The Effect of Visual Input Enhancement on the Learning and Retention of L2 Vocabulary by Iranian EFL Learners

Input enhancement has recently attracted more attention in applied linguistic research agenda. To contribute to other parallel efforts in this regard, this study has aimed at investigating the effect of visual input enhancement on the learning and retention of L2 vocabulary by Iranian EFL learners. To this end, the Oxford Placement Test was administered to 120 earlier subjects; based on the results obtained, 57 participants across the intermediate and advanced proficiency levels were selected as the final participants of the study. The participants were all female Iranian EFL learners. Then, the 20-item vocabulary test that was developed and piloted by the researchers was used as the pretest and posttest instrument in the study. The t-test analysis results showed that visual input enhancement had an effect on vocabulary learning by Iranian EFL learners; visual input enhancement, however, had no significant effect on vocabulary retention by the participants. Also, the results obtained showed that proficiency level of the participants did not moderate the relationship between visual input enhancement and vocabulary learning and retention by them. Based on the findings, some pedagogical implications as well as suggestions for further studies were offered.