By Mayra Yaranga Hernández
We will probably
remember our early English lessons. Especially at the beginning, one part of
the lesson was when the teacher would pick up flashcards or write words on the
board, drill them and then provide/elicit a translation for them. This would go
on for a few words, and the lesson’s lexical content had been covered.
Eventually, we would get tested on either the words themselves or their
translations –if we remembered them, we were safe. When we are young language
learners, this usually works, basically because traditional teaching focuses on
words and, at best, sentences. Also, because the words being learnt belong to
the ‘here and now’, as abstract processing is still not a part of pupils’
development. And finally, because these words have very clear semantic limits,
so it is easy to categorise them in groups like ‘fruit’, ‘vegetables’ or
‘feelings’.
The problem begins
when working with higher levels and/or older students. Is it enough to just
provide a list of words to memorise every class and then hope that the learners
will have incorporated them all into their repertoire? I would like to claim
that this is just not enough, and may be one of the features of traditional
teaching: rote learning. Why do we need to go beyond word lists in our
teaching? Here I will give two reasons:
●
The words are not necessarily set in context. By context, we
mean a more or less natural linguistic setting –-an audio recording or a
written text— where learners can see the word being used naturally. This will
help them to, first, realise that the word is useful, and second, get some help
to experiment with it safely.
●
The words are usually given in isolation. That is, we do not encourage
our learners to see the word patterns (“collocations”) they occur in. What is
the point in learning the word ‘fun’
if we do not show that it appears in phrases such as She’s fun to be with or It
was such fun!? This is why we should check how the word combines with other
words in order to make meaningful chunks.
What is outlined above does not only apply
to general English, but also areas where apparently students are better at
coping: ESP and international exam preparation. One famous example of project
work in ESP consists of building a glossary of specialised terms in the L1 and
L2. This is said to help students remember the specialised terms but here, if
no context or collocations are given, students will be deprived of the best
tool they have to internalise the vocabulary: the way in which the word is
used. Isn’t it what they want to learn?
This includes collocation, appropriacy
(is the word used among professionals, with the general public?), frequency,
and even the shades of meaning in related words (What is the difference between
lawyer, solicitor, attorney and barrister, when all mean abogado in Spanish?) A similar situation
happens with the publications and websites offering ‘500 useful words for
[Insert exam name]’. A catchy title, indeed, but with little pedagogical value
for the same reasons mentioned above. Learning those 500 words does not
guarantee a half-decent essay, let alone impressive speaking skills.
All in all, we
should never forget that vocabulary is not a matter of memorising words like
parrots. It involves making associations, discriminating and seeing words
within chunks of language for easier use.
Now,
it’s YOUR turn!
Do you use vocabulary lists in class? What advantages and drawbacks do you find when using them?
Biodata
Mayra Yaranga (1985) Doctor in Education (UNIFÉ); Master’s Degree in Media, Culture and Identity from Roehampton University (London) revalidated by PUCP, a Bachelor’s Degree in Education - UPCH and the Professional Title of Licenciada - IPNM. Currently she is Cambridge Oral Examiner and Member of the Research Area for Universidad del Pacífico Language Centre. She is also ESP coordinator and Pre-University Centre Director at UNIFÉ.
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