Integrating Concordance Tools Into L2 Vocabulary Instruction

Since its emergence, corpora have made investigating language possible in a precise and objective way. Language practitioners are now equipped with concordancing tools that can check millions of utterances in seconds. These tools have caused a revolution in processing and analyzing a language for different purposes. Teachers now can examine the information in a textbook by referring back to corpus tools, keep track of the target language use, and infer generalizations that are hardly provided by traditional language books. After presenting a theoretical and historical overview of corpora and concordancers, this chapter discusses the role of corpora and concordancing tools in English language teaching (ELT), specifically in vocabulary instruction, and presents four corpus-based activity ideas that the classroom practitioners can easily utilize in their classes.

A time for consolidation: A bibliometric analysis of L2 vocabulary research 1985–1989

This paper uses a co-citation analysis to examine the research on L2 vocabulary acquisition that was published in 1989. Two analyses are presented. The first is a detailed account of the 1989 research on its own terms. The second analysis places this work in a larger context by looking at research published in a five-year window covering 1985–89. The analyses identify important themes in the research and significant sources who are influencing the way the research is developing at this time. The main features of this work are the substantial growth in dictionary and corpus research, and the emergence of Paul Nation as the Most Significant Source in 1989.

A meta-analysis examining technology-assisted L2 vocabulary learning

This meta-analysis examines the effectiveness of technology-assisted second language (L2) vocabulary learning as well as identifies factors that may play a role in their effectiveness. We found 34 studies with 2,511 participants yielding 49 separate effect sizes. Following the procedure developed by Hunter and Schmidt (2004), we corrected for sample size bias and measurement error. The overall effect size for using technology to learn L2 vocabulary was d = 0.64, which is a moderate effect size. The Q statistic indicated a significant variability in effect size, so we followed up with a theory-driven moderator analysis. The results of the moderator analysis revealed that learners benefited more from technology-assisted L2 vocabulary learning with incidental instruction than with intentional instruction; types of assessment were not significant moderators of the effect on technology-assisted L2 vocabulary learning; technology-assisted L2 vocabulary learning is more effective when the target language is close to the learner’s first language; college students benefited more from technology-assisted L2 vocabulary learning than K–12 students; and, finally, mobile-assisted L2 vocabulary learning was more effective than computer-assisted L2 vocabulary learning.

Quizlet as a Tool for Enhancing Autonomous Learning of English Vocabulary

L2 vocabulary learning seems to be one of the biggest challenges for many language major students as lexical knowledge involves productive understanding of its many components, including the form, meaning, and application of the terms (Nation, 2001). It is, therefore, necessary to find appropriate language education tactics and instruments for the successful and efficient acquisition of this aspect of the L2. Among advancements in the field of educational technology, Quizlet was invented with the hope that learners could effectively acquire L2 vocabulary in the absence of the teacher. In this study, the researchers want to figure out if Quizlet is helpful in assisting students in learning English vocabulary. They would also like to identify the difficulties that learners may encounter when using the application for their self-study. A quantitative survey was conducted on 100 English major freshmen and sophomores at a university in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Results reveal that Quizlet plays an active role in facilitating self-study of English vocabulary. A remarkable finding is that an application seems to provide an entertaining learning environment, which in turn enhances learning motivation. Besides, a couple of limitations of the app, namely distracting ads and limited mobile learning functionality, have also been identified.

A world of differences: the role of individual differences in L2 vocabulary learning with clickers

This study examined the acquisition of L2 English vocabulary with clickers, focusing on the role of individual differences. Following a pretest-posttest design, we measured perception and performance among 61 English learners who took part in a vocabulary acquisition treatment, in which they answered Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs) via clickers (experimental group) or hand-raising (control group). Findings show that students have positive perceptions of clickers across all analytical measures adopted and that clickers promote vocabulary learning. However, the differences in learning gains between the two groups were not significant, indicating individual differences among learners. Four of the learners who exhibited ‘extreme’ (lowest/highest) perception and performance scores were selected for further analyses. The presence of individual differences in clicker-enhanced learning suggests the technology should be carefully implemented to accommodate learners’ individual differences.

Review and Discussion of Learning Strategies of Second Language Vocabulary Acquisition

Learning second language (L2) vocabulary can be a challenge for L2 students. As researchers and TEFL practitioners, we perpetually strive to seek ways to help our students with necessary linguistic tools to be ultimately both productive and resourceful. Moroccan EFL students in L2 are able to use learning strategies, which are valued in the school system, in order to, among other things, expand their vocabulary knowledge for the purpose of being able to communicate verbally and non-verbally. It is complex, however, to determine to what extent these strategies are used. In fact, very few studies have emphasized vocabulary learning strategies. Therefore, this study is of interest to Moroccan university students so as to determine which strategies to use, how often, and whether their use has an impact on students’ vocabulary growth.