Based on the findings of this research, a few suggestions are made, indicating a possible direction for future studies.
First, longitudinal studies on effects of online discussion are suggested. As the diachronic data development suggested that attractor states appeared in the latter period of the intervention (e.g. after Time 6 in word form learning) and that online discussion did not appear more effective in facilitating word form learning and text comprehension until a few times later (e.g. after Time 3), it would be intriguing to follow the data development in longitudinal studies. Since online discussion has been found to take effects after some time, whether its effects might become more significant in a long-term intervention is worthy of investigation.
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Second, to further investigate the learning effects brought by online discussions, different grouping modes could be taken into consideration as interactions among learners might vary depending on grouping. While the participants in this study chose their own group members, future research could adopt heterogeneous grouping (e.g.
high-achievers grouped with low-achievers) or homogeneous grouping (e.g. learners with a similar language proficiency level grouped together) to see if different interaction modes could be developed in different types of groups and thus influence learning effects.
Last but not least, texts with different stories or genres could be adopted in future studies. The texts given in this study were chapters in one story. Though most participants found the story attractive, the texts could not satisfy each and every participant. In future FonF studies, texts with different short stories could be used every single time of intervention to add variety to reading. Also, expository texts could be included. With different comprehension questions posed accordingly, it would be intriguing to see if learners’ attention could be successfully directed to the target forms as it did in this study.
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Appendix A
Vocabulary Familiarity Check
How are you familiar with the following words? Check 1 for “I don’t remember seeing the word before;”
2 for “I have seen this word before, but I don’t know the meanings;”
3 for “I have seen this word before, and I guess it means…but I’m not quite sure.”
4 for “I have seen this word before, and I know this word means….”
If you choose 3 or 4, be sure to write down the meanings of the word in either English or Chinese.
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staircase stare suddenly suspicious
talented technical technique volunteer
Target words selected:
journey, attract, positive, musician, audience, corridor, crowded, continue, suddenly, exactly, breathe, amazing, familiar, blushed, shrugged, staring, opposite, reached, pleased, schedule, consent, talented, costume, forgery, probably, military, imitate, original, mistaken, extracts
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Appendix B
One Sample Text, Text-based Questions, WF tests and Comprehension Check The text
The Green Room: Chapter 1
“What am I doing here?” Laura asked herself, looking over the shoulder of the boy in front of her. There was a long line of teenagers standing outside the theater and Laura was at the end of the queue.
“There are at least eighty people here,” she thought.
It was Saturday morning and Laura was feeling nervous as she waited to go inside the theater. She was also feeling guilty because she had lied to Mum and Dad at breakfast.
“Where are you going?” Dad asked.
“To Lucy’s house,” Laura said. “We have to revise for an exam and then we have swimming practice.”
“Will you be late?” Mum asked.
“I don’t know. I’ll phone. OK?”
Lucy knew about the plan in case Laura’ mum or dad phoned her. Lucy was Laura’s best friend and she always helped Laura out.
When Laura left home in the morning, carrying her sports bag, she started walking in the direction of Lucy’s house but when she reached the main road, she turned left instead of right and walked quickly to the train station. There was a train at 10:03 and the journey to London only took 30 minutes. She could easily reach the theater before 11:00.
On the train, she took her sports bag to the toilet and changed clothes—a red top to attract attention, her best jeans, and the new shoes she bought with Lucy last weekend. She put on some make-up and then looked at herself in the mirror. “You can do it!” she told herself.
Laura felt so confident on the train but now she was standing outside the theater and she felt nervous and guilty.
“What am I doing here?” she asked again. But this time she realized she said it aloud because the boy in from turned round and looked at her.
“Are you talking to me?” said the boy in glasses.
“Now Laura was feeling nervous, guilty and stupid. She wanted to run back to King’s Cross station and take the first train home. But then she saw the notebook in the boy’s hand. He was drawing a picture of the queen of teenagers standing outside the theater.
Laura smiled.
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“That’s a really good drawing,” she said.
“Thanks,” he said.
“I’m Laura,” she said.
“I’m Marc,” the boy said. “Marc with a c. Like Marc Chagall.”
When Laura didn’t react, Marc added, “The painter?”
“I know who Marc Chagall is,” Laura lied.
Marc smiled and Laura felt positive again.
“He believed me,” she thought. “Maybe I really am a good actor.”
Note: The target words in the text are boldfaced only for research reference. The input will not be enhanced for the participants.
Text-based Questions
Target Word Different Types of Questions
journey
display 1 How long did it take Laura to go to London by train?
display 2 A word similar to “travel” is used. What is the word?
referential
Why did Laura want to attract attention?
When would you like to attract others’ attention?
How would you do that?
positive
display 1 How did Laura feel after talking to Marc?
display 2 How did Laura feel when Marc seemed to believe her?
referential
What did Laura feel positive about after talking to Marc?
When you feel nervous, what do you do to help yourself feel positive?
WF Test 1. 方向
(A) diraction (B) direction (C) delaction (D) deraction 2. 旅程
(A) jurnery (B) journey (C) jurgey (D) jourgey
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1. What happened in the text you just read?
(A) Laura met Marc while she was waiting outside a theater.
(B) Marc asked Laura to be his model so that he could draw her.
(C) Laura and Marc went to a theater together and lied to their parents.
(D) Laura took the wrong train and she had to wait for the next train.
2. Where did the conversation between Laura and Marc take place?
(A) on the train (B) outside a theater (C) at Lucy’s house (D) at the train station
3. What were Laura and Marc talking about outside the theater?
(A) Marc and his painting.
(B) Laura and her acting.
(C) People in front of the theater.
(D) Laura and her best friend.
local
4. How long was Laura’s journey from her house to London?
(A) About 10 minutes. (B) About 30 minutes. (C) About one hour. (D) About two hours.
5. What did Laura do to attract attention?
(A) She put on her best clothes and some make-up.
(B) She talked to a boy named Marc.
(C) She lied to her parents.
(D) She tried to perform well in the audition.
6. Why did Laura feel positive when she saw Marc’s smile?
(A) She thought Marc was interested in her.
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(B) Marc believed her and she found she was a good actor.
(C) Marc shared his favorite painter with her.
(D) Marc thought she was a good actor and told her not to be nervous.
inference
7. How might Laura’s parents feel if they find where Laura was?
(A) proud (B) angry (C) guilty (D) stupid
8. What was the possible reason that Laura was in front of the theater?
(A) She dated her boyfriend, Marc, secretly.
(B) She went to watch a show she had always wanted to.
(C) She would meet Lucy there and studied with her.
(D) She might enter a contest to prove she was an actor.
9. How did Marc feel about Marc Chagall?
(A) He didn’t know about him.
(B) He wanted to be like him.
(C) He lied about Chagall.
(D) He thought he was a good actor.
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Appendix C
Instructions
For Online Discussion
Discuss the given questions about the chapter you just read with your group members in English online.
You can use whatever names you want in online discussion.
The questions will be given to you one by one.
During the discussion time, each of the group members has to both provide your answers to the questions directly, and respond to your group members or the teacher at least once.
If you want to respond to a certain posting, state the member’s name of the posting first so that she will know you are directly responding to her.
Be sure to read all the responses by others and give them a “Plus One” after reading them.
You can discuss the question freely until the next one is posted.
If you have any questions, feel free to ask them on the forum in English.
No Chinese will be used during the discussion.
For Individual Work
You will be given some questions one by one. Write down your responses on the paper the teacher gives you.
Write down your name on every answer paper.
After writing down your answers, you will be asked to pass your answer to your neighbors. Also, you will read others’ response. Put a star beside the response after reading it.
No interaction is allowed.