The Impact of Vocabulary Gloss on Reading Comprehension and Cognitive Load in Second Language Learners

Reading comprehension and learning are closely intertwined because reading comprehension ability, which involves understanding and interpreting written texts, is crucial for acquiring knowledge. When learning new information or skills, individuals must allocate cognitive resources to understand, retain, and apply the information. Cognitive load refers to the mental effort or resources required to process information and complete a task. Although word gloss has been shown to be helpful for learners' acquisition, its effects on reading comprehension performance and cognitive load are unknown. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the relationship between different types of vocabulary gloss, second language reading comprehension performance, and cognitive load by combining online (eye-tracking) and offline (reading comprehension test) measures.