Learning Vocabulary in Another Language

by I. S. P. Nation

• ISBN13: 9780521804981
• ISBN10: 0521804981
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-04-02
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Summary

Learning Vocabulary in Another Language provides a detailed survey of research and theory on the teaching and learning of vocabulary with the aim of providing pedagogical suggestions for both teachers and learners. It contains descriptions of numerous vocabulary learning strategies which are justified and supported by reference to experimental research, case studies, and teaching experience. It also describes what vocabulary learners need to know to be effective language users. Learning Vocabulary in Another Language shows that by taking a systematic approach to vocabulary learning, teachers can make the best use of class time and help learners get the best return for their learning effort. It will quickly establish itself as the point of reference for future vocabulary work.

Table of Contents

Series editors' preface	xiii
Acknowledgements	xiv
Introduction	1	(1)
Learning goals	1	(1)
The four strands	2	(1)
Main themes	3	(1)
The audience for this book	4	(2)
The goals of vocabulary learning	6	(17)
How much vocabulary do learners need to know?	6	(1)
How many words are there in the language?	6	(2)
How many words do native speakers know?	8	(1)
How much vocabulary do you need to use another language?	9	(4)
High-frequency words	13	(4)
Specialised vocabulary	17	(2)
Low-frequency words	19	(2)
Testing vocabulary knowledge	21	(2)
Knowing a word	23	(37)
Learning burden	23	(1)
The receptive/productive distinction	24	(2)
The scope of the receptive/productive distinction	26	(4)
Experimental comparisons of receptive and productive vocabulary	30	(3)
Aspects of knowing a word	33	(1)
Levelt's process model of language use	34	(6)
Spoken form	40	(4)
Written form	44	(2)
Word parts	46	(1)
Connecting form and meaning	47	(2)
Concept and referents	49	(3)
Associations	52	(3)
Grammatical functions	55	(1)
Collocations	56	(1)
Constraints on use	57	(1)
Item knowledge and system knowledge	58	(2)
Teaching and explaining vocabulary	60	(54)
Learning from teaching and learning activities	60	(14)
Vocabulary in classrooms	74	(1)
Repetition and learning	74	(7)
Communicating meaning	81	(9)
Helping learners comprehend and learn from definitions	90	(3)
Spending time on words	93	(1)
Rich instruction	94	(1)
Arguments against rich instruction	95	(2)
Providing rich instruction	97	(1)
Spoken form	98	(1)
Written form	98	(2)
Word parts	100	(1)
Strengthening the form-meaning connection	101	(1)
Concept and referents	102	(2)
Associations	104	(2)
Grammar	106	(1)
Collocation	106	(1)
Constraints on use	106	(1)
Vocabulary teaching procedures	107	(1)
Computer-assisted vocabulary learning	108	(3)
Using concordances	111	(1)
Research on CAVL	112	(2)
Vocabulary and listening and speaking	114	(30)
What vocabulary knowledge is needed for listening?	114	(2)
Providing vocabulary support for listening	116	(1)
Learning vocabulary from listening to stories	117	(6)
Learning vocabulary through negotiation	123	(2)
The vocabulary of speaking	125	(2)
Developing fluency with spoken vocabulary	127	(2)
Using teacher input to increase vocabulary knowledge	129	(2)
Using labelled diagrams	131	(2)
Using cooperative tasks to focus on vocabulary	133	(1)
How can a teacher design activities to help incidental vocabulary learning?	134	(5)
Designing and adapting activities	139	(5)
Vocabulary and reading and writing	144	(43)
Vocabulary size and successful reading	144	(5)
Learning vocabulary through reading	149	(1)
Vocabulary and extensive reading	150	(1)
Extensive reading by non-native speakers of texts written for young native speakers	151	(3)
Extensive reading with graded readers	154	(1)
Extensive reading of unsimplified texts	154	(1)
Extensive reading and vocabulary growth	155	(1)
Intensive reading and direct teaching	156	(1)
Preteaching	157	(1)
Vocabulary exercises with reading texts	158	(1)
Analysis of vocabulary exercises	159	(2)
Readability	161	(1)
What are graded readers?	162	(2)
Designing and using a simplified reading scheme for vocabulary development	164	(7)
How to simplify	171	(2)
Alternatives to simplification	173	(1)
Glossing	174	(3)
Vocabulary and the quality of writing	177	(1)
Measures of vocabulary size and growth in writing	178	(2)
Bringing vocabulary into productive use	180	(5)
Responding to vocabulary use in written work	185	(2)
Specialised uses of vocabulary	187	(30)
Academic vocabulary	187	(2)
The importance of academic vocabulary	189	(2)
Making an academic vocabulary list	191	(2)
Sequencing the introduction of academic vocabulary	193	(1)
The nature and role of academic vocabulary	194	(2)
Testing academic vocabulary	196	(1)
Learning academic vocabulary	196	(2)
Technical vocabulary	198	(1)
Distinguishing technical vocabulary from other vocabulary	198	(3)
Making lists of technical vocabulary	201	(2)
Learning technical vocabulary	203	(2)
Vocabulary in discourse	205	(1)
Vocabulary and the information content of the text	206	(3)
Vocabulary and the relationship between the writer or speaker and reader or listener	209	(1)
Vocabulary and the organisation of the text	210	(4)
Words in discourse	214	(3)
Vocabulary learning strategies and guessing from context	217	(46)
A taxonomy of vocabulary learning strategies	217	(1)
Planning vocabulary learning	218	(1)
Sources: finding information about words	219	(2)
Processes: establishing vocabulary knowledge	221	(1)
Training in strategy choice and use	222	(2)
Learners' use of strategies	224	(5)
Procedures that integrate strategies	229	(3)
Learning words from context	232	(1)
Intentional and incidental learning	232	(1)
What proportion of unknown words can be guessed from context?	233	(3)
How much vocabulary is learned from context?	236	(4)
What can be learned from context?	240	(2)
What clues does a context provide and how effective are they?	242	(4)
What are the causes of poor guessing?	246	(1)
Do different learners approach guessing in the same way?	247	(3)
How can teachers help learners improve learning from context?	250	(1)
How can learners be trained to guess from context?	250	(1)
Learning from context and attention-drawing activities?	251	(1)
Do glossing and dictionary use help vocabulary learning?	252	(1)
Formats for testing or practising guessing	253	(3)
Steps in the guessing-from-context strategy	256	(5)
Training learners in the strategy of guessing from context	261	(2)
Word study strategies	263	(54)
Word parts	263	(1)
Is it worthwhile learning word parts?	264	(1)
Studies of the sources of English vocabulary	264	(1)
Studies of the proportion of affixed words	265	(1)
Studies of the frequency of affixes	266	(3)
Do language users see words as being made of parts?	269	(3)
Word stems	272	(1)
The knowledge required to use word parts	272	(3)
Monitoring and testing word building skills	275	(3)
The word part strategy	278	(3)
Using dictionaries	281	(1)
Is it necessary or worth training learners to use dictionaries?	282	(2)
What skills are needed to use a dictionary?	284	(4)
What dictionaries are the best?	288	(2)
Evaluating dictionaries	290	(6)
Dictionary use and learning	296	(1)
Learning from word cards	296	(1)
Criticisms of direct vocabulary learning	297	(1)
Decontextualised learning and memory	297	(2)
Decontextualised learning and use	299	(2)
The contribution of decontextualised learning	301	(1)
The values of learning from word cards	302	(1)
The word card strategy	303	(12)
Training learners in the use of word cards	315	(2)
Chunking and collocation	317	(27)
Chunking	319	(1)
The advantages and disadvantages of chunking	320	(1)
Language knowledge is collocational knowledge	321	(2)
Fluent and appropriate language use requires collocational knowledge	323	(1)
Some words occur in a limited set of collocations	324	(4)
Classifying collocations	328	(5)
The evidence for collocation	333	(2)
Collocation and teaching	335	(1)
Encouraging chunking	336	(1)
Chunking through fluency development	336	(4)
Chunking through language-focused attention	340	(3)
Memorising unanalysed chunks	343	(1)
Testing vocabulary knowledge and use	344	(36)
What kind of vocabulary test is the best?	344	(2)
Is it enough to ask learners if they know the word?	346	(3)
Should choices be given?	349	(2)
Should translations be used?	351	(1)
Should words be tested in context?	352	(2)
How can depth of knowledge about a word be tested?	354	(4)
How can we measure words that learners don't know well?	358	(3)
How can we measure how well learners actually use words?	361	(1)
How can we measure total vocabulary size?	362	(10)
Choosing a test item type	372	(1)
Types of tests	373	(1)
How can we test to see where learners need help?	373	(1)
How can we test whether a small group of words in a course has been learned?	374	(1)
How can we test whether the total vocabulary of the course has been learned?	375	(3)
How can we measure how well learners have control of the important vocabulary learning strategies?	378	(2)
Designing the vocabulary component of a language course	380	(52)
Goals	380	(1)
Needs analysis	381	(2)
Environment analysis	383	(1)
Principles of vocabulary teaching	384	(1)
Content and sequencing	385	(3)
Format and presentation	388	(1)
Monitoring and assessment	389	(2)
Evaluation	391	(3)
Autonomy and vocabulary learning	394	(13)
Appendixes
1. Headwords of the Academic Word List	407	(5)
2. 1,000 word level tests	412	(4)
3. A Vocabulary Levels Test: Test B	416	(9)
4. Productive Levels Test: Version C	425	(4)
5. Vocabulary Levels Dictation Test	429	(1)
6. Function words	430	(2)
References	432	(32)
Subject index	464	(6)
Author index	470