This study aimed to explore the effects of retrieval vocabulary instruction on academic reading
comprehension of 40 participants at the School of Foreign Languages at Istanbul Şehir University. According to Barcroft (2015) retrieval vocabulary is defined as the learners‟ ability to recall the words when they need to produce or use them accordingly. The independent variable is retrieval vocabulary
instruction and the dependent variable is academic reading comprehension. A pre-test was administered
in the first week of module in order to see the academic reading comprehension level of the participants.
A treatment of retrieval vocabulary instruction was given for seven weeks. Later a post-test was
administered in week eight so as to observe whether retrieval vocabulary instruction has any positive
effect on academic reading comprehension or not. SPSS was used in order to analyze the data, and
graphically detailed analysis of the reading comprehension tests are shown at the end. A Pair Sample
statistics was used. The findings of the current study indicated that according to significance levels and
the means of the both of the groups, it can be said that there is a significant change between two test
scores taken at different times from the same groups of participants. Thus, it can be concluded that the
treatment of the retrieval vocabulary instruction was beneficial for the participants since it increased
their reading comprehension scores.
Baddeley, A. (1990). Human memory: Theory and Practice. Needham Heights, MA: Ally and Bacon.
Barcroft, J. (2015). Can retrieval opportunities increase vocabulary learning reading? Foreign Language Annals, 48(2), 236-249. doi: 10.1111/flan.12139
Brown, R., Waring, R., & Donkaewbua, S. (2008). Incidental vocabulary acquisition from reading, reading-while-listening, and listening to stories. Reading in a Foreign Language, 20(2), 137-138.
Council of Europe. (2001). Common European framework of reference for languages: Learning, teaching, assessment. NA: Cambridge University Press.
Chall, J.S., & Jacobs, V.A. (2003). Poor children's fourth-grade slump. American Editor, Retrieved from https://www.aft.org/pubs-reports/american_educator/spring2003/chall.html
Chaury, P. (2015). The effects of strategy instruction on reading comprehension in English as a
foreign language. Concordia Working Papers in Applied Linguistics, 6.
German, D. J., & Schwanke, J. (2009). Teaching retrieval strategies also, dual focus vocabulary instruction for word-finding. Illinois Speech and Hearing Association (ISHA), Chicago, IL.
Grabe, W. (2009). Reading in a second language: Moving from theory to practice. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Grabe W. (2007). Key issues for L2 reading development. Northern Arizona University. Retrieved from http://www.nus.edu.sg/
Gürses, M. Ö. & Bouvet E. (2016). Investigating reading comprehension and learning styles in relation to reading strategies in L2. Reading in a Foreign Language, 28(1), 20-42.
Kintsch, W. (1988). The role of knowledge in discourse comprehension: a construction- integration model. American Psychological Review, 95(2), 163.
Laufer, B. (2005). Focus on form in second language vocabulary learning. EUROSLA Yearbook, 5, 223-250.
Min, Y. K. (2013). Vocabulary Acquisition: Practical Strategies for ESL Students. Journal of International Students, 3(1), 67. Retrieved from http://jistudents.org/
Nation, P. (2015). Principles guiding vocabulary learning through extensive reading. Reading in a Foreign Language, 27(1), 136. Retrieved from http://nflrc.hawaii.edu/rfl/April2015/discussion/nation.pdf
Nation, P. (2001). Learning Vocabulary in Another Language. NA: Cambridge University Press.
Hirsch, E.D. (2003). Reading comprehension requires knowledge – of words and the world: Scientific insights into the fourth-grade slump and the nation‟s stagnant comprehension scores. American Educator, American Federation of Teachers, 16. Retrieved from
https://www.aft.org/sites/default/files/periodicals/AE_SPRNG.pdf
Hu, M., & Nation, P. (2000). Unknown vocabulary density and reading comprehension.
Reading in a Foreign Language, 13(1), 403.
Perfetti, C., & Stafura, J. (2014). Word knowledge in a theory of reading comprehension. Scientific Studies of Reading, Society for the Scientific Study of Reading, 18, 22-37. doi: 10.1080/10888438.2013.827687
Pulido, D. (2004). The relationship between text comprehension and second language incidental vocabulary acquisition: A matter of topic familiarity? Language Learning, 54(3), 469–523.
Senoo, Y., & Yonemoto, K. (2014). Vocabulary learning through extensive reading. The
Canadian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 17(2), 1-22.
Shen, Z. (2013). The effects of vocabulary knowledge and dictionary use on EFL reading
performance: English Language Teaching; Canadian Center of Science and Education, 6(6).
Schmitt, N., Jiang, X., & Grabe, W. (2011). The percentage of words known in a text and
reading comprehension. The Modern Language Journal, 95, 26–43.
Takac, V. P. (2008). Vocabulary learning strategies and foreign language acquisition.
Clevedon, UK: Multilingual Matters.
Thorne, G. (2006). 10 strategies to enhance students' memory. Metarie, LA: Center for Development and Learning. Retrieved from http://www.cdl.org/resourcelibrary/articles/memory_strategies_May06.php
TESOL International Associations (2017). Retrieved from http://www.tesol.org/docs/books/bk_ELTD_Reading_998
TESOL International Associations (2017). Retrieved from http://www.tesol.org/docs/books/bk_ELTD_Vocabulary_974
Williams, J. (2010). Reading comprehension, learning styles, and seventh-grade students, (Doctoral dissertation), Retrieved from ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database, UMI No: 3397106.
Baddeley, A. (1990). Human memory: Theory and Practice. Needham Heights, MA: Ally and Bacon.
Barcroft, J. (2015). Can retrieval opportunities increase vocabulary learning reading? Foreign Language Annals, 48(2), 236-249. doi: 10.1111/flan.12139
Brown, R., Waring, R., & Donkaewbua, S. (2008). Incidental vocabulary acquisition from reading, reading-while-listening, and listening to stories. Reading in a Foreign Language, 20(2), 137-138.
Council of Europe. (2001). Common European framework of reference for languages: Learning, teaching, assessment. NA: Cambridge University Press.
Chall, J.S., & Jacobs, V.A. (2003). Poor children's fourth-grade slump. American Editor, Retrieved from https://www.aft.org/pubs-reports/american_educator/spring2003/chall.html
Chaury, P. (2015). The effects of strategy instruction on reading comprehension in English as a
foreign language. Concordia Working Papers in Applied Linguistics, 6.
German, D. J., & Schwanke, J. (2009). Teaching retrieval strategies also, dual focus vocabulary instruction for word-finding. Illinois Speech and Hearing Association (ISHA), Chicago, IL.
Grabe, W. (2009). Reading in a second language: Moving from theory to practice. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Grabe W. (2007). Key issues for L2 reading development. Northern Arizona University. Retrieved from http://www.nus.edu.sg/
Gürses, M. Ö. & Bouvet E. (2016). Investigating reading comprehension and learning styles in relation to reading strategies in L2. Reading in a Foreign Language, 28(1), 20-42.
Kintsch, W. (1988). The role of knowledge in discourse comprehension: a construction- integration model. American Psychological Review, 95(2), 163.
Laufer, B. (2005). Focus on form in second language vocabulary learning. EUROSLA Yearbook, 5, 223-250.
Min, Y. K. (2013). Vocabulary Acquisition: Practical Strategies for ESL Students. Journal of International Students, 3(1), 67. Retrieved from http://jistudents.org/
Nation, P. (2015). Principles guiding vocabulary learning through extensive reading. Reading in a Foreign Language, 27(1), 136. Retrieved from http://nflrc.hawaii.edu/rfl/April2015/discussion/nation.pdf
Nation, P. (2001). Learning Vocabulary in Another Language. NA: Cambridge University Press.
Hirsch, E.D. (2003). Reading comprehension requires knowledge – of words and the world: Scientific insights into the fourth-grade slump and the nation‟s stagnant comprehension scores. American Educator, American Federation of Teachers, 16. Retrieved from
https://www.aft.org/sites/default/files/periodicals/AE_SPRNG.pdf
Hu, M., & Nation, P. (2000). Unknown vocabulary density and reading comprehension.
Reading in a Foreign Language, 13(1), 403.
Perfetti, C., & Stafura, J. (2014). Word knowledge in a theory of reading comprehension. Scientific Studies of Reading, Society for the Scientific Study of Reading, 18, 22-37. doi: 10.1080/10888438.2013.827687
Pulido, D. (2004). The relationship between text comprehension and second language incidental vocabulary acquisition: A matter of topic familiarity? Language Learning, 54(3), 469–523.
Senoo, Y., & Yonemoto, K. (2014). Vocabulary learning through extensive reading. The
Canadian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 17(2), 1-22.
Shen, Z. (2013). The effects of vocabulary knowledge and dictionary use on EFL reading
performance: English Language Teaching; Canadian Center of Science and Education, 6(6).
Schmitt, N., Jiang, X., & Grabe, W. (2011). The percentage of words known in a text and
reading comprehension. The Modern Language Journal, 95, 26–43.
Takac, V. P. (2008). Vocabulary learning strategies and foreign language acquisition.
Clevedon, UK: Multilingual Matters.
Thorne, G. (2006). 10 strategies to enhance students' memory. Metarie, LA: Center for Development and Learning. Retrieved from http://www.cdl.org/resourcelibrary/articles/memory_strategies_May06.php
TESOL International Associations (2017). Retrieved from http://www.tesol.org/docs/books/bk_ELTD_Reading_998
TESOL International Associations (2017). Retrieved from http://www.tesol.org/docs/books/bk_ELTD_Vocabulary_974
Williams, J. (2010). Reading comprehension, learning styles, and seventh-grade students, (Doctoral dissertation), Retrieved from ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database, UMI No: 3397106.
Saygili, K. (2017). Effects of Retrieval Vocabulary Instruction on Academic Reading Comprehension. Eurasian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 3(2), 253-270. https://doi.org/10.32601/ejal.461011