Involvement Load Hypothesis: Vocabulary Knowledge Acquisition Through Reading with Target Words

Thisirak Charoensil

ผู้แต่ง

Thisirak Charoensil Faculty of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Roi Et Rajabhat University, Thailand

คำสำคัญ:

Involvement Load Hypothesis, Vocabulary Acquisition, Vocabulary Knowledge

บทคัดย่อ

This study aimed to (1) examine learners’ acquisition of target vocabulary through reading tasks based on the Involvement Load Hypothesis (ILH) and (2) analyze the effects of task-induced involvement on the development of learners’ vocabulary knowledge. The research employed a quasi-experimental design. The sample consisted of 18 first-year Business English students selected through simple random sampling. The research instruments included (1) the Vocabulary Knowledge Scale (VKS) to assess vocabulary knowledge and (2) ILH-based reading tasks designed to incorporate the three components of involvement: need, search, and evaluation. Data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, and paired-sample t-test.

The findings revealed that (1) learners demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in receptive vocabulary knowledge at the .05 level, particularly in their ability to recognize and explain the meanings of target words after the intervention, and (2) task-induced involvement, as conceptualized by ILH, had a positive effect on vocabulary acquisition, especially in terms of retention and comprehension. However, learners’ productive vocabulary knowledge, particularly their ability to use target words in context, remained limited and showed no significant improvement. These results suggest that ILH-based reading tasks are effective in enhancing receptive vocabulary learning but are insufficient on their own to develop productive vocabulary skills. The study highlights the importance of integrating output-oriented activities to complement ILH-based tasks. The findings contribute to pedagogical knowledge by providing a practical framework for designing vocabulary instruction that promotes deeper cognitive engagement and supports effective vocabulary learning in EFL contexts.

เอกสารอ้างอิง

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