An Investigation into the Effect of Content Representation and Gender on Learner's Short-Term Memory: A Study of Cell-Phone Assisted Vocabulary Learning

To cast light over the modality specific nature of short-term memory (STM)، the present research set out to investigate if dual modalities of verbal and visual presentations of vocabulary in a foreign language context are accommodated differently by STM. Due to the recognition of the role gender can play in information processing and thus learning، the study also tried to illuminate the moderating effect of gender. To that end، English language learners of an institute in Iran were placed into four different (STM) ability groups، using Visual and Verbal STM Test and then each ability group was divided into two male/female parts. Also، cell phone based vocabulary delivery with different annotations was already adapted to the cell phone screen to be accessed by learners'' via Bluetooth application. The subjects were evaluated on their recognition and recall of vocabulary items taught. The analysis indicated that STM (high visual & high verbal) accommodates very well to delivery of materials with pictorial and/or written annotation (s)، resulting in better vocabulary learning on both recall and recognition tests. Low-visual and low-verbal ability group showed better results under no annotation condition. The two points clearly confirm that STM aligns with the related modes of presentation. The results of the study point to the minimal relevance of STM to learners'' gender in L2 vocabulary learning compared to the presentation modes having a bearing on processing orientations.