Computer- based versus traditional -Computer L1 and L2 glosses

This study aimed at investigating the effects of L1 and L2 glosses and their effectiveness on reading comprehension and vocabulary recall with and without computer to explore whether providing glosses can facilitate reading comprehension and vocabulary acquisition. For this purpose, 180 students who were studying English as a Foreign language (EFL) at Shokouh Language Institute (Urmia Branch, Iran) and were homogeneous according to the results of the proficiency test and identified as intermediate-level learners were selected and randomly assigned to six equivalent groups of participants: 1) computer-based text without gloss (computer-based control group), 2) computer-based L1 (Persian) gloss, 3) computer-based L2 (English) gloss, 4) paper-based text without gloss (traditional control group), 5) paper-based L1 (Persian) gloss, 6) paper-based L2 (English) gloss. Those in groups 1 and 4 had to read the texts with no access to glosses. The remaining four groups received treatment on two passages with 20 glossed words under one of four conditions. According to results of this study, glossing has been shown to be effective in reading comprehension and vocabulary recall but there was no significant difference while the focus was on the type of gloss (Persian or English). Results also showed that the availability of the computer in conducting the study had no effect on the performances of the students. This means that the computer technology had neither improving nor spoiling influences on the Iranian students’ performances.