Deliberate Vocabulary Learning Research Articles

The Effect of Incidental Learning and Deliberate Learning on L2 Repertoire

Vocabulary learning is a crucial aspect of language acquisition, and it can occur incidentally or deliberately. Incidental learning (also known as unintentional learning) indicates learning new words while reading or listening to spoken language. Deliberate learning, on the other hand, involves the intentional effort to learn new words through activities such as studying vocabulary lists, using flashcards, practicing with vocabulary exercises, or using a dictionary Both incidental and deliberate vocabulary learning have their advantages and disadvantages. Incidental learning is more natural and occurs in a context, which makes it more likely that new words will be remembered and used correctly. However, it can also be unpredictable and unreliable, as learners may not encounter the same vocabulary frequently enough to remember it. Deliberate learning, on the other hand, is more systematic and provides learners with more control over their learning. However, it can be less engaging and may not always lead to the same depth of understanding as incidental learning. 80 secondary school students were randomly selected to take part in the study, and they were assigned to one of three groups: an experimental group that received instructions on deliberate vocabulary learning techniques, an experimental group that received instructions on incidental vocabulary learning techniques, and a control group that received no instructions. For two weeks, the experimental groups received six hours of instruction in their chosen vocabulary learning strategies. Students in the deliberate vocabulary learning group learned how to learn new words by using techniques like flashcards, making mnemonic devices, and practicing with vocabulary drills. The students in the incidental vocabulary learning group were instructed to use guessing strategies to determine the meaning of new words while reading or listening. All participants took a vocabulary test following the instruction period, which evaluated their retention of the definitions of the words they had learned. The outcomes revealed that both experimental groups outperformed the control group by a significant margin, demonstrating the efficacy of both deliberate and accidental vocabulary learning techniques for enhancing vocabulary acquisition. The deliberate and incidental vocabulary learning groups performed similarly, which is interesting because it suggests that both methods are equally effective. To investigate the long-term effects of deliberate and accidental vocabulary learning techniques, additional research is required. It is crucial to keep in mind that this study concentrated on short-term vocabulary acquisition. The results of this study demonstrate that both deliberate and accidental vocabulary learning strategies can enhance secondary school students' vocabulary acquisition. Both educators and students can combine the two approaches to develop a robust vocabulary in a foreign language.

Deliberate vocabulary learning from word cards

While word cards are a widely supported method of deliberately studying foreign language vocabulary, there is a surprising lack of research-based evidence supporting them. This paper first reviews some of the key literature on word cards and then briefly describes two experiments concerning word card methodology. The first experiment described in this paper examined the learning outcomes of making word cards while the second experiment compared the use of self-made word cards with premade cards. The results of the first study indicated that the simple process of making word cards results in significant shortterm vocabulary learning, but this new knowledge is sensitive to attrition if no further study is carried out soon after making the cards. The results of the second experiment indicated that while both methods are effective in the short and long-term, learners may be better studying from premade cards. Taken together, the results offer support for the use of word cards for foreign language vocabulary learning.

EXPLORING THE VOCABULARY LEARNING STRATEGIES OF ITALIAN LEARNERS OF ENGLISH

Author/s
 James RockUniversità Cattolica del Sacro Cuore di Milano, Italy
 
 ABSTRACT
 In this paper, a think-aloud protocol is used to explore the vocabulary learning strategies of ten adult learners of English at a university in the north of Italy. The focus is on discovering the types of actions that are actually employed by learners while performing a deliberate vocabulary learning task. As well as providing information about frequency of use, the investigation revealed some patterns of strategy use. In general, less attention was awarded to techniques involving deeper mental elaboration, such as complex guessing for meaning or the use of mnemonic techniques, in favour of strategies requiring less mental effort. There was also less emphasis on mechanical repetition than in many previous studies on the topic.

The learning effects of student-constructed word cards as homework for the adolescent English Language classroom

In this quasi-experimental study, an intervention group (n = 50) of Taiwanese English as a Foreign Language (EFL) 10th graders were given 18 weeks of classroom English reading skill-based instruction in addition to completing homework requiring construction and review of 100 vocabulary word cards for unknown words incidentally encountered during class reading whereas an equivalent Taiwanese EFL control group of 10th graders (n = 50) only received the skill-based instruction. After the intervention, significant differences in second language (L2) reading proficiency and L2 vocabulary acquisition were shown in favor of the intervention group while only a negligible growth in second language vocabulary size was shown for both groups. Additional analyses of the intervention group's L2 vocabulary size data, responses to an open- and closed-ended questionnaire, and the self-constructed word cards revealed anomalies in participants' L2 lexicons, a negative reaction to the technique of using self-constructed word cards for deliberate vocabulary learning, and a need for guidance in selecting target words appropriate for their abilities. Pedagogical implications of these and other nuanced results are discussed.

Deliberate Learning Of Second Language (L2) Vocabulary: Research-Based Guidelines

<p>This article is devoted to overviewing several current studies on L2 vocabulary learning, especially those aimed at investigating and exploring the ways in which deliberate vocabulary learning would be best facilitated, and thus would increase learning. It is argued that knowledge of vocabulary is fundamental in all language use, and becomes an essential part to master second language. A large amount of vocabulary is required to use English both receptively and productively: 8000 – 9000 word families needed in order to adequately comprehend a wide range of written discourse (Nation, 2006), and 2000 – 3000 word families required to get sufficient comprehension of spoken discourse (van Zeeland & Schmitt, 2012). Knowing a lexical item entails several aspects of word knowledge i.e., form, meaning, and use, each of which is further comprised of several sub-aspects of word knowledge. In addition, vocabulary learning is incremental in nature. Taken all these into account, there should be a component of deliberate vocabulary learning in language teaching, regardless of the preferred teaching methods being applied. Most importantly, deliberate learning of vocabulary should be intensively focused on lexical items which fall into both the new GSL word list (Brezina & Gablasova, 2015) and the new AWL word list (Coxhead, 2000). Finally, reviewing current studies on L2 vocabulary learning results in several research-based guidelines for deliberate or intentional vocabulary learning which are discussed throughout the rest of this article.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Keywords: </strong><em>vocabulary learning, vocabulary size, word knowledge, high-frequency words, academic words, deliberately-learning-vocabulary guidelines</em><em> <strong></strong></em></p>

The effect of a bilingual learning mode on the establishment of lexical semantic representations in the L2

Deliberate vocabulary learning is common in the L2, however, questions remain about most efficient and effective forms of this learning approach. Bilingual models of L2 word learning and processing can be used to make predictions about outcomes of learning new vocabulary from bilingual (L2–L1) flashcards, and these predictions can be tested experimentally. In the present study, 41 late adult German–English bilinguals learned 48 English pseudowords using bilingual flashcards. Quality of component lexical representations established for the studied items was probed using form priming and semantic priming. The results show that, although all participants were able to establish robust orthographic representations of the studied items, only bilinguals with large L2 vocabularies established high-quality lexical semantic representations. With neither the Revised Hierarchical Model (RHM) nor the Sense Model able to fully account for these findings, an alternative explanation based on a distributed semantic features view of word learning is proposed. Learning implications of the findings are discussed.

Research into practice: Vocabulary

Editorial noteThis new strand in the journal provides a space for contributors to present a personal stance either on future research needs or on the perceived current applications of research in the classroom. Like much of our current content, it echoes the historical uniqueness of this journal in terms of its rich and expert overview of recent research in the field of L2 teaching and learning. However, this new strand takes such research as its starting point and attempts to look forward, using these findings both to debate their application in the language learning classroom and also to suggest where research would be best directed in the future. Thus, the objective of both types of paper is eminently practical: contributors to the research agenda will present suggestions for what research might usefully be undertaken, given what is currently known or what is perceived to be necessary. In the research into practice papers there will be critical appraisal both of what research is, and is not, getting through to the language learning classroom, policy making, curriculum design, evaluation of teaching and/or assessment programmes, and practical suggestions made for improving such outcomes.This article is a personal view of the application of research on vocabulary to teaching and how there are three different types or categories of relationship between that research and the teaching to which it is applied: first, where the research is not applied or not applied well, second, where it is reasonably well applied, and third, where it is over-applied. For each of these three categories, I look at what I consider to be the most important areas of research and suggest why they fit into that category. The topics covered include planning vocabulary courses, distinguishing high frequency and low frequency words, extensive reading, the deliberate learning of vocabulary, academic vocabulary and vocabulary teaching.

The MOBO City: A Mobile Game Package for Technical Language Learning

In this research we produced a mobile language learning game that is designed within a technical context. After conceptual analysis of the subject matter i.e. computerâ??s motherboard, the game was designed. The action within the game is consistent to the theme. There is a story, simplifying and exaggerating real life. Elements of control, feedback and sense of danger are incorporated into our game. By producing an engaging learning experience, vocabularies were learned incidentally. Deliberate vocabulary learning games were also added to our package to help students solve their common errors.

Vocabulary Learning in Uninstructed Silent Reading and Story Rewriting

Abstract A current issue in L2 reading research is whether extensive reading promotes vocabulary development. This study examined vocabulary acquisition in uninstructed silent reading of a short story with and without a vocabulary list followed by a story rewriting task. Time constraints of a public school setting prevented an extended period of study required for extensive reading research, but vocabulary learning strategies and outcomes of this study are applicable to extensive reading. This study also explored Hinkel’s (2006) recommendation to modify the goal of extensive reading programs to meet the pedagogical ideal of integrated skills learning, that is, reading and vocabulary learning. Questioning the traditional goal of extensive reading to read relatively quickly for general ideas, Hinkel (2006) also proposes that it should draw learner attention to some aspect of language such as vocabulary. Similarly, Nation (2005) emphasizes need for deliberate vocabulary learning in extensive reading which should form a substantial and obligatory part of language courses (p.15). Due to the assumption that uninstructed sustained silent reading encourages students to read widely, I will refer to research on “extensive reading,” using Hinkel’s (2006) and Day, Omura, and Hiramatsu’s (1991) operational definition of sustained silent reading as extensive reading for pleasure over time.