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Al-Homoud, Faisal A. "Vocabulary Acquisition via Extensive Input." Thesis, University of Nottingham, 2007. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.485692.
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The current research explores vocabulary acquisition via extensive input in the L2. The first study reported here was conducted in the Saudi EFL context, where intensive reading is the prominent approach. The treatment used an extensive reading design in which participants were offered a wide range of graded readers at different levels to read from. The second study was carried out on Arab students studying in the UK. The aim of this study was to determine the relative vocabulary acquisition from extensive reading vs. extensive listening. The third study was based on a corpus of 8'4 graded read~rs from the Oxford Bookworms series. It is a replication ofNation and Wang's (1999) study into vocabulary coverage. The objective of this study was to examine potential opportunities for vocabulary learning available in those graded readers. All ofthe three studies were conducted with quantitative measurements, such as the VLT, PET, TOEFL, a word knowledge scale, and a questionnaire. The results of the first study demonstrated that extensive reading had positive effects on the participants' vocabulary knowledge, reading comprehension, reading speed, and attitudes towards reading in the L2. The findings ofthe second study showed that both extensive reading and listening coUld lead to incidental vocabulary learning. However, these gains are very small. The study also indicated that reading may be more advantageous than listening in terms ofvocabulary gains. Finally, the corpus-based study revealed that graded readers are a suitable means of helping learners encounter new as well as old vocabulary; even if they read less than one graded reader a week. The study also demonstrated that reading more texts at different levels would enable learners to meet words quite frequently.
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Thompson, Jeremy Paul. "Learning biblical hebrew vocabulary : insights from second language vocabulary acquisition." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/17819.
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Thesis (DPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2011.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Though Biblical Hebrew (=BH) is no longer a spoken language, students continue to learn it for the purpose of reading, or at least interacting at a deeper level, with the text of the Hebrew Bible. This suggests that BH shares with any modern language learning course the goal of learning to read. One important part of learning to read is the acquisition of an adequate number of vocabulary items. The purpose of this study is to determine which insights from Second Language Vocabulary Acquisition (=SLVA) research and related fields hold the most promise for a new — and possibly more effective — approach to learning BH vocabulary, to evaluate currently existing BH instructional materials in light of these insights, to develop a new approach based on these insights, and to test aspects of the new approach empirically. Researchers in SLVA have uncovered a number of helpful insights concerning how vocabulary and vocabulary learning should be defined as well as concerning how vocabulary is best learned. On the other hand, BH instructional materials reflect little to no influence from these insights. These materials have continued to define vocabulary narrowly as individual words and continued to conceive of vocabulary learning primarily as pairing form and meaning in contrast to the much more sophisticated definitions found in the SLVA literature. For example, SLVA researchers consider items beyond the word level, such as idioms, to be vocabulary (Moon 1997; Lewis 1993, 1997). BH instructional materials have also failed to include a significant number of beneficial Vocabulary Learning Strategies (=VLSs), while including some VLSs that are either intrinsically problematic or problematic in the ways they are employed. For example, the strategy of learning semantically related items together is common in BH instructional materials, though it has been shown to be problematic in a considerable number of experimental studies (e.g. Nation 2000; Finkbeiner & Nicol 2003; Papathanasiou 2009). Since SLVA research has yet to influence BH instructional materials, a new approach to BH vocabulary learning is warranted. This new approach is based on sound theory concerning what vocabulary is and what it means to learn it, while offering learners as many helpful strategies for learning lexical items as possible. To justify this new approach, a set of experimental studies was run including one longitudinal case study and three larger-scale experiments. This testing was partial in nature since it was only possible to test one variable at a time. The testing revealed a number of important areas for future research into BH vocabulary learning.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Alhoewel Bybelse Hebreeus (=BH) nie meer gepraat word nie, hou studente aan om dit aan te leer vir die doel om te lees, of ten minste om op ‘n dieper vlak met die oorspronklike teks van die Hebreeuse Bybel om te gaan. Dit impliseer dat die aanleer van BH net soos met die aanleer van moderne tale, ten doel het om die taal te kan lees. Een belangrike aspek van om te leer lees, is om die woordeskat aan te leer wat vir hierdie doel nodig is. Die doel van hierdie studie is om vas te stel watter insigte, verkry uit Tweede Taal Woordeskat-Aanleer (=TTWA) navorsing en ander verwante studievelde, die meeste belofte inhou vir ‘n nuwe – en moontlik meer effektiewe – benadering tot die leer van BH woordeskat; om huidige BH leermateriaal te evalueer, in lig van hierdie insigte; om ‘n nuwe benadering te ontwikkel gebaseer op hierdie insigte; en om aspekte van die nuwe benadering empiries toets. Navorsers in TTWA het al heelwat insig verkry in hoe woordeskat en die aanleer van woordeskat gedefineer behoort te word, sowel as aangaande die mees effektiewe maniere waarop woordeskat aangeleer kan word. Dit lyk egter of beskikbare BH leermanier niks of baie min by hierdie insigte baatgevind het. Hierdie materiaal handhaaf tipies ‘n baie nou definisie van wat woordeskat is, te wete, individuele woorde. Dit beskou dus die aanleer van woordeskat as die aanleer van hoofsaaklik woordpare met verskillende vorme en betekenisse, in plaas daarvan om die meer gesofistikeerde definisies te gebruik wat in TTWA literatuur gevind word. TTWA navorsers beskou, byvoorbeelde idiome, wat uit meer as een woord kan bestaan, ook as woordskat-eenhede (Moon 1997; Lewis 1993, 1997). BH leermateriaal gebruik selde van die groot getal beskikbare nuttige Woordeskat Leer- Strategieë (=WLS). Daar word eerder dikwels strategieë gebruik wat volgens TTWA navorsing nie baie effektief is nie.’n Goeie voorbeeld in hierdie verband is die strategie om semanties-verwante items saam te leer. Empiriese navorsing het aangetoon dat hierdie strategie sonder twyfel problematies kan wees (bv. Nation 2000; Finkbeiner & Nicol 2003; Papathanasiou 2009). Aangesien TTWA feitelik nog geen beduidende invloed op BH leermateriaal gehad het, is ‘n nuwe benadering tot die aanleer van BH woordeskat waarin TTWA insigte verreken word, geregverdig. Hierdie nuwe benadering is gebaseer op ‘n deeglik begrondige teoriese model aangaande wat woordeskat is, en wat dit beteken om dit te leer. Verder kan geput word uit die skat van nuttige strategieë wat al in TTWS geïdentifiseer is om sodoende aan BH leerder strategieë te bied wat hulleself al bewys het. Om die nuwe benadering empiries te begrond, is ‘n reeks eksperimentele studies geloods. Nie alle aspekte van die nuwe model kon sistematies getoets word nie. Die grondslag vir verdere navorsing is egter gelê.
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Erlandsson, Tina, and Gutierrez Sara Wallgren. "Incidental Vocabulary Acquisition through Reading : A Literature Review Examining Vocabulary Acquisition, Reading Comprehension and their Connection." Thesis, Linköpings universitet, Institutionen för kultur och kommunikation, 2017. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-139095.
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In order to learn a language, it is important to develop a vocabulary because it facilitates the language skills: reading, listening, writing and speaking. According to the Swedish curriculum, students must be able to develop these skills in English. However, the national tests show that students have poor results in reading and reading comprehension in English. Therefore, as future teachers of languages in Sweden, we chose to investigate how students can develop and strengthen their vocabulary through reading. Our research questions are: What cognitive processes and strategies are used when learning vocabulary? What does research say about incidental vocabulary learning through reading? What relationship does vocabulary have with reading comprehension? We have answered our questions by synthesizing and analyzing empirical studies which have been divided into two categories: cognitive processes and strategies, and vocabulary acquisition through reading. The findings show that, when encountering new vocabulary, learners use memory, determination, social and metacognitive strategies. Learning vocabulary happens both incidentally and intentionally and during this procedure words go through cognitive processes that determine where in our knowledge system they belong but this procedure can be affected by both internal and external factors. Results show that learners find reading and reading while listening to be a good method of learning vocabulary and these approaches also show good results in incidental vocabulary acquisition. Learners acquire new vocabulary incidentally through reading but the number of words they learn varies greatly. Learner’s prior vocabulary knowledge and the level of the target text is important for the outcome of new vocabulary acquisition. If the learner does not have an adequate prior vocabulary, associations and connections cannot be made and coherence not completed. In summary, the relationship between incidental vocabulary acquisition and reading comprehension is mutually beneficial. Reading provides context during a learner’s integration process and this leads to comprehension and vocabulary growth. There is a reciprocal relationship between comprehension and vocabulary growth, where both build on one another. However, since all the empirical studies did not take the same factors into consideration, the results have varied. In other words, external and internal factors can have a major impact on incidental vocabulary acquisition through reading. We suggest further research to investigate these factors in order to get a clearer picture of how we as teachers can improve strategies and instructions for vocabulary acquisition through reading.
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Chiu, Chia-Hui. "Semantic development in ESL vocabulary acquisition." online access from Digital Dissertation Consortium, 2006. http://libweb.cityu.edu.hk/cgi-bin/er/db/ddcdiss.pl?3247996.
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Behr, Karlsson Nina. "Mnemonic Techniques in L2 Vocabulary Acquisition." Thesis, Mälardalens högskola, Akademin för utbildning, kultur och kommunikation, 2013. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:mdh:diva-18745.
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Students in high school have a need to be able to remember a lot of information during their years of schooling. The purpose of this study was to investigate if mnemonic techniques could help the participating students to become more efficient in recalling new English vocabulary. If the results were to indicate an increase in efficiency with either of the two techniques selected, it would make a case for using this technique in foreign- and second language learning contexts. The students who participated were taught the reminiscent technique and the loci method because these techniques focus on connecting vocabulary to existing memories, thus enabling encodement to long-term memory. Research within second language studies recommends using mnemonic techniques as a help to retrieve words. The students’ recall of vocabulary was tested after an introduction to each technique. They were given three initial tests containing 15 new English words each, a total of 45 words. The first such set tested the efficiency of the students’ own techniques, while the second and third set tested the reminiscent technique and loci method, respectively. After a period of three weeks there was a final test on all the 45 new words at once, testing the possible encodement to long-term memory. The most interesting results were found regarding the percentages of lowest difference in "decrease of retrieval rate" of each vocabulary item between the first initial tests and the final test. The smaller the decrease could indicate a stronger encodement to long-term memory. The top two recalled words were linked to the reminiscent technique and the one in third place to the loci method. Thus, there was some indication that these helped to achieve a stronger encodement to long-term memory. However, when comparing the total number of recalled words, the students’ own technique came out as the winner.
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Poon, Fung-ying, and 潘鳳英. "Word Association and L2 vocabulary acquisition." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 1993. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B31956695.
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McGarry, Theresa. "Task-Induced Involvement and Vocabulary Acquisition." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2009. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/6170.
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Dwyer, Edward J. "Involving Students Actively in Vocabulary Acquisition." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 1986. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/3348.
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Dwyer, Edward J., and M. L. Simpson. "Vocabulary Acquisition and the College Student." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 1991. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/3395.
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Alf, Kerstin, and erik starck. "Vocabulary acquisition and the second language learner." Thesis, Linnaeus University, School of Language and Literature, 2010. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:lnu:diva-8475.
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It is unclear how L2 students acquire vocabulary – how is it taught – or wheather it can even be taught. In an SSL (Swedish as second language) program for young adults the ambition has been to integrate the L2 students’ into the national high school (gymnasium) courses as quickly as possible, in order to meet the students’ demands for subject education and to challenge them on an appropriate knowledge level. Teachers noticed quite early that the course – integrated L2 students seemed to have a deeper understanding of words and an easier flow in their speech. The study was conducted to map and learn more about the differences in vocabulary with L2 students who were integrated in the national L1 programs in several subjects and L2 students who have chosen to focus, in an isolated group, on SSL only. How does the students’ vocabulary evolve in relation to time? The study is based on the vocabulary knowledge scale as the methodological tool and Stephen Krashen’s monitor model as the theoretical practice, and in particular the input hypothesis and the hypothesis of acquisition and learning in combination with Pauline Gibbons’s methodologies in scaffolding. In the study the test results of eight SSL students are compared; four of the students have chosen to integrate with the L1 classes and four of them have chosen not to integrate with the L1 students. We will show that students that participate in national “high school” courses on the same premises as the L1 students will, through exposure to vocabulary in text books, lectures and post scaffolding, learn their vocabulary at a faster and higher rate than students who focus on the structural functions and, often non-contextual, vocabulary training alone.
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Rodrigeuz-Sanchez, I. "Matrix models of second language vocabulary acquisition." Thesis, Swansea University, 2000. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.638702.
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Most of the current research in L2 vocabulary acquisition has been too focused on what it is to learn a word, and has neglected how whole vocabularies grow or decline. In general, it is assumed that vocabulary gains and losses are incremental and follow a linear progression. This thesis postulates a model which considers several discrete stages of knowledge and accounts for the unstable nature of vocabulary knowledge, where words can change from one state to any other. Matrix algebra is a tool capable to operate with such a model and produce long-term forecasts of vocabulary size. Our experimental work describes the retention and the overall growth of the vocabulary of advanced learners of Spanish. These experiments show that forecasts of vocabulary size generated by the matrix model are far more accurate than those generated by a linear model. With data from two self-rating tasks containing a large number of words completed within a given lapse we build matrices which generate forecasts of vocabulary knowledge. These forecasts highly correlate to the actual knowledge measured three and four months later. This methodology is tested with subjects of various groups, using words from different frequency bands, and different measurement scales. In addition, we indicate ways of identifying matrices likely to generate inaccurate predictions. This methodology is considered one step forward towards the establishment of a model for L2 vocabulary acquisition.
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Leung, Yau-keung, and 梁有強. "Lexical networks and foreign language vocabulary acquisition." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 1997. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B31959623.
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González-Fernández, Beatriz. "Vocabulary knowledge components : knowledge, acquisition and conceptualisation." Thesis, University of Nottingham, 2018. http://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/52090/.
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Vocabulary knowledge is a multifaceted construct for which complete command comprises mastering various types of knowledge. Achieving this full mastery is deemed challenging and problematic for second language learners, and yet it is key for successful and appropriate language use (Webb & Nation, 2017). By understanding how these various kinds of knowledge behave and relate, practitioners can better systematise when and how they are introduced to the students, and thus facilitate the overall vocabulary learning process. Nevertheless, little is known about how these multiple types of word knowledge are acquired by learners of a second/foreign language. This thesis attempts to contribute to bridging this gap by empirically exploring the knowledge, acquisition and conceptualisation of overall vocabulary knowledge in second languages. Five studies are devoted to this aim. Study 1 examined the knowledge and order of acquisition of four different components of vocabulary knowledge (form–meaning link, collocations, derivatives and multiple meanings) in recall and recognition. It shows that those components vary considerably in their difficulty for second language (L2) learners, and implicational scaling analysis revealed that a consistent order of acquisition of these components can be established. Study 2 investigated how various factors typically identified as influencing vocabulary learning affect the mastery of those four word knowledge components. The results suggest that cognateness status of the target words has the strongest effect on knowledge of most vocabulary aspects by Spanish learners of L2 English, followed by frequency and proficiency. Importantly, this cognate influence raised the question of whether the order of acquisition of word knowledge components retrieved in Study 1 was unique to L2 English learners of cognate languages. Study 3 explored the theoretical conceptualisation of vocabulary knowledge by attempting to provide empirical support for its multidimensionality. Structural equation modelling analyses exposed that the various types of vocabulary knowledge were so interconnected that they could not be considered separate dimensions. This finding suggests that the different aspects of vocabulary knowledge are better seen as various word knowledge difficulty levels that comprise a unidimensional construct. Finally, Studies 4 and 5 tried to provide generalisability to the previous findings by replicating Studies 1 and 3, respectively, with Chinese L2 learners of English. Study 4 investigated the hypothesis that the order of acquisition outlined in Study 1 for Spanish learners depended partially on the cognate status of the participants’ language. The implicational scaling analysis with the non-cognate Chinese population, however, corroborated the order of acquisition of vocabulary aspects previously suggested, indicating that a universal vocabulary acquisition order might exist. Study 5 also confirmed the finding that vocabulary knowledge is not empirically multidimensional. In addition, it provided evidence for the fact that the vocabulary knowledge construct functions similarly across the Chinese and Spanish learners of English as a unidimensional concept. Taken together, the results presented in this thesis support the notion that mastering the various components involved in word knowledge is a slow and incremental process, and demonstrate that some of them seem to be consistently acquired before others. Nonetheless, the findings also suggest that these different types of word knowledge cannot be considered separate dimensions in the learners’ mental lexicon, and thereby the multidimensional structure of vocabulary knowledge might need to be reconsidered. Overall, while more research is needed, these findings offer useful insights for the learning and teaching of vocabulary in a more systematic and efficient manner.
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Fries-Dias, Caroline Marie. "Picture book reading to enhance vocabulary acquisition." Scholarly Commons, 1993. https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/uop_etds/2778.
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Twenty-seven 4- and 5-year-old children from two daycare programs participated in a study designed to assess the effect of picture book reading on children's vocabulary acquisition. All children were pre- and post-tested on the Reading Recognition subtest of the Peabody Individual Achievement Test, the Expressive One Word Picture Vocabulary Test (EOWPVT), and the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised (PPVT-R). Following Whitehurst et al.'s (1988) approach, children in the experimental group were read picture books utilizing the hear-say method (asking children questions) for 4 weeks. Those in the control group were read picture-books without being questioned. Three 2 x 8 x 2 Split-Plot Hierarchical ANOVAs were conducted to evaluate group and squad effects and to control for reader effects. They revealed no significant differences between the experimental and control groups. Possible reasons for the absence of experimental effects were discussed.
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Leung, Yau-keung. "Lexical networks and foreign language vocabulary acquisition." Hong Kong : University of Hong Kong, 1997. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record.jsp?B18810664.
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Ronald, James Martin. "Second language vocabulary acquisition through dictionary use." Thesis, Swansea University, 2006. https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa43127.
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Bacon, C., E. Barding, E. Lowe, D. Williams, and Kerry Proctor-Williams. "Parents’ Responsiveness and Toddlers’ Early Vocabulary Acquisition." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2010. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/1843.
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Bacon, C., E. Barding, E. Lowe, D. Williams, and Kerry Proctor-Williams. "Parents’ Responsiveness and Toddlers’ Early Vocabulary Acquisition." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2011. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/1841.
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Smallwood, Ian M. "Approaches to the teaching of vocabulary : the effects of monolingual and bilingual presentation of lexical items on vocabulary acquisition /." Hong Kong : University of Hong Kong, 1995. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record.jsp?B14778464.
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Szabo, Csaba Z. "Vocabulary testing and the influence of second language on third language vocabulary acquisition." Thesis, Open University, 2017. http://oro.open.ac.uk/52849/.
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Learning and speaking foreign languages are regarded today as the norm. Simultaneously, empirical findings in the area of multilingualism have recently demonstrated that the mental lexicon of a language learner consists of intertwined systems where languages interact with each other, rather than remain separate entities. However, studies that explore how different lexicons are integrated and influence each other in the case of multilinguals are relatively scarce. This thesis seeks to contribute to this gap in research reporting two empirical studies drawing on a vocabulary testing perspective. The studies investigate the impact of prior lexical knowledge on additional language learning of Hungarian native speakers, who speak Romanian as an L2 and English as an L3. From a theoretical standpoint, the studies contest the traditional assumption that foreign language vocabulary acquisition can be explained solely by measures of frequency of word occurrence. Instead is contended that cross-linguistic similarities, namely cognates, provide a special bridge between languages and also need to be taken into account. At a more substantive level, it aims to explore (1) the relationship between learners’ Romanian and English written lexical knowledge; (2) the facilitatory effect of cognates; and (3) the implications of this for vocabulary assessments. To address these aims, Romanian versions of Nation’s Vocabulary Levels Test (VLT) and Vocabulary Size Test (VST) have been developed, assessed for validity, and applied. The findings indicate that there is a strong connection between multilinguals’ Romanian L2 and English L3 lexica. Learners’ lexical proficiency can be described as a function of frequency but is also influenced by cognateness. Therefore, word frequency and cognateness in conjunction can potentially increase test accuracy and validity, and enable a more in-depth understanding of vocabulary size and lexical accessibility. These conclusions are drawn from a vocabulary testing perspective, but further pedagogical implications, future directions for research and limitations are also offered.
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Swartzendruber, Kara Louise McDowell Kim. "The picture word inductive model and vocabulary acquisition." Diss., A link to full text of this thesis in SOAR, 2007. http://soar.wichita.edu/dspace/handle/10057/1178.
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Thesis (M.Ed.)--Wichita State University, College of Education, Dept. of Curriculum and Instruction."May 2007." Title from PDF title page (viewed on Dec. 29, 2007). Thesis adviser: Kim McDowell. Includes bibliographic references (leaves 42-46).
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Mohamed, Ayman Ahmed Abdelsamie. "Investigating incidental vocabulary acquisition in ESL conversation classes." Thesis, University of North Texas, 2009. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc12165/.
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This study examined incidental receptive and productive vocabulary gains within conversation-class interactions. Eleven Mexican learners of English attended four videotaped conversation lessons where 40 target words were incorporated in different types of exposure. Stimulated recall interviews with students highlighted the effect of cognates, learners' access to passive vocabulary, and use of their vocabulary knowledge in learning related words. Posttests revealed a correlation between frequency and receptive/productive gains. Mean scores showed that words mentioned with synonyms were learned most often, followed by task-essential words and last those mentioned without explanation. A two-way ANCOVA revealed main effects for cognates, and a statistical interaction between cognate status and types of exposure. A statistical correlation was found between receptive and productive gains. Aptitude scores correlated with productive gains but not with receptive gains. The results provide implications for ESL teachers who consider incidental learning of vocabulary within their conversation lessons.
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Alruwaili, Awatif. "Integrating corpus linguistics in second language vocabulary acquisition." Thesis, University of Nottingham, 2018. http://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/51589/.
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Corpus linguistics has been used for over three decades in language teaching but not until now has it become a mainstream approach to language learning in the classroom. Thus, this thesis explores how the use of corpora can be successfully integrated into the English Foreign Language classroom, specifically in the Saudi classroom context. The integration is explored through two studies. Study One addresses the learners’ actual use of corpora in the classroom for learning general verbs patterns. General verbs patterns are selected through a multi-level approach which consists of a corpus-based approach as a first level, a phraseological approach as a second level and a pedagogical approach as a third level. The study relies on data collected from 51 participants who were at the intermediate level studying general English in the foundation year. The study ran for five weeks and included three training sessions, in which the learners were trained in how to use the corpus resource and how to read and analyse concordance lines and two testing sessions. The participants were tracked via software tracker in both training and testing sessions. The data were collected through tracking logs, activity sheets, reflective forms and interviews. The findings of Study One show that the intermediate-level learners were able to use the corpus resource in the same way as they had been trained, which indicates that the training was successful. The learners were also able to identify general verbs patterns through the use of concordance lines. Most participants had a positive attitude towards the use of corpora in the classroom besides identifying a few difficulties related to the use of corpora. Study Two investigates teachers’ attitudes towards the use of corpora in the classroom which included 56 in-service teachers who attended a training course on the uses of corpora in the classroom. The data collected included questionnaires (pre-course and post-course questionnaires) and interviews. The findings show that the questionnaires had a good reliability value and the teachers’ attitudes were moderately positive towards the use of corpora in the classroom. In addition, Study Two finds that there are some factors that seem to influence teachers’ attitudes, such as the training course, the level of computer literacy and the teachers’ perceptions of their role and learners’ roles within the communicative approach. The interviews constitute an in-depth investigation of teachers’ views about the use of corpora in the classroom by listing possible factors that facilitate or hinder the implementation of corpora in everyday teaching practice. Through the discussion of these findings from Study One and Study Two, a full integration of corpus linguistics into the Saudi classroom is possible taking into consideration the hindrances. These difficulties can be overcome through the offered proposal for implementing the use of corpora in the classroom.
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Masoura, Elvira V. "Phonological short-term memory contributions to vocabulary acquisition." Thesis, University of Bristol, 1999. http://hdl.handle.net/1983/a2ac91c6-6472-42ba-801c-691c030ae628.
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Mohamed, Ayman Ahmed Abdelsamie Larson-Hall Jenifer. "Investigating incidental vocabulary acquisition in ESL conversation classes." [Denton, Tex.] : University of North Texas, 2009. http://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc12165.
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Cardoso, Gisele Luz. "The effects of call on L2 vocabulary acquisition." reponame:Repositório Institucional da UFSC, 2012. http://repositorio.ufsc.br/xmlui/handle/123456789/101021.
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Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro de Comunicação e Expressão. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Letras/Inglês e Literatura Correspondente, Florianópolis, 2012Made available in DSpace on 2013-06-26T00:51:19Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 314613.pdf: 4125050 bytes, checksum: fd25851b4243683d042f633036675e7b (MD5)
Abstract : Blended Learning (BL) has attracted the attention of L2 acquisition researchers, who understand that for L2 education to be successful, learners and teachers need to combine two dissimilar but complementary approaches, namely CALL and Face-to-Face interaction (Neumeier, 2005). This dissertation is guided by the primary aim of investigating the effects of CALL on the acquisition of new vocabulary in an ESP course for adults. It is also guided by four other specific goals, (1) to analyze the reactions, perceptions, and attitudes of ESP students towards the use of CALL activities; (2) to verify whether there was an increase on participants# digital competence (DC) within the period of the study; (3) to investigate the relationship between DC and the computer-mediated tests; and (4) to suggest ways in which CALL activities can be integrated into ESP courses for adults. The participants were 24 adult students enrolled in a Technical Computing Program at IF-SC/Gaspar. This study employed a mixed-methods design (Dörnyei, 2007) and adopted statistical and qualitative analytical procedures to interpret the data. The instruments of data collection employed in the statistical analyses included a paper-and-pen pretest, two paper-and-pen posttests and two computer-based posttests. As for the qualitative analysis, the data was collected through two online questionnaires, students' posts in forums on the Moodle platform, students# self-evaluations, and semi-structured interviews. The study yielded five main results. First, there was a significant amount of acquisition of L2 vocabulary, as shown by the participants# performance on the posttests as compared to the pretest. Nonetheless, there were no significant differences between the printed and the online posttests. Second, the effects of CALL are positive. Students reported enjoying the opportunity of performing activities prepared by the teacher on Moodle and of having immediate access to online dictionaries and search sites. Also, they reported they were aware of the fact that they were learning through the approach employed. At the same time, they acknowledged that the traditional paper-and-pen activities contributed to their learning process as well. Therefore, the BL environment where this study was conducted favored L2 vocabulary acquisition. Third, there was an increase in the participants# levels of DC within the period of the study. Fourth, there was no correlation between the participants# levels of DC and the computer-mediated posttests. Finally, taken together, the results show that the combination of two dissimilar but complementary approaches - CALL and Face-to-Face interaction # BL - (Neumeier, x 2005) in an ESP course is well accepted by the students and contribute to L2 vocabulary acquisition. Results of this study add evidence to what Celani (2008) argues, i.e. ESP courses do not need to be connected to the teaching of reading only. In other words, ESP courses can be designed in a way so that other abilities may be developed. The incorporation of CALL in the process of teaching English allows the development of oral and written abilities and students' DC, enhancing their chances of engagement in tasks and of retention of new vocabulary, besides expanding ESP teaching far beyond materials such as books.
Aprendizagem híbrida é uma abordagem de ensino-aprendizagem que tem atraído a atenção de pesquisadores de aquisição de vocabulário em L2, os quais entendem que para o ensino de L2 ser bem sucedido, aprendizes e professores precisam combinar duas abordagens diferentes, mas complementares: CALL e interação face-a-face (Neumeier, 2005). Esta tese é guiada pelo objetivo principal de investigar os efeitos de CALL na aquisição de novo vocabulário por adultos em um curso de Inglês para fins específicos (ESP). Ela também é guiada por quatro objetivos específicos: (1) analisar as reações, percepções e atitudes de alunos de ESP com relação às atividades de CALL; (2) verificar se houve aumento da competência digital (CD) dos participantes ao longo do curso; (3) investigar a relação entre CD e os testes mediados pelo computador; e (4) sugerir maneiras em que as atividades de CALL possam ser integradas em cursos de ESP para adultos. Os participantes foram 24 alunos adultos matriculados em um curso técnico de Informática do IF-SC/Gaspar. Este estudo empregou um design misto (Dörnyei, 2007) e adotou procedimentos analíticos estatísticos e qualitativos para interpretar os dados. Portanto, os dados foram analisados quantitativa e qualitativamente. Quanto à análise quantitativa, os resultados do pré-teste, do pós-teste imediato e do pós-teste de retenção impressos e do pós-teste imediato e pós-teste de retenção online foram analisados estatisticamente. Quanto à análise qualitativa, os dados foram coletados através de dois questionários online, das postagens dos alunos nos fórums da plataforma Moodle, de uma entrevista semiestruturada e das autoavaliações dos estudantes. O estudo produziu cinco resultados principais. Em primeiro lugar, houve uma quantidade significante de aquisição de vocabulário em Inglês, como mostrado pelo desempenho dos participantes nos pós-testes quando comparados com o pré-teste. Todavia, não houve diferenças significantes entre os pós-testes impressos e os online. Em segundo lugar, os efeitos de CALL são positivos. Os participantes relataram terem apreciado a oportunidade de executar as atividades no Moodle e de ter acesso imediato a dicionários online e sites de busca. Também declararam estarem conscientes do fato de que eles estavam aprendendo através da metodologia empregada. Ao mesmo tempo, eles tinham ciência de que as atividades tradicionais impressas contribuíam para o processo de aprendizado deles também. Deste modo, o ambiente híbrido de aprendizagem onde este estudo foi realizado favoreceu a aquisição de vocabulário em L2. Em terceiro lugar, houve aumento do nível da CD dos participantes. Em quarto lugar, não foi encontrada uma correlação entre o nível de CD dos participantes e os pós-testes online. Finalmente, os resultados sugerem que a combinação de CALL com a interação face-a-face, ou seja, aprendizagem híbrida (Neumeier, 2005), em um curso de ESP é bem aceito pelos estudantes e contribui para a aquisição de vocabulário em L2. Os resultados deste estudo corroboram o que Celani (2008) argumenta: cursos de ESP não precisam estar conectados ao ensino de leitura somente. Em outras palavras, eles podem ser desenhados de uma maneira que outras habilidades possam ser desenvolvidas. A incorporação de CALL no processo do ensino de ESP permite o desenvolvimento de habilidades orais, escritas e do nível de CD dos estudantes, melhorando as chances deles de engajamento nas atividades e de retenção de novo vocabulário, além de expandir o ensino de ESP para além de livros didáticos.
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Ralli, Assimina M. S. "Investigating lexical acquisition patterns : context and cognition." Thesis, University College London (University of London), 1999. http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/10006623/.
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Donato, Rosa Maria Beal. "Vocabulary acquisition through reading: strategies to facilitate brazilian fifth grade efl student's vocabulary learning /." Florianópolis, SC, 1999. http://repositorio.ufsc.br/xmlui/handle/123456789/80968.
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Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro de Comunicação e Expressão.Made available in DSpace on 2012-10-18T21:25:49Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0Bitstream added on 2016-01-09T03:04:41Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 175249.pdf: 1896413 bytes, checksum: 9f3a142023adfd3c3acbaaa06d8446c7 (MD5)
O presente estudo buscou investigar o efeito facilitador de duas estratégias de aquisição de vocabulário: "Verbal Imagery Mnemonics" e "Guessing from Context" na retenção de vocabulário em inglês como língua estrangeira, bem como na compreensão da leitura de alunos brasileiros frequentando a quinta série do primeiro grau. Os alunos investigados eram iniciantes no estudo de inglês, matriculados em três diferentes quintas séries do Centro Educacional Vidal Ramos Jr., uma escola pública estadual, em Lages, Santa Catarina. O método adotado neste estudo consistiu de: (1) uma entrevista escrita com os sujeitos e seus respectivos professores de inglês, objetivando a seleção de sujeitos que estivessem estudando esta língua pela primeira vez e (2) cinco testes escritos, um aplicado imediatamente após a leitura do texto para verificar a compreensão do mesmo, e outros quatro, aplicados uma semana após a leitura do texto, visando checar a habilidade destes alunos em reconhecer e traduzir as palavras chaves do texto, tanto em lista quanto em sentenças, e reter informação a respeito do texto lido. Os resultados deste estudos tendem a confirmar a visão de pesquisadores que defendem a existência de uma relação íntima entre conhecimento vocabular e compreensão de textos e a importância do conhecimento vocabular e (2) indicam um certo equilíbrio entre a utilidade de ambas as estratégias (Verbal Imagery Mnemonics e Guessing from Context) no que tange ao efeito facilitador destas mesmas estratégias na retenção de palavras desconhecidas em inglês e na compreensão de texto destes alunos de quinta série.
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Yiu, Ki Dorothy. "A design of reading and vocabulary enrichment activities for second language learners of S3 in a Hong Kong secondary school to activate their receptive to production vocabulary." Hong Kong : University of Hong Kong, 2001. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk:8888/cgi-bin/hkuto%5Ftoc%5Fpdf?B23425210.
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Lee, On-lai Annie. "A study of vocabulary explanations in the intermediate EFL classroom : the variety and effectiveness of strategies employed /." [Hong Kong : University of Hong Kong], 1993. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record.jsp?B13553811.
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Zheng, Lingzhen. "Strategies in Vocabulary Learning and Teaching : A study of vocabulary acquisition in a Chinese University." Thesis, Kristianstad University, Department of Teacher Education, 2010. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hkr:diva-6771.
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Miralpeix, Pujol Immaculada. "Influence of Age on Vocabulary Acquisition in EFL, The." Doctoral thesis, Universitat de Barcelona, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/10803/1670.
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This dissertation analyses the effects of age on the acquisition of vocabulary in English as a Foreign Language (FL). It focusses on productive vocabulary because it is a crucial aspect in language learning which is also vital in communication, both oral and written, and it has often been the neglected component in research on age. Studies on age in naturalistic contexts have usually shown that 'the earlier one starts learning the language, the better'. Although in the short term Early Starters (ES) are outperformed by Late Starters (LS), due mainly to the superior cognitive maturity and the quickest rate of development of the latter, in the long run ES will catch up with LS and will eventually overtake them. Our educational system also promotes an early start to the FL, as the age at which English is first introduced at schools has progressively been brought down in the recent years. However, results in instructional settings are not as clear-cut as the ones obtained in natural contexts and 'the earlier the better' assumption does not always seem to apply in a straightforward way. The present work analyses the oral and written production of two groups of Catalan/Spanish bilinguals who learn English at school as a FL. One of the main aims of the research is to determine if, in the long term, towards the end of secondary education, there are consistent differences between a group of ES (who started at 8) and one of LS (who started at 11) as regards productive vocabulary. The design presented also allows to study the development and draw comparisons between the groups from primary education onwards (data collections were carried out after 200, 416, 726 and 800 hours of exposure). Therefore, the analyses are performed by controlling the Amount of Exposure that learners have received, their Cognitive Maturity (Age at Testing) and their Age of Onset (Starting Age).
In order to analyse the participants' production, both intrinsic and extrinsic vocabulary measures are used. It is also a research purpose of the present work to survey some of the widely-used measures of lexical richness and to evaluate new ones, such as D and P_Lex. In addition, as the Second Language Acquisition research field is very much in need of testing tools, especially as regards vocabulary, this thesis presents one of the first methods to compute estimates of productive vocabulary size for different tasks. The process to carry out the estimations has been automated into V_Size, a new computer tool.
Results show that in the long term, ES do not surpass LS in a formal context as far as lexical production is concerned. The same takes place even if ES receive some more exposure. This LS advantage seems to be present since the first stages of learning the FL, even though both groups show a boost in vocabulary from the age of 13 onwards. The findings are discussed in the light of other results found in natural and formal contexts for lexis and other language components. They are also interpreted in relation to other factors that may contribute to a successful learning apart from an early start. Results on different lexical measures are considered for research in the field and potential advantages of the new V_Size are described. Therefore, not only does the thesis bring new evidence to research on age and FL acquisition, but it also offers new insights into productive vocabulary testing.
CATALÀ:
Aquesta tesi analitza els efectes del factor edat en l'adquisició de vocabulari en anglès com a llengua estrangera. Es centra en vocabulari productiu perquè és un aspecte crucial en l'aprenentatge de llengües que també és molt important per la comunicació, oral i escrita, i ha estat sovint el component oblidat en recerca sobre edat.
Els estudis sobre el factor edat en contextos naturals mostren que és millor començar a aprendre un idioma el més abans possible. Tot i que a curt termini els aprenents més grans siguin millors que els joves, sobre tot a causa del la maduresa cognitiva i del ritme ràpid de desenvolupament dels primers, a llarg termini els més joves atrapen els grans i arriben a depassar-los. El nostre sistema educatiu també promou un començament primerenc de l'anglès, ja que l'edat en què l'idioma estranger és introduït a les escoles és cada vegada més baixa. Tanmateix, els resultats en contextos d'instrucció no són tan clars com els obtinguts en contextos naturals i la suposició de 'quan abans millor' no sembla del tot certa. Aquest treball analitza la producció oral i escrita de dos grups d'estudiants bilingües català/castellà que aprenen anglès com a llengua estrangera a l'escola però que començaren a edats diferents (uns als 8 i els altres als 11). Un dels propòsits de la recerca és determinar quin dels dos grups serà més competent a llarg termini, al final de la Secundària, pel que fa al vocabulari productiu. El disseny permet també estudiar el desenvolupament i establir comparacions entre els dos grups des de l'educació primària (es portaren a terme recollides de dades després de 200, 416, 726 i 800 hores d'aprenentatge). Les anàlisis controlen, per tant, les hores d'exposició, la maduresa cognitiva i l'edat d'inici de l'anglès.
Per tal d'analitzar la producció dels aprenents s'han utilitzat mesures de vocabulari intrínisques i extrínsiques. És també objectiu d'aquesta tesi estudiar algunes de les mesures més utilitzades en lèxic així com avaluar-ne de noves com la D i el P_Lex. A més, com que el camp de recerca en Adquisició de Segones Llengües necessita eines d'avaluació, especialment en vocabulari, es proposa en aquest treball un dels primers mètodes per realitzar estimacions del tamany de vocabulari productiu dels aprenents per diferents tasques. Aquest procés d'estimació ha estat computeritzat en el programa V_Size, una nova eina informàtica.
Els resultats indiquen que, a llarg termini, els aprenents més joves no avantatgen els més grans en contextos formals a igualtat d'hores d'exposició pel que fa a vocabulari productiu, encara que els més joves hagin començat abans; tampoc si aquests han rebut més hores d'exposició. Aquest avantatge dels més grans sembla ser present des dels estadis inicials d'aprenentatge, tot i que hi ha un desenvolupament notable als voltants dels 13 anys en ambdós grups. Els resultats són posats en relació a altres estudis en contextos formals i naturals tant pel que fa a vocabulari com per altres components lingüístics. Així mateix, són interpretats en relació a altres factors que poden ser tan o més importants que una jove edat d'inici. També els resultats obtinguts de les diferents mesures lèxiques són considerats per recerca en el camp i es descriuen els possibles beneficis derivats del nou mètode d'estimació de tamanys de vocabulari. Per tant, la tesi ofereix no només noves evidències a la recerca sobre el factor edat en l'adquisició de llengües estrangeres sinó també nous mètodes d'anàlisi de vocabulari productiu.
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Strikis, Liena A. "The effects of orthography and phonology on vocabulary acquisition /." Connect to online version, 2006. http://ada.mtholyoke.edu/setr/websrc/pdfs/www/2006/179.pdf.
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Matuszewski, Judith L. "An Examination of Vocabulary Acquisition by Kindergarten English Learners." Thesis, Northern Illinois University, 2018. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=10636857.
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American classrooms are becoming increasingly diverse as students enter with native language knowledge (other than English). Addressing the needs of all students is more difficult given most teachers are native English speakers, have little experience with multiple language knowledge, and can be apprehensive about teaching ELs.
With this in mind, this study was undertaken to look at the feasibility of teaching kindergarten students strategies (e.g., use of picture dictionary, word wall, anchor chart use, partnering with peers), thus allowing the student to create their own understanding of English vocabulary rather than having an adult simply give the meaning to them or impart knowledge.
Kindergarten ELs were taught strategies, given time to practice, and encouraged to use strategies. Students were then observed using the presented strategies. Use of technology (ELs used iPhones to photograph resources they used) showed to what extent each EL understood and used the presented strategies.
Promising results showed ELs were able to understand, use, and adapt strategies, creating meaning for themselves as they acquired English vocabulary. PPVT and MLU testing showed increases and identified additional English words spoken. While this study included a small population, the findings point to strategy use for young ELs as promising. The potential application in classrooms could offer support for classroom teachers as they plan for more classroom diversity.
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Zahar, Richard M. "Examining conditions of incidental L2 vocabulary acquisition through reading." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 1999. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk1/tape7/PQDD_0019/MQ55013.pdf.
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Al-Qarni, Ibrahim R. "Rote repetition in Saudi Arabian foreign language vocabulary acquisition." Virtual Press, 2003. http://liblink.bsu.edu/uhtbin/catkey/1263922.
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This study was designed to examine the impact of rote repetition strategies (RRSs) on the retention of newly learned vocabulary items on both immediate recall test (IRT) and delayed recall test (DRT) in the Saudi Arabian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context. The RRSs included in this study were the following:1. Silent repetition (SR): repeating the foreign word with its first language (Ll) translation silently2. Verbal repetition (VR): repeating the foreign word with its first language (L1) translation out loud3. Silent-written repetition (SWR): repeating the foreign word with its first language (Ll) translation silently while writing it down4. Verbal-written repetition (VWR): repeating the foreign word with its first language (L1) translation out loud while writing it downThe following hypotheses were investigated in this study:1. For Saudi EFL college learners rote repetition (RR) is an effective learning strategy in vocabulary learning for both short and long term retention.2. In terms of their impact on short-and-long-term retention, the four RR strategies investigated in this study are predicted to be ranked as follows: VWR > SWR > VR > SR.Four treatment groups with a total of one hundred and thirty three freshmen Saudi students majoring in English language and translation participated in this study. Each group was introduced to one of the above repetition strategies, trained to use the strategy, and instructed to carry out a vocabulary learning task using the specified strategy. The learning task was a memorization task of new English words with their Arabic equivalent translations. An iaanediate recall test (IRT) was administered right after the learning task was carried out followed by a one-week delayed recall test (DRT).The results obtained from participants' scores on both recall tests indicate that rote repetition strategies are effective strategies for Saudi EFL college students and help them in increasing their retention scores. The results also indicate that the SWR and VWR are more effective memorization strategies than VR and SR. The former strategies yielded better retention not only on the IRT but also on the DRT.College of ArchitectureDepartment of English
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Sieh, Yu-Cheng. "Phonological processing skills in young learners' EFL vocabulary acquisition." Thesis, University of Newcastle Upon Tyne, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/10443/266.
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Four factors were examined to investigate English vocabulary learning among 9-year-old elementary school children in Taiwan. The four factors were use of their native language, length of English instruction, and two phonological processing capabilities-phonological memory and phonological sensitivity. Apart from a series of paper-and-pencila nd computerized vocabulary assessmentst,w o nonword repetition tasks along with five detection and production tasks of rimes and phonemes were used to measure phonological memory and phonological sensitivity. The young learners' scores on all vocabulary tests were positively correlated with phonological memory and phonological sensitivity, as was also evidenced in studies by Gathercole et al. (1997) and Bowey (1996). A similar pattern of association was found between the learners' vocabulary performance and their length of English instruction. However, neither of the two phonological processing capabilities was associatedw ith English instruction length. The reaction times of the two online vocabulary tests suggest that an extra input of Ll gloss in explicit vocabulary teaching might have resulted in faster aural recognition of single English words. This supports Kroll and Stewart's (1994) revised hierarchical model of bilingual representation,w hich postulatest hat beginning L2 learners have their two languages interconnected at the lexical level. Results of stepwise and hierarchical regression analyses confirmed that English phonological sensitivity was the best predictor of young learners' English vocabulary performance and contributed uniquely to their vocabulary scores after age, English instruction length, vocabulary knowledge from school textbooks, Chinese phonological sensitivity, and phonological memory were statistically controlled.
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Bourgoyne, Ashley. "Applying Learning Theory to the Acquisition of Academic Vocabulary." Thesis, The University of Arizona, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/612946.
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Purpose: To identify effects of variability of visual input on development of conceptual representations of academic concepts for students with normal language (NL) and language-learning disabilities (LLD). Method: Students with NL (n=38) and LLD (n=11) participated in a computer-based training for introductory biology course concepts. Participants were trained on half the concepts under a low-variability condition and half under a high-variability condition. Participants completed a post-test in which they were asked to identify and rate the accuracy of novel and trained visual representations of the concepts. We performed separate repeated measures ANOVAs to examine the accuracy of identification and ratings. Results: Participants were equally accurate on trained and novel items in the high-variability condition, but were less accurate on novel items only in the low-variability condition. The LLD group showed the same pattern as the NL group; they were just less accurate. Conclusions: Results indicated that high-variability visual input may facilitate the acquisition of academic concepts in both NL and LLD college students. Specifically, it may be beneficial for generalization to novel representations of concepts. Implicit learning methods may be harnessed by college courses to provide students with basic conceptual knowledge when entering courses or beginning new units.
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Brooks, Philip, and Anton Sundin. "The Effectiveness of Incidental Vocabulary Acquisition on L2 Learners." Thesis, Malmö universitet, Fakulteten för lärande och samhälle (LS), 2020. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:mau:diva-35547.
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Paige, Patricia L. "Vocabulary acquisition in the middle grades: a conceptual approach." CSUSB ScholarWorks, 1991. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd-project/591.
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Lin, Chai-Wei. "Second Language Learners' Recognition of Unknown Words." Master's thesis, University of Central Florida, 2005. http://digital.library.ucf.edu/cdm/ref/collection/ETD/id/2212.
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Recent research has underscored the important role of second language (L2) vocabulary acquisition in the reading process. The present study examined how accurately eighteen learners of English as a Second Language (ESL) were able to identify unknown words within a reading passage. It is assumed that "noticing" unfamiliar words in a text plays an important role in being able to extract meaning from context, which may ultimately result in word learning; thus, whether or not learners are able to recognize unknown words as unknown is a key step in vocabulary learning. The design of this study was based on previous research (Laufer and Yano, 2001) on the connection between first language background and self-assessment of L2 word knowledge. The first three steps of the Lafuer and Yano study were used in this study. In the first step, ESL learners self-assessed their ability to identify selected words in a text. After this, L2 learners explained or translated the meanings of the words. Finally, the two sets of data were analyzed to measure correlations. The findings of the study showed that teachers, as well as learners, should not underestimate the importance of vocabulary. Instead, they should provide more explicit vocabulary instruction and practice. In addition, L2 learners need to learn to identify words that are unknown. The act of "noticing" unknown words and identifying them as such is the initial step towards building vocabulary through reading. Lastly, L2 learners should not rely solely on context clues for the "guessing" strategy when they have a limited level of vocabulary because they may develop mistaken word knowledge, which would impact reading comprehension. Instead, learners should develop a wide range of strategies to comprehend academic reading.M.A.
Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures
Arts and Sciences
Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
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Jones, Adam. "Emerging Lexical Organization from Intentional Vocabulary Learning." PDXScholar, 2014. https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/open_access_etds/1949.
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The role that vocabulary learning plays in second language acquisition has been receiving increased attention from both teachers and researchers. However, there is still much that is not known about the processes through which new words become functioning components of the mental lexicon. This study used a word association test (WAT) to investigate how new words are initially integrated into the lexicon immediately after being studied for the first time. This initial lexical organization of new words was compared with the existing lexical organization of well-known items. In addition, this study investigated how sentence writing, thought to encourage deeper levels of processing, affected how the new words were initially integrated into the lexicon.
The participants in this study were 16 volunteers from an Intensive English Language Program. The participants first completed a vocabulary knowledge scale to assess if they knew the new vocabulary words. Then, the participants spent 20 minutes learning the words--either through writing sentences with the words or through choosing their own method of study. Immediately after the 20 minute learning period, the WAT was administered. The results of the WAT indicated that the new words were being organized into the lexicon through meaning-based connections just as the well-known words were. The majority of the meaning-based lexical organization was based on equivalent meaning connections such as synonymy or superordination. The sentence writing condition correlated with a decrease in meaning-based WAT associations for the new words, which indicated that sentence writing may have affected the lexical integration in unexpected ways. Finally, unanticipated WAT response patterns indicated that other contextual factors may have also influenced the responses.
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Hemchua, Saengchan. "Vocabulary development in Thai EFL and ESL learners." Thesis, University of Nottingham, 2002. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.270286.
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Ryckbost, Lisa. "Phonological and lexical influences on vocabulary development predicting the ages at which individual words are acquired /." Connect to this title online, 2006. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc%5Fnum=bgsu1143483102.
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Fu, I.-Ping P. "Student Approaches to Learning Chinese Vocabulary." Diss., Virginia Tech, 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/25955.
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This research focuses on the strategies that native English speakers use as they learn to speak and write Chinese vocabulary words in the first year of an elementary Chinese class. The main research question was: what strategies do native English-speaking beginning learners of Chinese use to learn Chinese vocabulary words in their speaking and writing? The study was conducted at a medium-sized comprehensive university in the Southeastern U.S. The study drew from concepts and theories in second language acquisition and psycholinguistic studies. A random sampling of four students was selected in their first year of Chinese study for qualitative analyses. Data were collected from demographic student surveys, reflection papers, interviews, observation and field notes, weekly diary of the students and Strategies Inventory for Language Learning (SILL).
The conclusions from this study provide insight as to how students of this demographic approach the challenge of learning Chinese. From this study, a clear picture emerges that students use different strategies to learn Chinese. Some students respond better to sound while others are more visually based learners. However, in this study, students used combinations of audio, visual, and kinesthetic learning techniques. The tonality of spoken Chinese was one of the most difficult skills to master and this aspect of the language frustrated many students. This is a widely recognized problem with Chinese education. Nevertheless, students enjoyed the artistic nature of Chinese characters and for the most part enjoyed writing them. This element can be emphasized in Chinese instruction to motivate students and appeal to visual learners. Similarly, integrating instruction on Chinese culture into language classes made the Elementary Chinese curriculum more appealing to students. Using native Chinese speakers from the local community in the language curriculum, reinforced classroom instruction, made the instruction more relevant, and increased student interest. Encouraging students to attend Chinese cultural events in the community had many of the same positive benefits for students. The motivations for learning revealed in this study are very interesting and support earlier studies of Chinese learners. Personal and profession interests as well as a combination of both these factors were the most commonly cited reasons for learning Chinese. Maintaining proper motivation is a pivotal factor that determines the success of many elementary learners including the students in this study. When students lost their motivation, interest in the curriculum and learning declined as well. Teachers need to be aware of motivations and attempt to foster them in individual students in order to maximize the learning experience.Ph. D.
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Lee, Hsiang-Ni Sunny. "Investigating EFL adult learners' vocabulary acquisition through reading picture books." [Bloomington, Ind.] : Indiana University, 2007. http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&res_dat=xri:pqdiss&rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:3264311.
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Thesis (Ph.D.)--Indiana University, Dept. of Language Education, 2007.Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 68-05, Section: A, page: 1853. Adviser: Larry Mikulecky. "Title from dissertation home page (viewed Jan. 12, 2008)."
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Ghadirian, Sina. "A CALL-based approach to optimizing reading-based vocabulary acquisition /." Thesis, McGill University, 2004. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=79942.
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This thesis considers the problem of how to bring foreign language students with a limited vocabulary knowledge, consisting mainly of high-frequency words, to the point where they are able to adequately comprehend authentic texts in a target domain or genre. It proposes bridging the vocabulary gap by first determining which word families account for 95% of the target domain's running words, and then having students learn these word families by reading texts in an order that allows for the incremental introduction of target vocabulary. This is made possible by a recently developed computer program that sorts through a collection of texts and (a) finds texts with a suitably high proportion of target words, (b) ensures that over the course of these texts, most or all target words are encountered five or more times, and (c) creates an order for reading these texts, such that each new text contains a reasonably small number of new target words and a maximum number of familiar words. A computer-based study, involving the sorting of 293 news texts, resulted in the finding that all three of these conditions could be met for the majority of texts tested, provided two key changes were first made to the sorting algorithm. A potential problem with the computerized approach is also addressed. The approach takes for granted that a reader must be familiar with 95% of a text's tokens in order to adequately comprehend the text, but a recently published study challenges this assumption by claiming that 98% is a more accurate figure. A close analysis of the study, however, points out a serious methodological flaw which undermines this result.
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Bisson, Marie-Josee. "Incidental acquisition of foreign language vocabulary through multi-modal situations." Thesis, University of Nottingham, 2013. http://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/13883/.
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There are many advantages to learning a foreign language, such as a better understanding of another culture, a better chance of employment, as well as metalinguistic and cognitive benefits. Unfortunately, language learning can be a long and difficult process, partly because of the amount of words necessary to achieve fluency in a language. However, informal exposure to languages can help language learning. The aim of this thesis was to explore the impact of informal exposure on the incidental acquisition of foreign language vocabulary with complete beginners in a foreign language. This was investigated in the context of multi-modal situations including verbal (auditory and written) and pictorial information. The first study investigated the acquisition of foreign language vocabulary through watching a film with subtitles, as well as the processing of subtitles using eye-tracking. In the second study, a simpler multi-modal situation (one spoken and written foreign language word form along with a line drawing depicting the meaning of the word) was used to investigate incidental vocabulary acquisition. In addition, this study investigated the use of a potentially more sensitive measure of early vocabulary learning based on the savings paradigm. The third study reported in this thesis explored the number of exposures to multi-modal stimuli necessary for incidental learning to occur. The fourth study, explored the type of connections resulting from the multi-modal incidental learning situation in the context of the current models of FL word learning. Finally, in the fifth study, the allocation of attention to the verbal and pictorial elements of the multi-modal situation were investigated using eye-tracking, as well as the impact of attention on vocabulary acquisition. The results of the studies presented in this thesis showed that incidental acquisition of foreign language vocabulary happens rapidly during a simple multi-modal situation, and that the pictorial information plays an important role. Furthermore, this type of situation was shown to be effective even with complete beginners in a foreign language and therefore could be exploited to promote informal language learning.
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Lyu, Ting. "Second language vocabulary acquisition through storybook reading for Chinese children." Scholarly Commons, 2016. https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/uop_etds/4.
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This six-week quasi-experimental study compared the effectiveness of two English storybook reading styles (preview-review reading versus concurrent translation) on the vocabulary development of kindergarteners ( n =50) in China, whose primary language is Chinese, who learn English as a second language. The children (aged 5 to 6) were pretested to evaluate their knowledge of general and targeted words using a researcher-designed instrument tailored to the content of three selected English stories. Validity evidence based on contrasted groups and test-retest reliability had been previously gathered for the 24-word instrument (based on 8 words per story) in a pilot study. The children in the concurrent translation group listened to the English storybook with the reader using both English and Chinese interchangeably to assist children in understanding the story. With the children in the preview-review group, the reader built background knowledge and discussed difficult vocabulary in Chinese before reading the storybook only in English then reinforcing key points in Chinese after reading the storybook. Each of three English stories was read three times by the researcher/reader separately to both groups. Two days after the third reading of each story, children were post-tested on the 8 words associated with that specific story. Total posttest scores, based on combining the three 8-word posttest scores, were compared to the 24-word pretest scores to examine vocabulary gains. Results suggest that both methods of reading English storybooks to Chinese preschoolers were effective. Results also indicate that children in the concurrent translation group performed significantly better than children in the preview-review group, even after initial levels of vocabulary, based on the pretest, were controlled (Cohen’s ƒ 2 = .42, which is considered to be a large effect). Additionally, an Aptitude x Treatment Interaction model was tested, but insufficient evidence was found to suggest that the differential effectiveness of the two methods depended on the child’s initial vocabulary level. Implications for teachers, parents, and early childhood education policymakers are discussed and suggestions for further research are offered.
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Calder, Maryna. "Self-assessment of lexical knowledge in second language vocabulary acquisition." Thesis, Swansea University, 2013. https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa43186.
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