LLAS Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studies

Good practice in teaching and learning vocabulary

- 4 February 2003

The vocabulary of any language is huge and its acquisition takes time, even for a native speaker. Research has concentrated more on how words are learnt than on what should be taught, though everyone agrees that a threshold of around 2000-3000 words is a requirement for further progress. The research suggests that extensive reading leads to good vocabulary gains, though this knowledge needs to be activated, e.g. in productive exercises. The teacher can also help the learner to become autonomous by teaching strategies and ensuring the availability of appropriate, motivating materials.

Reading in a second language

- 30 January 2003

Reading in a second language calls for fast, automatic word decoding and access to the mental lexicon (dictionary); this means working on building speed and fluency and on learning to recognise at least 10,000 words in the new language. Learners can build speed and fluency by learning vocabulary systematically and by doing lots of easy (‘extensive’) reading. Learners will also read better in their second language if they learn about text characteristics, and if they know how to handle a variety of strategies for getting meaning from texts. Background knowledge about the second-language culture will make comprehension easier as well.

Text Modification in Foreign Language Teaching

Rocio Ortega de Toro - 20 December 2002

The key points to the paper: introduction: research in progress; the importance of reading comprehension; authentic vs. modified: previous studies; criteria for modifications; preparations for the first experiment; conclusions so far.

Some issues on which linguists can agree

Richard Hudson - 27 September 2002

A list of 83 points on which linguists seem to agree and which are important for education. The list was compiled in 1980 but is currently (2002) being revised.