Materials Development for Adult Learners in Teaching Vocabulary

International Journal of Applied Linguistics, 1994

This article discusses major issues concerning vocabulary learning and instruction. The different “knowings” that constitute knowledge of a word are discussed, with the point made that students should develop a depth as well as a breadth of knowledge of vocabulary. Different ways that vocabulary is taught in the classroom are briefly reviewed. Though direct vocabulary teaching methods play an important role, students are the best judges of which words are useful for them to learn. The main point of the article is that, in order to help intermediate and advanced learners develop a depth and breadth of vocabulary knowledge, it is important to help them develop the skills and abilities to understand and learn vocabulary on their own. As learning through exposure to vocabulary in oral and written contexts is a major source of vocabulary development, helping students develop strategies and knowledge to use internal and external contexts to infer meanings is a major step towards helping them become independent learners.

This study aims to investigate the techniques of teaching new lexis which are adopted by non-native teachers of English language. It also aims to investigate the strategies of learning new lexis which are adopted by learners in relation to their level. The work is based on two hypotheses: It is hypothesized that there is a relationship between the techniques and strategies which are used for teaching and learning new English lexis.It is hypothesized that the level of learner, might not affect his or her choice for a particular strategy. To test these hypotheses, the researcher has chosen a purposive sample: the pupils of the seventh class, the eighth class and teachers of English language at the Basic level schools, in the River Nile State, Sudan, in the school year 2014. The instruments which were used to collect data, were two questionnaires (a teachers' version and a pupils' version). To analyze and interpret the data percentages and Chi Square were used. The results showed that there is a relationship between the techniques of teaching and the strategies of learning new lexis.The chi-square test showed that, the results were statistically significant at level 0.05 and this supports the second hypothesis that the learner's stage of learning does not affect his or her choice of a particular strategy.

The advantage of acquiring vocabulary in the complex process of acquisition of a foreign language (L2), specifically English as a Foreign Language (EFL) is indisputable and easy to prove. To be convinced of this advantage is enough to make a simple question: When people travel to a foreign country, specifically in an English-speaking, what do they take with them: a dictionary or a grammar book? Vocabulary is a central component of language and has great significance for foreign language learners. Words are blocks that constructed a language, because they label objects, things, actions, ideas without which people can not convey meanings that they want to express. The primary role of the acquisition of vocabulary in learning the second language (L2) or foreign language (EFL) is unequivocally accepted by theorists and researchers in the field. Accordingly, numerous types of approaches, techniques, exercises and practice have been introduced into the field to teach vocabulary. It has been suggested that teaching vocabulary should not only consist of teaching specific words but also aim at equipping learners with strategies necessary to expand their vocabulary knowledge. Vocabulary learning strategies are one part of language learning strategies which in turn are part of general learning strategies. Language learning strategies encourage greater overall self-direction for learners. Self-directed learners are independent learners who are capable of assuming responsibility for their own learning and gradually gaining confidence, involvement and proficiency.

Turkish Studies, 2020

Within the existing literature of vocabulary research, there has long been a search for the characteristics of the good learner (Ellis, 1994, p. 546-50; Naiman et al., 1996; Stern 1975, p.316), which was most probably triggered with the observation that some learners somehow outperform the others receiving the same training (Pavicic-Takac, 2008, p. 58). This boasted the interest in the strategies learners employ to learn a new language. This interest also applies for vocabulary learning, which is a crucial element of language learning (Moir & Nation, 2008). By determining the shared pattern of strategies employed by good learners, it will be possible to distinguish the effective strategies used in vocabulary learning. In this respect, the purpose of this research is to determine the English vocabulary learning strategies (VLSs) used by Turkish graduate students with high vocabulary-levels. To this end, data were collected from 128 Turkish graduate students pursuing their master's or doctoral education at 27 universities in Turkey and 21 universities in the UK via Vocabulary Levels Test (Schmitt et al., 2001, p. 82-88) and a 54-item Vocabulary Learning Strategies Questionnaire, developed by the researcher. Students' vocabulary levels were determined by calculating their correct answers at each of the five word-levels. The study data were analysed and 53 good learners who achieved 24 and above at all levels were identified. An average score of 24 and above out of 30 items meant the student had mastered that level. The results revealed that good learners most commonly used Discovery-Determination strategies which are employed to determine the meaning of a word when one meets it for the first time. Another finding of the research was that language learning context affected the overall use and choice of good learner's VLSs. In the overall usage of VLS's, a higher frequency of VLS's were employed by EFL learners than their ESL counterparts. In the overall choice of VLSs, good learners from both the ESL and EFL context chose to use Discovery-Determination strategies and Consolidation-Metacognitive strategies more frequently than the other strategy groups. Structured Abstract: Introduction: Vocabulary, which is regarded as the key element of language that connects the four language skills-namely; speaking, listening, reading and writing-together, is so crucial that without it-as Rubin and Thompson (1994, p.79) suggest-"one cannot speak, understand, read or write a foreign language". Despite this great importance vocabulary is of, the actual teaching of it is also claimed to be impossible. Instead, "it could be presented, explained, included in all kinds of activities, and expressed in all manner of associations (visual, auditory, kinaesthetic, tactile, olfactory if one wishes)" since it is the

The study covers two modes of teaching foreign language vocabulary. The traditional way – translation pairs – is drafted in the introductory paragraphs; the approach of studying new words in context of a sentence is dealt with in detail. The author, backed up by her long-time experience as a teacher of German, compares the advantages and disadvantages of both teaching techniques. She appreciates the new method in dependence on the type of the relevant foreign language, of German in that concrete case, and on overall language knowledge of students. She warmly recommends the usage of the new method in teaching reading skill. The present study is discussing the using two ways of teaching and learning new words in German as a foreign language. The suggestions given here are reflecting long-term teaching experience of the author looking back on her student childhood in secondary school many years ago. This happens especially in the introductory section of the study to reveal one way mentioned above. Keywords: Second language, foreign language, Teaching, vocabulary acquisition

2015

Taking vocabulary problem as a colossal one for Non-English Majors into consideration, this article analyses the main factors for the problem. Enriching vocabulary is one of the major ways of acquiring better skills in any second or foreign language. It is assumed that a person with a stronger vocabulary stock finds it easier to carry on communication. The principal focus of language teaching has been on the grammar of the language for much of the last century across many non-English countries. Despite the introduction of the communicative language teaching, vocabulary is still taught as an integrated skill. For, vocabulary knowledge is important for all the four skill areas. There are several effective explicit (intentional, planned instruction) and implicit (spontaneous instruction as a child comes to new words in a text) strategies that teachers can employ for learners of any age. The article proposes a set of strategy like the use of context, the use of morphological clues, the ...

Vocabulary learning is one of the major challenges foreign language learners face during the process of learning a language (Ghazal, 2007). One way to alley the problem is to assist students in becoming independent learners during the course of L2 vocabulary learning. Furthermore, Ghazal (2007) explains that this could be achieved through instructing learners to apply vocabulary learning strategies as efficiently as possible. This study has reviewed significant literature and the importance of reviewing the literature in the field was to realize the implications of our understanding of this relevant literature for the study referred to in this paper. The definitions, taxonomies and factors which pertain to language learning strategies and which are present in the literature have clarified the concepts and helped in the data analysis, i.e. in the identification and coding of the strategies reported by the respondents and later in the interpretation of the findings (Cusen & Buja, 2009). Furthermore, this research brings to light the common strategies that learners use in vocabulary learning. It also discusses the different strategies at length and suggests valuable recommendations and concludes with further research implications. Keywords: Language Learning Strategies, Second Language Acquisition, Vocabulary Learning Beliefs, Vocabulary Learning Strategies, English as a foreign language (EFL).

International journal of humanities and social sciences, 2016

Vocabulary learning is one of the major challenges foreign language learners face during the process of learning a language (Ghazal, 2007). One way to alley the problem is to assist students in becoming independent learners during the course of L2 vocabulary learning. Furthermore, Ghazal (2007) explains that this could be achieved through instructing learners to apply vocabulary learning strategies as efficiently as possible. This study has reviewed significant literature and the importance of reviewing the literature in the field was to realize the implications of our understanding of this relevant literature for the study referred to in this paper. The definitions, taxonomies and factors which pertain to language learning strategies and which are present in the literature have clarified the concepts and helped in the data analysis, i.e. in the identification and coding of the strategies reported by the respondents and later in the interpretation of the findings (Cusen & Buja, 2009...

2009