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Description
This study examined English prefix difficulty and flashcard use in a Japanese university English course (N = 130). Students studied 44 prefixes over five weeks using online flashcards and weekly quizzes. Results showed significant learning gains, while flashcard usage functioned mainly as supplementary reinforcement. Prefix performance strongly reflected L1 loanword influence, with katakana-supported prefixes easiest and classical or irregular prefixes most difficult but most responsive to instruction.
Short summary
This study examined English prefix difficulty and flashcard use in a Japanese university English course (N = 130). Students studied 44 prefixes over five weeks using online flashcards and weekly quizzes. Results showed significant learning gains, while flashcard usage functioned mainly as supplementary reinforcement. Prefix performance strongly reflected L1 loanword influence, with katakana-supported prefixes easiest and classical or irregular prefixes most difficult but most responsive to instruction.
Abstract
Bauer and Nation (1993) proposed seven graded affix levels based on frequency, regularity, productivity, and predictability to guide vocabulary instruction and word-family learning. However, these levels may require adjustment for Japanese learners of English, as L1 loanword influence may shape perceived prefix difficulty (Tamura & Shirahata, 2017). This study examines English prefix difficulty and the effectiveness of weekly flashcard practice in a Japanese university academic English course.
Participants (N = 130) studied 44 English prefixes over five weeks (9–10 per week) and reviewed them using online flashcards with contextualized multiple-choice and form-focused gap-fill tasks. Weekly quizzes assessed short-term retention, and pre- and post-tests measured learning gains on 25 selected prefixes.
Results showed consistently high quiz performance and significant pre- to post-test gains of 15–17 percentage points (p < .001). However, flashcard usage showed weak, non-significant correlations with quiz scores (r = 0.17–0.31) and learning gains (r = 0.02–0.25), suggesting a supplementary role.
Performance patterns revealed a strong L1 loanword effect: prefixes with clear katakana equivalents (e.g., re-, auto-, tele-, pre-, multi-, inter-) showed the highest accuracy, while prefixes with weak or no loanword support, particularly classical (sym-, mal-) and irregular variants (non-, ir-, il-) were most difficult for students, yet showed the largest post-test gains, indicating strong responsiveness to explicit instruction.
Overall, L1 loanword presence emerged as a stronger predictor of prefix ease than theoretical levels alone, highlighting the need for targeted instruction for classical and irregular prefixes.
References
Bauer, L., & Nation, I. S. P. (1993). Word families. International Journal of Lexicography, 6(4), 253–279.
https://doi.org/10.1093/ijl/6.4.253
Tamura, Y., & Shirahata, T. (2017). Knowledge of English prefixes among Japanese adult learners of English. JACET Journal, 61, 69–87.
Keywords
Prefix learning
Flashcards
Loanwords (katakana)
Vocabulary instruction
| Scheduling preference | Anytime on Saturday |
|---|---|
| Title | Prefix Difficulty and Flashcard Learning in Japanese University EFL |