Affordance of technological resources for vocabulary learning beyond the classroom: A learner perspective

Research on self-directed language learning with technological resources beyond the classroom has documented positive associations of such learning experience with vocabulary knowledge. Different technological resources have been found to bring different potentials for vocabulary development. However, the same technological resource might be appropriated differently by learners to achieve different learning purposes. To have a better understanding of the affordances of technological resources for vocabulary learning, a learner-experience-centric approach is needed. Based on relevant literature, the technological activity diary entries and interview responses with 46 Chinese EFL learners, this study developed a framework of defining characteristics of out-of-class technological experiences that are associated with vocabulary knowledge and revealed the affordances of different technological resources for vocabulary development in reference to the framework. Implications on how language educators can better guide students’ self-directed language learning with technology beyond the classroom will be discussed. Copyright © 2021 Technology-Enhanced Language Learning and Teaching. All rights reserved.