Attention allocation in (L1) subtitled and (L2) captioned video viewing: Effects of prior vocabulary instruction on input processing and comprehension

Pre-directing learners' attention to novel words facilitates learning through meaning-focused input, but little is known about the effect that vocabulary-focused activities may have on video processing and comprehension. This study investigates attention allocation in (L1) subtitled and (L2) captioned video viewing and explores potential trade-offs between pre-viewing instruction and comprehension. Eighty-seven Catalan/Spanish L2-English beginner learners watched an eight-minute video with either captions or subtitles while their eye-movements were recorded. Half of the participants in each language condition were pre-taught vocabulary. Results showed that pre-viewing instruction affected attention allocation only in the captions group, with participants tending to spend less time on target captions and comprehension-relevant captions. Allocating attention to vocabulary, however, did not seem to hinder comprehension in a significant manner.