Discussion

What are the benefits of using word lists (such
as GSL, AWL) and Vocab Profiler?
To design a vocabulary curriculum
 To decide which texts to use with students
 To decide which words in a text would cause
difficulty to students, so as to pre-teach these words
or to simplify the text

1
Recommended sequence for learners

First 2,000 words


First 2,000 words + AWL


90% of text coverage of a text that a student would
typically read
First 2,000 words + AWL + Technical vocab


80% of text coverage
95% of text coverage of a text that a student would
typically read
First 2,000 words + AWL + Technical vocab +
most frequently used prefixes, roots and suffixes
2
Strategies for learning words of
different frequency levels
5,000 Word Level (general vocabulary)
•Training at guessing words in context
•Wide general reading : novels, newspapers and magazines
•Intensive reading of a variety of texts
•Advanced English Vocabulary workbooks
University Word Level (specialised academic vocabulary)
•Learn the words on the University Word List (Nation 1990) and Academic Word List
(Coxhead, 2000)
•Intensive reading of university texts
10,000 Word Level (a wide, general vocabulary)
•Activities similar to the 5,000 word level,
•combined with learning prefixes and roots
Task and Discussion:
What criteria can we use in selecting words for learners?
Other than frequency, what criteria can we use to
decide which words our learners should learn?
Words that learners should focus on

Usefulness




Ease of learning



Frequently used (frequency); high-frequency words need to
be learnt both receptively and productively whereas lowfrequency words can be learnt receptively
Used in a wide range of topics/domains (range)
Related to the personal experience
Words that look familiar to students, e.g. “quiet” as an
adjective > “quiet” as a verb)
Words made up of some familiar word parts (prefixes, roots,
suffixes), e.g. prepare, predict, precede
Relevance to students’ needs

specialized or technical words related to a particular discipline
that the student is studying
5
Vocabulary teaching and learning





Implict vs. Explicit learning of vocabulary
A balanced approach to vocabulary teaching
(Nation, 2008)
Contextualized and decontextualized vocabulary
learning
The lexical approach to vocabulary learning &
teaching
Assessing vocabulary
6
Discussion
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
How would you define “incidental” (or “implicit”) and
“explicit” (or “deliberate”) vocabulary learning?
What do you think are the advantages and
disadvantages of these approaches?
Can you think of possible reasons why incidental
learning has been found to lead to little vocabulary
gains in research studies?
Do you believe in the benefits of extensive reading?
What strategies do teachers in your school typically
use to teach vocabulary?
7
Can incidental learning of vocabulary (alone)
lead to gains in vocabulary size (quantity) and
vocabulary knowledge (quality)???
 Natural exposure to language (through listening
or reading) when focus is on understanding
meaning of the text (not the vocabulary)
Some instruction is
 A few pre-requisites
needed
L2 vocabulary size (95% coverage of texts)
 Knowledge about how to guess word meaning from
context
 Reading / Listening material must be rich in
contextual clues

8
Pre-requisite for incidental
learning of vocabulary

Before learners can begin learning a language through
reading texts intended for adult native speakers, they
need a threshold size of 3000-5000 word families.
Target
Cumulative target

KS1 (Pri 3)
1000

KS2 (Pri 6)
1000

KS3 (Sec 3)
1500

KS4 (Sec 6)
1500
1000
2000
3500
5000
9
Extensive Reading using Graded
Readers

Promises
Fun; pleasurable
 Increase exposure to language; increase
comprehension
 Exercises help practice new vocabulary and grammar



Graded: according to number of headwords
(words most needed by students); word
frequencies; length
Resource package: exercises and keys; ideas on
how the readers can be used
10
To sum up….
Incidental learning of vocabulary



Upside: useful for revisiting / consolidating
words learnt before; improve “depth” of vocab
knowledge; develop intuition for collocation
Downside: massive amount of input required;
intention to remember the language is usually
absent
More effective if accompanied by vocabularyfocused exercises / quizzes / glosses (becomes
explicit learning!)
11
Words that students should learn explicitly

First 2,000 words


First 2,000 words + AWL


90% of text coverage
First 2,000 words + AWL + Technical vocab


80% of text coverage
95% of text coverage of a text that a student would
typically read
First 2,000 words + AWL + Technical vocab +
most frequently used prefixes, roots and suffixes
12
Most frequently used prefixes
Explicit (Deliberate) learning of
vocabulary

Attention directly focused on learning of
vocabulary

Upside: greatest chance for acquisition
Downside: time consuming to learn a large
number of words; laborious

14
Implicit vocab learning (e.g. Explicit vocab learning
thru extensive reading)
For
revisiting learnt words to
deepen word knowledge
Learning low-frequency words
Learning grammatical and
collocational patterns
Understanding the actual meaning
of the word / different senses of a
word
Very little deliberate attention on
the words > low retention
Students may not be able to guess
meaning from context
Focusing
students’ attention
Learning high-frequency words
(e.g. the GSL or AWL words)
(Nation, 1990)
Learning difficult, confusing
words (Sokmen, 1997)
Some research shows students can
learn a large amount of vocab using
word lists with L1 translations in a
short time (Nation, 1990), so
perhaps list-learning is good for
initial acquisition of high-frequency
words
Takes up class time
15
Pre-session 1 Reading
A balanced approach to vocabulary
teaching (Nation, 2008)*

Each component should take up a quarter of the
curriculum:
*Chapter One, Nation, I.S. P. (2008). Teaching vocabulary: Strategies and
techniques. Boston: Heinle Cengage Learning.
16
Sökmen (1997): Explicit teaching of vocabulary


Build a large sight vocabulary (e.g. GSL, AWL)
Integrate new words with old (e.g. gradable antonyms on a
scale; from general words to precise words; semantic maps)




Promote a deep level of processing
Provide a number of encounters with a word (5-16 times;
successful recall leads to longer retention)
Facilitate imaging (e.g. mental pictures; mind maps)
Making new words “concrete” by connecting them to
student’s world in some way (e.g. personal feelings, personal
examples, current issues, pictures, videos, real objects & situations)

Use a variety of techniques (e.g. dictionary work, word parts
activities, using rhymes, semantic grids, semantic maps, ...etc.)

Encourage independent learning strategies
17
Depth of Processing Hypothesis
(DOPH)
Deeper analysis of stimulus 
More persistent memory trace 
Better recall
18
Shallow vs Deep Processing
Considered to be shallow:
 Rote memorisation of word lists
 Verbal / written repeitition
Considered to be deeper:
 Contextual guessing
 Association / Grouping
 Using newly learnt words in speaking / writing
(activation of newly learnt words)
19
Sight vocabulary



Words that students can recognize instantly in
reading
Do not need any decoding or pictorial clues
children with a large sight vocabulary can read
more fluently and comprehend texts more easily
20
For very young / elementary learners



The most basic / frequent words should be
taught by sight
Repeated encounters in reading / wall postings
E.g. McNally & Murray’s 200 High Frequency
words (http://abcprimaryteachingresources.co.uk/downloads/1046-200high-frequency-words-mcnally-murray.html)
21
The Ladybird Key Words Reading
Scheme (Peter and Jane books)

E.g. The first book uses the 12 key words
repeatedly ("Here is Peter", "Peter is here",
"Here is Jane", "Jane is here", "I like Peter", "I
like Jane").

http://www.theweeweb.co.uk/ladybird/key_wo
rds_reading_scheme.php
22
Using a variety of techniques in explicit teaching
23
Integrate new words with learnt words

gradable antonyms on a scale
e.g. cold …. warm
 e.g. rich … poor


from general words to precise words; semantic
maps
e.g. nice
 e.g. important

24
Resources for learning synonyms

The “thesaurus” function on
Cambridge Dictionary Online
 Merriam-Webster Dictionary Online


www.lexipedia.com
Click on “Synonyms” on the left-hand side
 Hover your mouse over each word in the spider
map, to see meaning, example, and pronunciation

25
Learning Word Parts
prefix
root
suffix
Trans / port / ation
1.
2.
3.
Prefix: added to the front
Root: carries main meaning
Suffix: changes part of speech
How many words can you make?
bene-
-scribe
-scient
Some word parts and their meaning
Reference: www.prefixsuffix.com
Click on “root chart” & “root search”
Resources for learning word parts

www.prefixsuffix.com

Roots of English Free software to help you learn
more about the Latin and Greek roots of
English words. It gives you a test on the words
you have looked up before you exit!
29
Rhyming words in songs / poems
30
Rhyming words in songs / poems
Helping students with confusing words
32
Emphasize the combination of words
PEOPLE
ACTION
OBJECT
PLACE
doctor
examine
patients
health centre
restaurant
train station
park
Emphasize the combinability of
words
PEOPLE
ACTION
OBJECT
PLACE
doctor
examine
patients
health centre
customers
waiters
train driver
dine
serve
pull up
customers
train
train station
gardener
grow / trim
plants
park
restaurant