Second language collocation learning through captioned videos: how do learners’ vocabulary knowledge and working memory affect learning?

Research utilizing captioned videos has demonstrated the advantages of incidental learning for single words. However, limited attention has been given to investigating collocation learning in such conditions and how individual differences influence this type of learning. The present study aimed to bridge this research gap by examining incidental collocation learning in different types of captioned conditions and exploring the role of individual differences, specifically prior vocabulary knowledge (VK) and working memory (WM), in moderating the learning outcomes. The study involved 129 Chinese young learners of English as a second language (ESL) who were assigned to one of four groups: full captioning group, keyword captioning group, no captioning group, and a control group. Participants completed a vocabulary test including form recognition and recall. This test was administered before, immediately after, and two weeks after the study. Additionally, they underwent tests to measure VK and WM. The results indicate that both full captions and keyword captions, with a stronger effect observed for full captions, effectively facilitate incidental collocation learning. The depth of VK and phonological WM strongly predict the collocation learning outcomes. The implications of these findings for collocation learning and related research are discussed.