The effect of split information tasks on the acquisition of mathematics vocabulary

Abstract

This study investigates how split information tasks contribute to the acquisition of mathematical vocabulary with students of varied language proficiency. Split information tasks require participants to share different kinds of information in order to reach a teacher-planned outcome. The study draws on four areas of research: tasks as a unit of analysis in teaching, pairwork as a learning arrangement, interaction in vocabulary development and the role of output in vocabulary acquisition. The study used the vocabulary of geometry concepts, with special attention paid to the acquisition of four vocabulary items within the context of the systematic design for split information tasks. The research took place in a class with eleven to thirteen year old students. Mixed ability students in the class were ranked by earlier assessment and this information was used to draw three matched groups of eight students for teaching. An experimental group used split information tasks in a pairwork learning arrangement. Comparison Group 1 used the same items as the Experimental Group but completed them as an individual worksheet without the benefit of interaction. Comparison Group 2 received teacher-fronted instruction. This plan enabled the analysis of the interactional aspect of split information tasks to be considered separately from the content matter of the tasks. Students were pre-tested and post-tested within a four week instructional period, using four different approaches to measuring attainment: multiple choice comprehension, sentence anomaly detection, free recall writing and an oral interview. Further testing, one month after the post-test, yielded data on longer term retention. The post-test scores showed that all groups benefited from the task sessions but the group working interactively on split information tasks did so to a greater extent than the comparison groups. The task sessions were audio-recorded as students either discussed the items, worked on worksheets or were taught by the teacher. An analysis of the transcripts led to two groups of lexical counts: the total occurrences of each major item and the total number of times each item was generated independently of textual reference. A strong correlation was found between the generative use of vocabulary items and the student's success in manipulating the items during attainment tasks. It would thus appear that spoken output in the context of split information tasks is an important factor in aiding the acquisition of target vocabulary items.