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From word parts to full texts: Searching for effective methods of vocabulary learning

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It is generally agreed by vocabulary researchers that learning vocabulary in a foreign language is a daunting task.1 According to Nation (2006), receptive knowledge of 8,000– 9,000 word families is… Click to show full abstract

It is generally agreed by vocabulary researchers that learning vocabulary in a foreign language is a daunting task.1 According to Nation (2006), receptive knowledge of 8,000– 9,000 word families is needed to comprehend authentic written texts in English, and knowledge of 6,000–7,000 families for dealing with spoken texts. But tests of receptive vocabulary size show that, at the end of high school and beginning of university studies, second language (L2) learners in various countries know just 2,000–4,000 word families, often despite more than 1,000 hours of instruction (Laufer, 2010). Most receptive vocabulary tests require the learners to recognize the meanings of given words. In order to produce words adequately, more knowledge is required than this basic form–meaning mapping. No wonder, then, that both researchers and language teachers have been searching for effective methods to facilitate the acquisition of thousands of words that are necessary to narrow the gap between the vocabulary learners know and the vocabulary they need. Just a few examples of learning methods that have been investigated are exposure to new words in extensive reading, exposure to words in shorter texts manipulated so as to ensure multiple encounters with the words, using new words in communicative activities, working with words in decontextualized exercises, and deliberately committing words to memory (e.g. by using word cards for expanded retrieval practice). For the past decade, we have been witnessing a heated debate between the advocates of ‘vocabulary-through-input’ position and the proponents of word-focused instruction. The most recent example is the discussion between Cobb, Nation, and McQuillan in the October 2016 issue of Reading in a Foreign Language (Cobb, 2016; McQuillan, 2016; Nation, 2016). The gist of these positions is as follows. The first group believes that the best way to acquire many words is by reading large quantities of material. The second group claims that to meet new words 12 times during extensive reading – 12 times being

Keywords: searching effective; word; texts; effective methods; language; 000 000

Journal Title: Language Teaching Research
Year Published: 2017

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