The effects of gloss language on alignment and vocabulary learning in continuation writing

Abstract Continuation writing efficiently enhances language learning, particularly vocabulary learning. This study focuses on the under-researched role of gloss language and alignment in continuation writing. Three groups of L2 learners read an incomplete story with L1, L2, or L1 & L2 glosses. After reading, they completed the story and underwent unanticipated vocabulary tests. A delayed posttest was administered after ten days. Results revealed that gloss language significantly influenced alignment and vocabulary learning, but its influence on alignment differed across different types of words. Furthermore, gloss languages and alignment played different roles in vocabulary learning in continuation writing. It was found that in meaning recall, gloss language not only affected lexical learning directly, but also indirectly through alignment. In form recognition, gloss language had no direct influence on vocabulary learning but indirectly affected it entirely via alignment.