Understanding the distributed practice effect and its relevance for the teaching and learning of L2 vocabulary

Abstract

2019], for example, underscores the fact that communicative approaches to language teaching have developed independently of cognitive science research, and she argues forcefully that the field of language teaching research stands to gain from a greater openness towards and familiarity with cognitive science research. In the current article, we thus aim to provide an accessible synthesis of the cognitive science and SLA research that has addressed what Ellis [1995: 118] referred to as one of "the most robust phenomena in experimental psychology", namely the distributed practice effect. For this special issue on lexical learning and teaching, we focus on the specific question of how the distributed practice of learning episodes impacts the intentional learning of vocabulary in a L2. Our goal in so doing is to make the vast body of cognitive psychology research on this question available to interested teachers, teacher trainers and language learners. This article is divided into four sections. In the first, we present and explain relevant terminology used in research on the distributed practice effect and on L2 vocabulary acquisition. In the second, we provide a short overview of research on the distributed practice effect with regards to learning in general. The third section presents research on the distributed practice effect with respect to L2 vocabulary learning in particular. Finally, the fourth section addresses explicitly how the findings with respect to the distribution of learning time can inform decisions with respect to language teaching and learning with regards to L2 vocabulary.