Adaptive vocabulary instruction

In this paper we present some research into vocabulary instruction using a Web-based program that allows subjects to interact with paired associates online. The system trains the subject on sets, or "lessons", of paired associates in a cue/response format. The sequence in which items are presented can vary according to a particular algorithm, and/or to the particular subject\´s ongoing performance. The system was used to study the acquisition of Japanese vocabulary in English speakers with no prior experience of Japanese. A two-way ANOVA indicated that there were significant effects on retention at test of lesson number, and of the algorithms controlling the order and selection of items at acquisition, and that there was no interaction between these factors. In this paper, we consider the implications of these results for vocabulary instruction, and discuss how our system could be used to facilitate the study of other factors influencing learning and memory.