Vocabulary notebooks: theoretical underpinnings and practical suggestions

Abstract

In spite of the recent surge of interest in many aspects of vocabulary learning, little has been written about what constitutes a good vocabulary notebook. This article attempts to address this perceived gap by first deriving eleven principles from language memory and language research which can serve as a guide in the creation of a pedagogically-sound notebook. Drawing from these principles, a design for vocabulary notebooks is presented which emphasizes the incremental learning of vocabulary, and different aspects of word knowledge. Suggestions are then made for integrating this kind of notebook into classroom activities. A sample schedule is provided to illustrate how notebooks can be introduced into a class.