Do learners notice enhanced forms while interacting with the L2?: An online and offline study of the role of written input enhancement in L2 reading

The benefits of enhanced written input, premised on the roles of attention and awareness (noticing) in second/foreign language (L2) learning, have produced mixed results in SLA literature. One plausible explanation maybe offline data elicitation procedures typically used to measure the impact (or lack thereof) of enhancement. Employing a more robust online research design to address this issue, think-aloud protocols were gathered to establish that first-year college-level participants (38) indeed noticed targeted linguistic forms (Spanish formal imperatives) while reading an enhanced or unenhanced text. Their performances on immediate and delayed recognition and written production tasks were subsequently submitted to both quantitative and qualitative analyses. Results indicated no significant benefits of written input enhancement over unenhanced written input for (1) the amount reporting noticing of Spanish formal imperatives (2) readers' comprehension, or (3) readers' intake. Theoretical methodological, and pedagogical implications are discussed.