WORDS
iCONNECTED
FOR
UNDERGRADUATE ENGLISH
LANGUAGE
LEARNERS
WORDS iCONNECTED
Words That Matter: Vocabulary Intervention
Using Integrative Technologies and Social
Networking Media for English Language Learners
Vocabulary is a key determining factor that greatly impacts students’,
particularly English language learners’ (ELLs), academic performances
(Li, under review; Roessingh & Douglas, 2010; Snow & Kim, 2006).
One of the greatest challenges for these students is to acquire academic
and low frequency words in a constrained timeframe; their struggles to
learn these words have been centered on the mismatches between their
existing knowledge, skills, learning preferences and instructional
strategies applied in North American classrooms. These modern
students’ abilities to learn and process information are vastly different
from that of previous generations as they are heavily immersed in social
media and integrative technologies.
Contents:
Introduction
1
On using text
2
messaging in vocabulary intervention
On using Facebook as
a forum for discussion
and debate
3
Isolating target
vocabulary
4
Target vocabulary,
5
definitions and context
Facebook debate &
discussion questions
13
Extended vocabulary
practice
14
Extended writing
questions
15
References
16
WORDS iCONNECTED, an innovative vocabulary intervention based
on the Word Generation model (Snow, 2008), aims at engaging ELLs in
learning these difficult words in meaningful contexts by using social media and mobile devices that are pervasive in their lives. The 22 units in
this serial are designed for first-year undergraduate ELLs. It aims to help
these diverse students develop their command of academic English, vocabulary in particular, concurrent with improving their understanding of
Canadian culture and society.
Some Mysteries about Language and Language
Learning
This unit is based on an article entitled “Nine Ideas about Language” by Harvey A. Daniels (1985), which is adapted from his book “Famous Last Words:
The American Language Crisis Reconsidered”. Through learning the
fundamental ideas about language and language learning widely accepted by
contemporary linguists, and through discussion and debate on their related
myths prevalent among Americans, students will learn important words that
they need for their reading and writing in academic contexts.
1
WORDs iCONNECTED
Using Text Messaging in Vocabulary Intervention
HOW?
Students will be sent target vocabulary, with a simple definition and a
simple sentence using the word in a similar context to the original
text.
Hey, Words you got to know today
Complex (Adj.): something that is made of many different parts
that are connected in a complicated or hard to understand way.
“The use of
Sample sentence: As people grow from children into adults, the language they use to express their ideas and feelings becomes more
and more complex.
current and
emerging
social
networking
technologies
offers
neomillennial
learners the
flexibility and
ability to
create
learning
communities
and revisit
content as
needed”
(Baird & Fisher, 2005)
WHY?
 A Google-commissioned study on smartphone usage — Treasured
electronic companion — on 5,013 U.S. adults (aged 18-64). Similar
data are found in other countries (Titlow, 2011).
 Nielsen forecasts: 1 in 2 Americans will have a smartphone by
Christmas 2011 compared to just one in 10 in the summer of
2008 due to increased application availability, better native features
and declining prices (Tofel, 2010).
 Report released from comScore (2010) indicates the top mobile
content usage was text messaging (63%).
Copyright ©2011 by Jia Li and iLiteracy Group
2
WORDs iCONNECTED
Using Facebook as a Forum for Student Debate
HOW?
Students will log on to a class Facebook page which will serve as a venue for
students to extend their understanding of the text and an opportunity for them to
apply their vocabulary in a meaningful context by debating and discussing issues
pertaining to the text.
Debate
From a couple of options, students will choose one debate forum for which they will
choose a position on the topic and contribute their argument for or against the given
statement on the appropriate Facebook forum.
Discussion
On the class Facebook page, students will also see two options for discussion
questions. Students will chose one question and will post their response in the
appropriate forum.
Hey, let’s talk about it
Do you agree with the following statement, and
why? “Language is a species-specific trait of human beings” (Daniels, 1985, p.19).
WHY?

Facebook has come to dominate social networking in the US. and Canada — the
top ten countries on the Facebook user list (Pingdom, 2010)

Facebook has crossed the 750 mm active user mark (Facebook, 2011)
Copyright ©2011 by Jia Li and iLiteracy Group
3
WORDs iCONNECTED
Isolating target vocabulary
In order to isolate the target vocabulary for this text, the instructor made reference to
Coxhead’s (2000) Academic Word List (AWL). The list contains 570 word families that
frequently appear in academic texts across a broad range of subject areas; these words
are not in the list of the 2000 most commonly used words in English.
A simple way to isolate the academic words from any text is to enter an electronic
version of the text onto Cobb’s (2011) ‘vocabprofile’ function on the Complete Lexical
Tutor website. This site offers a free service which helps teachers to easily identify
difficulty of vocabulary of a text by highlighting words in different colours, depending on
which word list they appear (first 1000 & 2000 words, academic words and ‘off-list’
words). By transferring the text onto a MS Word file, the instructor can perform a
‘search’ to see how often a target word appears within the body of the text.
Words for this unit were selected because they appeared on the AWL and also because
they appeared several times throughout the text.
Crafting a definition
Once the target words were selected, several reputable
dictionaries designed for ELLs were consulted to craft a
simple and concise definition of the target word as it is used
in the context of the reading. In this case, the online versions
of the Oxford, Merriam-Webster and Longman dictionaries
were utilized. Definitions are limited to 140 characters, in
order to accommodate the brevity requirements of a Twitter
post.
Creating a sample sentence
Sample sentences were also created to help students immediately see the target
word used in a context that is similar to that in which it appears in the reading. The
sample sentence may be a simplified version of the sentence in which the word
appears in the text– or the sentence may use the target word in such a way that
helps the learner to connect a seeming abstraction with something more
comprehensible to the learner. The sample sentence has also been constructed to be
no longer than 140 characters, so that it does not exceed the standard length
allowed in a Twitter post.
Copyright ©2011 by Jia Li and iLiteracy Group
4
WORDs iCONNECTED
Monday
1. underlying (5)
2. features (7)
3. complex
(complexity) (6)
4. acquire (6)
5. hypothesis
(hypothesizing /
hypothetical) (5)
Tuesday
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Friday
Thursday
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
mutually (4)
code (3)
constantly (5)
style (12)
adjust
(adjustment) (3)
1. distinction
(distinctly)(3)
2. process (8)
3. specific (3)
4. concept
(conceptualize) (2)
5. inherently (3 )
Saturday
1. function (2)
2. communicate
(communication) (2)
3. community (6)
4. major
( majority)(4)
5. demonstrate (3)
tense (s) (2)
attach (3)
arbitrary (6)
requires (4)
variations (2)
Sunday
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
author (3)
considerable(2)
reaction (2)
obviously (4)
shift (2)
Wednesday
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
definitions (5)
elements (4)
isolation (5)
logical (9)
region (4)
Target
vocabulary
The numbers in
brackets indicate the
minimum number of
times the target word
appears in the body
of the original text.
Target words have
been explicitly
chosen because they
are recycled
throughout the text,
thus increasing the
opportunity for the
learner to encounter
the word in context.
Some words may
appear in a variant
form from the
same word
family.
Copyright ©2011 by Jia Li and iLiteracy Group
5
Monday—target vocabulary with definitions and sample sentences
Hey, Words you got to know today:
underlying
adjective: a factor that is not easy to notice, but may be a cause or motivation for a particular
idea, problem or issue
Example:
Although languages may look and sound different, they share the same underlying parts; each
language has nouns, verbs and rules of grammar.
feature
noun: an interesting, typical or important characteristic, part or quality of a person, place or thing
Example:
Some language experts argue that the human brain is programmed at birth to understand the
basic features that are common to all languages.
complex
adjective: something that is made of many different parts that are connected in a complicated or
hard to understand way
Example:
As people grow from children into adults, the language they use to express their ideas and feelings becomes more and more complex.
acquire
verb: to get something (e.g., a skill) as a result of your own ability and/or effort
Example:
Children acquire language naturally as they hear their parents and others around them speak.
hypothesis
noun: a theory or idea to explain something that is based on observable facts but is not yet
proven as true
Example:
Children will guess what they observe to be a rule of their language and then test their hypothesis by applying the rule when they speak.
Copyright ©2011 by Jia Li and iLiteracy Group
6
Tuesday—target vocabulary with definitions and sample sentences
Hey, Words you got to know today:
tense
noun: a form of a verb showing the time frame in which an action or state occurs (e.g., past, present, future)
Example:
In the present tense, “John talks”, but in the past tense, “ John talked”.
attach
verb: to connect, join or fasten one object to another object
Example:
In English, you often attach ‘ed’ to the end of a verb to express an action in the past, for example ‘I
talk’ becomes ‘I talked’.
arbitrary
adjective: when something has been chosen or decided without any apparent reason, system, or
plan
Example:
Each language contains sounds (phonemes) that are an arbitrary selection from a wide range of
available sounds the human voice can create.
require
verb: to say that something is necessary because a particular rule or law says so
Example:
In English grammar, there is a rule that requires a speaker to place an adjective after a noun.
variation
noun: a difference among a group of similar things
Example:
If you travel across America, you will notice small variations in the way people say certain words
from one place to another.
Copyright ©2011 by Jia Li and iLiteracy Group
7
Wednesday—target vocabulary with definitions and sample sentences
Hey, Words you got to know today:
definition
noun: a statement explaining the meaning of a phrase, word or idea
Example:
A simple definition of the word ‘grammar’ is ‘the system of rules that we use to help us arrange words into meaningful sentences’.
element
noun: a basic (or essential) part or feature of a whole
Example:
If I arrange the elements of a sentence (nouns, verbs, adjectives, and prepositions) in the right
order, the words will make sense.
isolation
noun: the separation of a person, place or thing from others
Example:
Because of the isolation of the people living on the island, they speak English with a different
accent from those on the mainland.
logical
adjective: that which seems to follow the rules of what is natural, sensible and/or reasonable
Example:
If the words in a sentence do not appear in a logical order, according to the rules of grammar,
the message may not be clear.
region
noun: a geographical area that is somehow different or separated from other parts, often not
having exact borders
Example:
People who live in the north-east region of the U.S.A. tend to speak English with a different
accent than those who live in the south-west.
Copyright ©2011 by Jia Li and iLiteracy Group
8
Thursday—target vocabulary with definitions and sample sentences
Hey, Words you got to know today:
mutually
adverb: when something is done or felt in an equal way by two or more people involved
Example:
Although there are some differences between British and Canadian English, in general, the two
dialects are mutually understandable.
code
noun: a system of words or sounds representing a message that can only be understood by
another person who knows the system
Example:
Thomas and I have known each other for so long that we have developed a secret code language that nobody else understands but us.
constantly
adverb: when something happens repeatedly, all the time or very often
Example:
The two-year-old boy is talking more and more each day; he is constantly adding new words
to his growing vocabulary.
style
noun: a way of performing, doing, or creating something that is particular to a specific group of
people, place or time period
Example:
I use a casual style of speech when I talk to my friend or relative, but when I talk to my boss, I
use language that is more formal.
adjust
verb: to change something in order to make it work or fit better in a new set of conditions or
for a specific purpose.
Example:
Luke tells both his boss and his best friend about his trip to Mexico, but he adjusts each version of his story to suit the listener.
Copyright ©2011 by Jia Li and iLiteracy Group
9
Friday—target vocabulary with definitions and sample sentences
Hey, Words you got to know today:
distinction
noun: a noticeable difference between two similar people or things
Example:
There is no distinction in the sound of the words “too” and “two” in English, but the meaning
and the spelling are different.
process
noun: a series of actions done on purpose to achieve a result or a series of actions that happen
naturally and result in change
Example:
Words sometimes change meaning over time in a language, as a result of a process that is
influenced by changing factors in the society.
specific
adjective: something connected to one particular person, place, thing, situation etc.
Example:
French bulldogs, Scottish terriers, German shepherds and English spaniels are all specific kinds
of dogs.
concept
noun: an idea of how or what something is, how it works or how it should be done.
Example:
People use languages to express concepts in both spoken and written forms.
inherently
adverb: describing a natural and permanent part of someone or something
Example:
Some people believe that the British dialect of English is inherently superior than any other
dialect of the English language.
Copyright ©2011 by
Jia Li and iLiteracy Group
10
Saturday—target vocabulary with definitions and sample sentences
Hey, Words you got to know today:
function
verb: to work or operate correctly or in the intended way
Example:
When used by its own community, a dialect of any language functions perfectly to suit the
particular communication needs of its speakers.
communicate
verb: to express information, thoughts and feelings through the use of words or signs so that
another person can understand
Example:
If two people speak completely different languages, they may use facial expressing and hand
gestures to communicate their ideas.
community
noun: a group of people who may share a particular interest, race, religion, neighbourhood,
language job, etc.
Example:
My grandmother came from a French- speaking community in rural Manitoba; her French was
very different from the French I heard in Paris.
majority
noun: most (i.e., more than half the total) items or people in a particular group
Example:
By the time children are old enough for school, they will have already learned the majority of
the rules of the language spoken at home.
demonstrate
verb: to show or to give evidence/ proof of something by being an example of it.
Example:
Sometimes characters on television shows are used to demonstrate a stereotype of a particular language and the people who speak it.
Copyright ©2011 by Jia Li and iLiteracy Group
11
Sunday- target vocabulary with definitions and sample sentences
Hey, Words you got to know today:
author
noun: someone who has written something, for example a book
Example:
Cara dreams of writing a book about her adventures and becoming a famous author.
considerable
adjective: large in quantity, size or amount, enough so to be important or to have an effect
Example:
A legal document would be written with a considerable amount of formal language in comparison to a text message between friends.
reaction
noun: how a person feels, acts, or thinks in response to something that happens or to something that is said
Example:
Gloria had a very negative reaction when Phil made fun of her Spanish accent; she was very
insulted and started to cry.
obviously
adverb: describes a situation or information that is either already known or that is easy to understand/ see/ agree with
Example:
The meanings of some words have obviously changed; for example, 10 years ago the common
meaning of ‘twitter’ meant ‘to chirp’ like a bird.
shift
noun: a change, particularly in how something is done or how people think about something
Example:
Recent shifts in English grammar have caused us to become more accepting of errors like split
infinitives and sentence fragments.
Copyright ©2011 by
Jia Li and iLiteracy Group
12
WORDs iCONNECTED
Facebook forums
Hey, let’s talk about it
The following questions can help guide discussion about the
paragraph and check for students’ comprehension. In addition to
asking students to consult the text for answers to the questions,
teachers can invite students to go beyond the paragraph and tap
into their own personal beliefs about the week’s topic. Students will choose one
discussion topic and one debate topic and write a brief, yet thoughtful response for each
on the appropriate forum on the class Facebook page.
Discussion
Do you agree with the following statement, and why? “Language is a species-specific trait
of human beings” (Daniels, 1985, p.19).
or
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement and why? “It is easy enough to
assert that all languages are equal and efficient in their own sphere of use. But most of us
do not really believe in this idea, and certainly do not act as if we did” (Daniels, 1985, p. 33).
Debate
“The study, occasionally the official worship, of language forms that are both old and formal
may retard linguistic changes currently in progress, as well as reinforce our mistaken belief
that one style of language is always and truly the best” (Daniels, 1985, p. 35). Should
students of English continue to study old, formal works of literature such as Shakespeare,
even though nobody speaks or writes like that today.?
or
Daniels (1985) refers to several examples of national language ‘standards’ and states that
“these languages are typically defined as the speech of the upper, or at least educated,
classes of society, are the predominant dialect of written communication and are commonly
taught to schoolchildren” (p. 25). Should schools continue to insist on this standard, in light
of language change?
Copyright ©2011 by
Jia Li and iLiteracy Group
13
WORDs iCONNECTED
extended vocabulary practice
If students would like more opportunities to practice the target vocabulary , they may
access reinforcement exercises on the course website.
These exercises would allow students to test their understanding of the target words
that have been sent to them through interactive online exercises that give immediate
feedback.
To create these exercises, the software ‘Hot Potatoes
6’ (Half Baked Software Inc., 2011) was used. The software
allows for the teacher to create matching exercises, cloze
passages, crossword puzzles, multiple choice, short answer
and scrambled sentences.
The exercises were derived from the definitions and sample
sentences that the students are sent throughout the week.
sample
sample
14
WORDs iCONNECTED
Extended
Writing
Activity
To conclude the
unit, students
will be asked to
apply their
understanding of
the text and
their personal
experiences in
an extended
writing exercise.
In this unit,
students will be
asked to choose
one of the
topics listed
here and to
compose a
persuasive
paragraph,
responding to
the question
they have
chosen.
Taking a stand –persuasive writing
Do you agree with the following statements made by Daniels?
Please write an original paragraph based on one of the two
following statements in which you argue a position by integrating
your personal experience.
Topic 1
Daniels (1985) suggests that variations of a language –
dialect result from spatial and social isolation and language
change.
OR
Topic 2
“Imitation is not central in language learning and that a
child’s main strategies is hypothesizing – deducing from the
language she hears an idea about the underlying rules, and
then trying it out.” (Daniels, 1985, p.20)
Copyright ©2011 by Jia Li and iLiteracy Group
15
References
Baird, D., & Fisher, M. (2005). Neomillennial user experience design strategies: Utilizing social
networking media to support “always on” learning styles. J. Educational Technology Systems 34
(1), 5-32.
Cobb, T. (2011) Complete Lexical Tutor V. 6.2: Vocabprofile. Retrieved from http://
www.lextutor.ca/
comScore (2011). comScore Reports January 2011 U.S. Mobile Subscriber Market Share (http://
www.comscore.com/Press_Events/Press_Releases/2011/3/
comScore_Reports_January_2011_U.S._Mobile_Subscriber_Market_Share
Coxhead, A. (2000). A new academic word list. TESOL Quarterly, 34, 213-238.
Facebook (2011). Statistics. Retrieved from http://www.facebook.com/press/info.php?statistics
Half-Baked Software Inc. (2011). Hot Potatoes Version 6. Retrieved from http://hotpot.uvic.ca/
Li, J. (under review). Case studies of four 1.5 generation urban postsecondary students: Facing
critical transition from high school to universities. In Roessingh, H. & Douglas, S.TESL Canada
Journal. A special issue: Generation 1.5 in Canada: Multiple perspectives on a shifting demographic landscape.
Nielsonwire (2010). Global Audience Spends Two Hours More a Month on Social Networks
than Last Year. Retrieved from http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/global/global-audience-spendstwo-hours-more-a-month-on-social-networks-than-last-year/
Pingdom (2010). The top ten countries on Facebook. Retrieved from http://
royal.pingdom.com/2010/08/12/the-top-countries-on-facebook-chart/
Snow, C.E. (2008). The argument for Word Generation. Boston: Strategic Education Partnership
and Boston Public School Board. Retrieved September 16, 2008, from
http://wordgeneration.org/observe/pd/pd1.html.
Snow, C.E., & Kim, Y-S. (2006). Large problem spaces: The challenge of vocabulary for English
language learners. In Wagner, R.K., Muse, A., & Tannenbaum, K. (Eds.), Vocabulary acquisition
and its implications for reading comprehension, (pp. 123-139). New York: Guilford Press.
Tofel, K.C. (2010)1 in 2 Americans Will Have a Smartphone by Christmas 2011. Retrieved from
http://gigaom.com/2010/03/26/1-in-2-americans-will-have-a-smartphone-by-christmas-2011/
Copyright ©2011 by Jia Li and iLiteracy Group
16