Reactive and Preemptive Focus on Form VS. Focus on Forms Instruction: Iranian EFL Junior High School Learners’ Vocabulary Knowledge

Subject Areas : Journal of Studies in Learning and Teaching English

Shahla Heidarzade ¹ , Fatemeh Behjat ² , Ehsan Hadipourfard ³

1 - Department of English Language, Shiraz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shiraz, Iran
2 - Departmnet of English, Abadeh Branch, Islamic Azad University, Abadeh, Iran.
3 - Department of english language,Islamic Azad University, Shiraz branch,shiraz, iran

Received: 2024-09-23 Accepted : 2024-10-28 Published : 2024-11-19

Keywords: vocabulary knowledge, focus on forms, focus on form, preemptive, reactive, EFL Iranian junior high school learners,

Abstract :

This study attempts to investigate the impact of focus on form versus focus on forms on the knowledge of vocabulary among EFL Iranian junior high school learners. To this end, 110 students of Shiraz University High School in Iran participated, and 60 students were selected based on their performance on a piloted OPT Test. Moreover, a teacher-made vocabulary test was implemented to examine the participants’ vocabulary knowledge as a pre-test. The 60 learners thus were divided into three groups, one control group that was instructed through focus on forms, and each of the experimental groups was taught vocabulary through one of the two forms of focus on form, namely, preemptive and reactive. At the end of the study, the participants in the three groups were given a vocabulary post-test. The design of this study was quantitative. ANOVA and an independent t-test were used to test the null hypothesis. The results of the study revealed the fact that experimental groups significantly outperformed the control group on the vocabulary posttest. The results showed a significant difference between the effect of focus on form in contrast with the focus on forms on the one hand, and with the reactive group outperforming the preemptive group in vocabulary knowledge on the other hand. 

References:

Afshar, H. (2020). Task-related focus-on-forms foreign language vocabulary development: Focus on spoken form and word parts. System, 96, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2020.102406.
Asadi, B, and Gholami, J. (2014). Incidental focus on form in an EFL talk-show class. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences 98: 267–75.
Doughty, C., & Varela, E. (1998). Communicative focus on form. In C. Doughty & J. Williams (Eds.), Focus on form classroom second language acquisition (pp. 114- 138). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Doughty, C., & Williams, J. (1998). Issues and terminology. In C. Doughty & J. Williams (Eds.), Focus on form in classroom second language acquisition (pp. 1-12). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Haque, Mohammad Mahmudul. (2016). The usefulness of the debate between focus on form and focus on forms. BRAC University Journal 1 (1): 63–68.
Hazrat, M., & Read, J. (2021). Enhancing the involvement load hypothesis as a tool for classroom vocabulary research. TESOL Quarterly. 56(1). 387-400.
Laufer, B. (1997). What’s in a word that makes it hard or easy: Intra-lexical factors affecting the difficulty of vocabulary acquisitions. In Vocabulary description, acquisition and pedagogy, Norbert Schmitt and Michael M. McCarthy (eds.), 140–155. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Lightbown, P., & Spada, N. (1994). An innovative program for primary ESL students in Quebec. TESOL Quarterly. 28(3), 563-579.
Long, M.H. (1991). Focus on form: a design feature in language teaching methodology. In K.de Bot, R. Ginsberg, & C. Kramsch (Eds.), Foreign language research in cross-cultural perspective (pp.39-52). Amsterdam:JohnBenjamins.
Long, M. H. (1996). The role of linguistic environment in second language acquisition. In W. C. Ritchie & T. K. Bhatia (Eds.), Handbook of second language acquisition (pp. 413- 468). San Diego: Academic Press.
Lyster, R. (2004). Differential effects of prompts and recasts in form-focused instruction. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 26, 399-432.
Lyster, R., & Ranta, L. (1997). Corrective feedback and learner uptake: Negotiation of form in communicative classrooms. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 19, 37-66.
Marzban, A., Mokhberi, M. (2012). The effect of focus on form instruction on intermediate EFL learners' grammar learning in task-based language teaching. Science Direct production. Social and behavioral science.
McCarthy, M. (1998). Spoken language and applied linguistics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Methapisittikul, Y. (2023). The effect of task-related focus-on-forms instruction on EFL vocabulary development in Thai primary school students. Mahasarakham University.
Mohammadnia, Z., & Gholami, J. (2008). Incidental focus on form: Does proficiency matter? Teaching English Language, 2(6), 1-26.
Puchta, H., G. & Luris-Jomes, P. (2012). Super Mind 4. Cambridge University Press. Newyork Singapour.
Radwan, A. A. (2005). The effectiveness of explicit attention to form in language learning. System, 33, 69-87.
Rahimi Domakani, M. (2008). The efficacy of focus on form on promoting second language learning. Teaching English Language, 3(1), 1-18.
Shintani, N. (2015). The incidental grammar acquisition in focus on form and focus on forms instruction for young beginner learners. TESOL Quarterly, 49(1), 115-140.
Soodmand Afshar, H. (2021). Task-related focus-on-forms foreign language vocabulary development: Focus on spoken form and word parts. System, 96(1), 102-406.
Williams, J. (1999). Learner-generated attention to form. Language Learning, 49,583- 625.