Developing a Specialized Vocabulary Word List in a Composition Culinary Course through Lecture Notes

M Nordin N R,Stapa S H,Darus S

doi:10.7575/aiac.alls.v.4n.1p.78

Abstract

Learning to write in a composition culinary course is very challenging for L2 learners. The main barrier in writing proficiency within this discipline is the lack of vocabulary, specifically the lack of exposure towards specialized vocabulary. This study aims to provide a corpus of specialized vocabulary within a food writing course. By providing students with a word list of specialized vocabulary in the course, students may benefit by familiarizing with the language discourse which will aid in better comprehension of the course, and subsequently facilitate in their writing development. A compilation of all PowerPoint slides from one writing course was assembled and analyzed using the range and frequency program to identify the specialized vocabularies in a food writing course. The corpus was categorized using a four step rating scale, which identified 113 specialized vocabularies in food writing. The learning of specialized vocabulary specialized vocabulary is an important issue at the tertiary level in Malaysia, with educators’ realization of the importance of discourse proficiency in ESP programs, thus many more research is yielded on the many new issues on the teaching and learning of specialized vocabulary particularly within the academic and professional context.

Highlights

In English for Specific (ESP) courses it is pertinent and wholly excepted that students be directed towards fluency in both the language and content area in the discipline of study, in other words students must be able to communicate effectively within the discourse in their area of study
This study was not intended to construct a generalization of food writing vocabularies; its purpose is to come up with a word list based on the corpus from one particular food writing course in Malaysia
The focal point of this corpus study was to develop a specialized vocabulary word list of food writing, which is taught for tertiary level ESL learners in a culinary program

Summary

Introduction

In English for Specific (ESP) courses it is pertinent and wholly excepted that students be directed towards fluency in both the language and content area in the discipline of study, in other words students must be able to communicate effectively within the discourse in their area of study. Courses such as English for Hotels require students to be familiar to the language commonly used in connection with hotel facilities, hotel activities and hotel clientele and personnel. It stresses the appropriate responses to requests, complaints and similar language functions common in the field This good command of language in each distinct field applies to all ESP courses. It is no longer a debate that good communication skills are important for students to excel in their studies

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