Chapter 4 - Learning words

Chapter 4 - Learning words

1. 4.1 Introduction

   • - Vocabulary has moved to centre stage.
     • -vocabulary learning can serve as a stepping stone to learning and using grammar
       • - Learning a word is not a simple task that is done once and then completed

2. 4.2 Vocabulary development in children's Lg learning

   • 4.2.1 The word as unit
     • Vocabulary development is about learning words, formulaic phrases or chunks.
       • Infants, children and adults think about words as a discrete unit.
         • The role begings with the use for naming things.
           • Vigostky warned that alhough children may use the same words as adults, they may not have the same meaning.
             • The acquisition of meaning takes much longer than the acquisition of the spoken.
   • 4.2.2 Vocabulary Size
     • Some works have been done on measuring the size of learning vocabulary.
       • This helps to determine the perspective on a foreign learning language classroom.
         • The difference between native speakers and foreing Lg speaker is the number of words they can learn, know and identify.
   • 4.2.3 What it means to know a word.
     • Word knowledge is always a matter of degree.
       • Know a word is when the learner is able to recognise the meaning, the writen form, the gramatical form, the spealling. its meanung and the uses of a word.
   • 4.2.4 Developing meaning in childhood.
     • Increasing the depth of word knowledge doesn´t happen autimatically in foreign or second Lg.
       • Conceptual knowldge grows as children experience more and more of the world in their daily basis.
   • 4.2.5 Categorisation and word learning.
     • The middle of a general to specific hierarchy is particular significant for children.
       • The 'Basic' or middle is the most commonly used words. They are learn before higher or lower.
   • 4.2.6 Cultural content in word meaning
     • Words and their meanings are connected in syntagmatic and paradagmatic patterns.
       • Generally when we learn a word in a foreign Lg we mapped it into our first Lg.
   • 4.2.7 Development of children's vocabulary: Summary
     • Five year olds learning a foreign Lg need very concrete vocabulary.
       • Vocabulary development is not just learning words but is also necessarily expanding and deeping words knowledge.
         • Basic levels words are likely to be more appropiate for younger children

3. 4.3 Organisation of words in a Language

   • 4.3.1Function and content words
     • Split in two groups of words -- Lexical and content --
     • Content and function words need different teaching approaches.
   • 4.3.2 Sense relations
     • Content words can relate to each other in different ways .
       • Antonymy (Big - short) Synonymy (Slim - thin) Hyponymy (Furniture - chair ) Meronymy ( House - Kitchen)
   • 4.2.3 Summary and teaching principles
     • Content and function words work differently in the Lg.
       • Function --> Acquired through repeated use in different context. Content --> Can be taugh more directly.

4. 4.4. Learning and teaching vocabulary.

   • 4.4.1 The dynamic nature of vocabulary learning
     • Hatch and Brown (1995:372) describe 5 "essential steps" - Having resources - Clear image - Learn the meaning - Memory connection - Use the word.
   • 4.4.2 Learning the meaning of new words.
     • Nation (1990 : 51) listed the way of teaching the meaning -By demostration - By verbal explanation
   • 4.4.3 Attending to form
     • Form -----> Refers in how a word is pronounced and how it is written. Spoken form should have a priority, but not leave begin the written form.
   • 4.4.4. Making strong memory conections
     • 1. Thematic organisation of words : Learners can organize the words in different thematics.
     • 2. Organisation of vocabulary through relations of whole parts: They can make different activities to make strong memory connections with a same thematic.
     • 3. Organisation of vocabulary from general to specific herarchies: For example -- Type of foods - Vegetables - Cabbages.
   • 4.4.5 Extending children's vocabulary beyond the textbook.
     • 1.Working outwards from the textbook: Start from the topic from the text but don't stop with that words.
     • 2. Learner's choice: Chose a topic and the ask the learners what they know and what the want to learn.
     • 3.Incidental learning of vocabulary through stories: Use stories seem to have rich opportunities for learner vocabulary indirectly.

5. 4.5 Children's vocabulary learning strategies.

   • 4.5.1 Empirical evidence on the usefulness of strategies: -Guessing meaning - Notice grammar - Remembering.
   • 4.5.2 Strategies and young learners: Teachers can: - Model the meaning - teach sub-skill need to make use of strategies. - Make opportunities to use the word.

6. 4.6 Summary

   • Vocabulary has been seen as a major source for language use.
     • Without practice the words there will any effect or progress
       • It is important to know other function or uses of the word learned

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