Word by Word: Investigating L2 Vocabulary Acquisition through Extensive Reading

While previous research has provided insights into vocabulary learning through extensive reading, the differential effects of word frequency and word class on active form and passive meaning word recognition remain less understood. By evaluating learners' post-test performance in active form recognition and passive meaning recognition, this study offers a comprehensive view of how these factors influence incidental vocabulary acquisition. The findings reveal a complex picture: while verbs showed a more significant improvement in active form recognition with increased exposure, underscoring the importance of repeated encounters, nouns were more effectively acquired in passive meaning recognition, suggesting differing cognitive processes involved in learning nouns versus verbs. Additionally, the study highlights that word frequency had a varied impact on learning outcomes, with multiple exposures facilitating a deeper understanding of verb forms, whereas noun learning showed less sensitivity to frequency. These results challenge the assumption that pleasure reading uniformly enhances all facets of word knowledge and suggest a complex interplay between word frequency, word class, and type of vocabulary recognition. The implications of these findings underscore the need for tailored strategies in L2 vocabulary instruction, advocating for a diversified approach to reading materials selection and emphasizing the importance of exposure diversity for effective vocabulary acquisition.