Notes on Vocabulary Learning
Geoff Jordan
PhD Supervisor at University of Wales Trinity Saint David. Challenging Coursebook-driven ELT
I recently came across a post I did on Peter Yongqi Gu’s (2003) “Vocabulary Learning in a Second Language: Person, Task, Context and Strategies”, which caused quite a stir when it came out in TESL-EJ https://tesl-ej.org/ej26/a4.html ?and I think the article is still worth recommending. Here are a few of the points he makes, but it’s just a taster. All references can be found at the end of the article.
1. Intentional reading should supplement incidental reading.
I, like many, am convinced of the value of extensive, Text As a Vehicle for Information (TAVI), incidental reading. Krashen’s advocacy of extensive incidental reading is well-known, and his 1989 survey concluded that incidental vocabulary learning achieves much better results than intentional vocabulary learning. But Yongqi Gu makes an interesting case for a dual approach. He points out that in order to benefit from incidental vocabulary learning through extensive reading, students must have the ability to read, and this is something which low level foreign language learners only possess to a very limited extent. Research studies show that, particularly at beginner levels, intentional reading of short texts leads to much faster vocabulary learning than reading low-level structural readers. Incidental vocabulary learning through reading seems to be more effective for intermediate to advanced L2 learners who already have at least a basic grasp of the language skills needed, and even these learners benefit from using intentional learning strategies. Yongqi Gu cites studies which suggest that a combined approach is superior to incidental vocabulary learning alone. Looking at it from a slightly different angle, if we regard the purpose of vocabulary learning as both remembering words and being able to use them automatically when the need arises, evidence suggests that the knowledge aspect requires more conscious and explicit learning mechanisms, whereas the skill aspect involves mostly implicit learning and memory. This suggests that vocabulary learning strategies should include strategies for "using" as well as "knowing" a word.
2. Dictionaries help vocabulary learning
I always used to tell students that when they were doing extensive reading (as opposed to reading and studying a short text), they should only resort to consulting a (monolingual) dictionary in extremis, relying for the rest of the time on contextual clues and getting the gist. So I was interested to see Yongqi Gu cite research suggesting that while it is certainly true that new vocabulary is acquired in extensive reading through contextual guessing, those who used a dictionary as well as guessing through context, learn far more words immediately and remember more long term. For example, in a study of Japanese EFL university students, results suggested that using a dictionary significantly improved vocabulary learning through reading. As to whether bilingual or monolingual dictionaries are better, I always thought that monolingual ones were better, but it seems that there’s increasing interest in the "new bilingualised compromise dictionaries". These hybrid dictionaries provide translations in addition to the good features of monolingual dictionaries. Evaluation of the effectiveness of such dictionaries emerged in the 1990s and it was found that irrespective of the learners' proficiency level, the bilingualised version was significantly better than the other two types in both comprehension and production tasks. Yongqi Gu also discusses e-dictionaries and dictionary strategies.
3. Rote Rehearsal is good for Vocabulary Learning
In 2003, this was a hot topic, and I don’t think the view has been much affected by research in the last twenty years. Here’s what the article says:
a) Research show that a surprising amount of word pairs can be learned within a relatively short time and not many repetitions are needed before the L2-L1 word pairs are remembered.
b) If a word list does not contain a lot of difficult words, lists of 100 or more words can be studied at one time.
c) Forgetting words mostly occurs immediately after initial encounter, and the rate of forgetting slows down afterwards. Students should start repeating newly learned words immediately after the first encounter. Spaced recall and repetition should follow afterwards at longer intervals.
d) Repeating words aloud helps retention far better than silent repetition.
e) Research shows that it is highly beneficial to employ various repetition strategies, like drills, at the initial stages of vocabulary learning.
4. Beware Mnemonics
Learners of a foreign language should be explicitly warned that mnemonic devices are only meant to complement rather than replace other approaches to vocabulary learning. Too great a focus on learning vocabulary as discrete items leads to neglect of the skill aspect of vocabulary in natural discourse.
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5. Organised learners learn faster
From guessing at the first encounter, to possible dictionary use and note taking, to rehearsal, encoding, and contextual activation, vocabulary learning in real life situations is a dynamic process involving metacognitive choices and cognitive implementation of a whole spectrum of strategies. These strategies influence the outcome of learning far more than any task specification. In one study Yongqi Gu cites, two approaches to vocabulary learning were identified. One group approached vocabulary learning in a structured way, setting criteria for the selection of words, engaging in self-initiated learning activities, keeping a systematic note of vocabulary items being learned, and regularly reviewing their records. The other group, by contrast, did little independent learning, kept minimal records of new words being learned, and relied heavily on classroom instruction. The first group learned a lot more, leading to the conclusion that learners who initiate their own learning, selectively attend to words of their own choice, studiously try to remember these words, and seek opportunities to use them learn faster. Who knew!
6. Research is needed on learning lexical chunks
While existing research on vocabulary learning strategies suggests that good learners pay more attention to collocations, the field needs a clearer focus on how exactly learners learn multiword units and how these strategies are related to learning outcomes. Fifteen years ago, Schmitt and Carter noted “there is little empirical evidence one way or the other as to the actual effectiveness of Lewis’ lexical approach …. In light of the essential nature of lexical chunks, we need to come to a better understanding of their behavior and to develop innovative ways of incorporating lexical phrase instruction into the language syllabus". As far as I know, if we lead aside frequency studies, taxonomies, and other essentially descriptive results of computer-based examinations of big corpora, the only contribution to our understanding of the behaviour of lexical phrases is Hoey’s Lexical Priming theory (which I have seen no convincing defence of) and there have been no serious suggestions about how to incorporate lexical phrase instruction into the language syllabus in the last 20 years.
Comments
When I published the post Mura Nava (he of the wonderful EFL Notes blog) gave a few more recent reviews: ?
The study challenges the suggestion that beginners benefit more from deliberate vocabulary learning by showing that beginners made significant vocabulary gains via incidental learning provided the stimulus used multiple modes – written, pictures and sound. ?
In reply to Mura, I noted that McCarthy, Carter, Biber, N. Schmidt, N. Ellis, Laufer, Skehan, Robinson, and a lot of newer people like Peter from the Far East have all got more recent work on vocab. learning. I also mentioned articles by Laufer and Hulstijn on the Involvement Load Hypothesis.
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6 个月I'd never even heard of these bilingualized dictionaries. They sound great ... off to find out more.