Tayebeh Danesh - Department of English Language Teaching, Ahvaz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz, Iran
Mohammad Taghi Farvardin - Department of English Language Teaching, Ahvaz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz, Iran

This study examined whether different glossing conditions, namely inference-gloss-gloss, gloss-retrieval-gloss, inference-gloss-retrieval-gloss, gloss-retrieval-gloss-retrieval and full gloss condition, yield to different vocabulary retention. One hundred forty MA students of TEFL from Islamic Azad University of Ahvaz, Iran, were selected from five intact classes. Participants were asked to read an English reading passage containing five target words glossed differently and categorized in five gloss conditions. Immediately after reading, the participants answered a multiple-choice reading comprehension test for ensuring that they have understood the meaning; two weeks later two vocabulary posttests (form and meaning retention tests) were administered to assess the participants’ vocabulary retention. The results of one-way MANOVAs and the post hoc Scheffe tests revealed that the gloss-retrieval-gloss-retrieval group outperformed other groups in vocabulary form retention and vocabulary meaning retention.

Gloss Conditions, Inferencing, Retrieval,Vocabulary Retention