provided traditional English marginal glosses to the left of the reading while the second group of students was provided with computer-assisted language learning (CALL) glosses. The participants took three constructed response vocabulary post-tests in the following three weeks and a constructed response reading comprehension test upon completion of the reading task. The results were ultimately inconclusive, but indicated that there was no significant difference between word recall and gloss presentation, and that gloss access is to some extent positively related to language proficiency.