Insights into the depth of processing hypothesis and its role in enhancing vocabulary learning

Abstract EN

Learning vocabulary is fundamental in foreign language learning.

both educators and researchers alike face myriad demands that include finding out the best strategy that helps foreign language learners retain vocabulary and recall the learned words at will.

the main pursuit of the present article is to highlight the contribution of the depth of processing hypothesis in the instructed foreign language learning and teaching through examining the effect of deep and surface processing of information.

it is an attempt to provide an explanation into why two l2 learners who are exposed to the same l2 knowledge in the same classroom setting can have different performances.

in other words, how can a learner remember some information much better and for much longer time than another learner.

a special focus is therefore, given to Craik and Tulving's (1975) ideas regarding the superiority of metacognition represented by the ‘deep’ semantic processing as opposed to ‘shallow’ (surface) processing.