English vocabulary in the secondary classroom

1
English vocabulary in the secondary classroom

• Arthur McNeill
• The Chinese University of Hong Kong

2
How can vocabulary skills lead to vocabulary
growth?
3
A new English vocabulary curriculum for HK schools

• EDB/CUHK
• collaborative project

4
Growing interest in students vocabulary

• Recent evidence of inadequate vocabulary of HK
  university entrants.
• Most 2004 entrants to CUHK knew between 2000 and
  3000 English words only.
• International research suggests that students
  need at least 5000 words to cope with university
  study in English.

5
Strong support for setting (and raising) lexical
targets

• New EDB collaborative project with CUHK to
  develop a vocabulary syllabus for schools.
• To strengthen the vocabulary components of the
  NSS curriculum.
• Proposed vocabulary targets set for each KS.

6
Vocabulary now occupies a more important position
in assessment

• Latest IELTS performance band descriptors for
  Writing and Speaking have identified Vocabulary
  as one of the four strands.
• Will standards-related assessment in HK follow
  the same direction?

7
How is English vocabulary acquired during
secondary education?

• Native English speaking students acquire about
  3000 words per year at secondary school.
• Hong Kong secondary pupils acquire about 300
  words per year.

8
English vocabulary development
9
Curriculum guides stress the importance of
vocabulary

• Synonyms
• Antonyms
• Collocation
• Register
• Idiom
• Formulaic language
• ALL recommended in official curriculum guidelines

10
Quality, YES. Quantity, NO.

• Curriculum guidelines stop short of identifying
  lexical targets.
• Main concerns about inadequate vocabulary come
  from the tertiary sector.
• Students enter university with around 3000
  English words, which is inadequate for successful
  study.

11
Proposed Vocabulary Targets
12
Proposed Vocabulary Targets
13
Vocabulary as Output

• Lexical Richness

14
What is lexical richness?

• Quality of vocabulary content of learner output
• Difficult to define
• Different approaches to defining LR are provoking
  heated debate among scholars (see references on
  handout)

15
Does lexical richness matter?

• Judges are influenced by lexical content, even
  when they are not asked to focus on vocabulary.
• High correlations between lexical richness and
  other measures of second language proficiency.

16
Issues in LR debate

• Assumptions about lexical coverage
• The most frequent 2000 words of English account
  for about 80 of most texts, so low L2 vocabulary
  targets were set for learners

17
Vocabulary size and text coverage
18
Impact of first 2000 words plus AWL (570
academic words)
19
Indicators of lexical richness

• amount of low frequency words in the text
• type/token ratio
• range of vocabulary
• command of different semantic fields

20
What vocabulary skills are involved?

• avoiding repetition of words (e.g. by lexical and
  pronominal substitution)
• knowing how to combine words (e.g. collocation
  compounding)

21
Features of Hong Kong student writing

• Repetition of key words (need for lexical
  substitution
• The under-use of superordination
• The need for lexical enrichment (adjectives and
  adverbs)

22
What vocabulary skills help learners with lexical
richness?

• Synonymy
• Giving definitions
• Knowing the name of the superordinate
• Knowing the name of the member (e.g. item,
  piece, article, etc.)
• Using metaphor (e.g. using known words in a
  metaphorical sense)

23
Text written by a local 16-year old under exam
conditions

• Many students strive for academic exellency,
  but what is the motivation behind their hardwork?
  In this essay, I am going to explore the
  different aspects of learning, and analyse the
  pros and cons of each motivating factor.
• The hunger for knowledge and wisdom can
  motivate students to learn. They hope to widen
  their horizons through reading, watching
  educational programs, travelling and other ways.
  To them, the world is a fascinating place, full
  of wonders and mysteries to unravel. Their love
  of learning motivates them to seek knowledge in
  all areas, from science and mathematics to arts.

24
(No Transcript)
25
(No Transcript)
26
(No Transcript)
27
(No Transcript)
28
(No Transcript)
29
Teaching implications

• Encourage self-management of vocabulary learning
  by students
• Websites which offer frequency-based words in
  mini-contexts can provide some short-cuts to
  incidental (random) vocabulary growth.
• Process writing can develop awareness of lexical
  richness.

30
Useful websites

• Tom Cobb (University of Quebec at Montreal)
• www.lextutor.ca
• Paul Nation (University of Wellington)
• www.vuw.ac.nz/lals/staff/paul-nation/nation.aspx
• Some articles, references, wordlists
• www.cuhk.edu.hk/eltu/ENG5600.arthurp.htm

31
A typical English teachers vocabulary dilemma

• Quality v. Size

32
Pre-requisites for a vocabulary building
33
Topic Strand (paradigmatic)

• Deliberate organization of words into
  hierarchies.
• Develops associative networks.
• Encourages efficient vocabulary learning.

34
(No Transcript)
35
(No Transcript)
36
Teach the names of the superordinates
37
What is the missing word?
38
(No Transcript)
39
Encourage the development of associations

• Paradigms are fixed (but open)
• Other associations are more personal (e.g.
  accoustic, visual, linkword)

40
Assumptions about paradigmatic arrangement

• Allows for efficient vocabulary growth because
  the system is open and allows for additions
• Associated with Receptive vocabulary knowledge in
  particular
• Retrieval of words operates through the cohort
  principle

41
Syntagmatic arrangement

• Topic transport
• Car drive fast wet road
• Brakes skid collide - accident

42
Assumptions about syntagmatic arrangement

• Associated with Productive vocabulary because it
  is based on the words which tend to occur
  together in sentences.
• The associations are based on collocations rather
  than semantic categories

43
Word Associations in L1 and L2

• Same or different?

44
Associates with king

• QUEEN 44 0.45
• KONG 18 0.19
• CROWN 4 0.04
• PIN 3 0.03
• CHARLES 2 0.02
• COLE 2 0.02
• GEORGE 2 0.02
• MAKER 2 0.02
• THRONE 2 0.02
• BEE 1 0.01
• CARD 1 0.01
• CARDS 1 0.01
• CASTLE 1 0.01

• CHAIR 1 0.01
• CHESS 1 0.01
• CHRIST 1 0.01
• COUNTRY 1 0.01
• CROSS 1 0.01
• DAY 1 0.01
• JUDGE 1 0.01
• LOUIS 1 0.01
• ME 1 0.01
• MONARCHY 1 0.01
• ORDER 1 0.01
• ROAD 1 0.01
• SIZE 1 0.01
• SNOW 1 0.01

45
Associations with boy

• GIRL 78 0.78
• CHILD 2 0.02
• FRIEND 2 0.02
• MAN 2 0.02
• SCOUT 2 0.02
• YOUTH 2 0.02
• BARRY 1 0.01
• BOYFRIEND 1 0.01
• CAP 1 0.01

• HEN 1 0.01
• HOOD 1 0.01
• MALE 1 0.01
• RAMBLING 1 0.01
• SCHOOL 1 0.01
• SHIP 1 0.01
• SON 1 0.01
• VIGOUR 1 0.01
• YOUNG 1 0.01

46
Associations with car

• WHEEL 9 0.09
• DRIVER 5 0.05
• BUS 4 0.04
• DRIVE 4 0.04
• LORRY 4 0.04
• MORRIS 4 0.04
• PARK 4 0.04
• PETROL 3 0.03
• RED 3 0.03
• TRAFFIC 3 0.03
• VEHICLE 3 0.03
• AUSTIN 2 0.02
• AUTO 2 0.02

• BIKE 2 0.02
• CRASH 2 0.02
• ENGINE 2 0.02
• MOTOR 2 0.02
• RIDE 2 0.02
• TRIP 2 0.02
• VAN 2 0.02
• WASH 2 0.02
• ANTIQUE 1 0.01
• BICYCLE 1 0.01
• BLUE 1 0.01

47
Associations with table

• CHAIR 36 0.36
• CLOTH 13 0.13
• TOP 9 0.09
• TENNIS 5 0.05
• MAT 4 0.04
• BOOK 3 0.03
• FOOD 3 0.03
• FLAT 2 0.02

• LAMP 2 0.02
• SALT 2 0.02
• BASE 1 0.01
• BROWN 1 0.01
• CHAIRS 1 0.01
• DINNER 1 0.01
• EAT 1 0.01
• EATING 1 0.01
• FAT 1 0.01
• KNIFE 1 0.01

48
Associations for ?

• FOOD 15 0.16
• RESTAURANT 7 0.07
• MEAL 6 0.06
• YELLOW 6 0.06
• CHINK 4 0.04
• EYES 4 0.04
• LAUNDRY 4 0.04
• MAO 4 0.04
• RED 3 0.03
• WHITE 3 0.03
• CHEQUERS 2 0.02
• CHOPSTICKS 2 0.02
• MAN 2 0.02
• ORIENTAL 2 0.02

• PEOPLE 2 0.02
• CHINA 1 0.01
• CHINKS 1 0.01
• CHOP-SUEY 1 0.01
• CHOPS 1 0.01
• CHOW 1 0.01
• COMMIE 1 0.01
• COMMUNIST 1 0.01
• CURRY 1 0.01
• JUNK 1 0.01
• LANGUAGE 1 0.01
• LANTERN 1 0.01

49
Patterns of L1 and L2 word association

• In L1, HF words tend to have close and stable
  associations, which suggests that large
  vocabularies are stored in well organised
  networks.
• In L2, words tend to be less systematically
  organised, at least at lower levels of L2
  proficiency

50
Collocation Strand (syntagmatic)

• Word combinations are the key to productive use
  of English.
• Focus on multi-word units.
• Collocations
• Go shopping have a shower play football
• Multi-word units
• See you later Have a good trip!

51
The generic textbook sentence

• In our town there is a library, a hospital, a
  swimming pool, a health centre, a cinema, a
  police station, a railway station and a bus
  station.
• GOOD VOCABULARY, BUT HOW ARE LEARNERS SUPPOSED
  TO USE THESE WORDS?

52
(No Transcript)
53
Lexical substitution piano

• I had learnt piano for five years. My mother
  encouraged me to take piano examinations until I
  was ten. Sometimes I was tired of touching the
  piano After a bad experience, I never learned
  piano any more. I do not dare to play the piano
  even now.

54
Too many pianos?

• I had learnt piano for five years. My mother
  encouraged me to take _____ examinations until I
  was ten. Sometimes I was tired of touching the
  _____ After a bad experience, I never learned
  _____ any more. I do not dare to play the _____
  even now.

55
Too many pianos?

• I had learnt piano for five years. My mother
  encouraged me to take Grade 3 examinations until
  I was ten. Sometimes I was tired of touching the
  keyboard After a bad experience, I never learned
  the instrument any more. I do not dare to play
  the horrible thing even now.

56
Lexical expansion of a first draft

• Every Sunday we visit the (adj.) home of my
  (adj.) grandparents. They live in an (adj.)
  apartment in a (adj.) housing estate in Shatin.
  My grandmother (adv.) cooks lunch. After lunch we
  walk (adv.) in the park.

57
Developing a vocabulary curriculum for HK

• Step 1 Wordlists

58
Words and Families

• DRAW
• DRAWING
• DRAWN
• DRAWS
• DREW
• How exactly shall we count the target items?

59
Words and Families

• DOUBT
• DOUBTED
• DOUBTFUL
• DOUBTING
• DOUBTLESS
• UNDOUBTEDLY
• DOUBTS

60
Words and Families

• DOCTOR
• DOCTORS
• DR.

61
HK English Vocabulary Curriculum Sources
62
Trialling of the draft materials
63
Products of the three sources

• TEXTBOOKS ? PARALLEL CORPORA
• FREQUENCY EDITED TO PROVIDE
• WORD LISTS ? TARGET LIST
• TOPICS AND FOR COMPARING
• FUNCTIONS ? AMENDING TARGET
• LIST

64
Guiding Principles

• Frequency
• Family (system of word formation)
• Relevance to learners (now and later)
• Usefulness
• Combinability (collocations)
• Word class distribution
• Hyperordinates

65
Established wordlists

• The General Service List (West 1953)
• The Teachers Word Book of 30,000 Words
  (Thorndike Lorge 1944)
• The American Heritage Word Frequency Book (Carol,
  Davies Richman 1971)
• Academic Wordlist (Coxhead 2000)

66
Established Corpora

• The Brown (Francis and Kucera 1982)
• LOB
• COBUILD
• The Bank of English
• BBC corpus
• CANCODE
• British National Corpus (BNC)

67
Vocabulary size and coverage in teenage novels
68
Academic Word List in Texts
69
(No Transcript)
70
What is the BNC? The British National Corpus
(BNC) is a 100 million word collection of samples
of written and spoken language from a wide range
of sources, designed to represent a wide
cross-section of British English from the latter
part of the 20th century, both spoken and
written.
71
BNC (90 Written Text)
The written part of the BNC (90) includes, for
example, extracts from regional and national
newspapers, specialist periodicals and journals
for all ages and interests, academic books and
popular fiction, published and unpublished
letters and memoranda, school and university
essays, among many other kinds of text.
72
BNC (10 Spoken Text)
The spoken part (10) includes a large amount of
unscripted informal conversation, recorded by
volunteers selected from different age, region
and social classes in a demographically balanced
way, together with spoken language collected in
all kinds of different contexts, ranging from
formal business or government meetings to radio
shows and phone-ins.
73
What sort of corpus is the BNC? Monolingual It
deals with modern British English, not other
languages used in Britain. However non-British
English and foreign language words do occur in
the corpus. Synchronic It covers British English
of the late twentieth century, rather than the
historical development which produced
it. General It includes many different styles
and varieties, and is not limited to any
particular subject field, genre or register. In
particular, it contains examples of both spoken
and written language. Sample For written
sources, samples of 45,000 words are taken from
various parts of single-author texts. Shorter
texts up to a maximum of 45,000 words, or
multi-author texts such as magazines and
newspapers, are included in full. Sampling allows
for a wider coverage of texts within the 100
million limit, and avoids over-representing
idiosyncratic texts.
74
(No Transcript)
75
Introduction to theDecision-Making Task
76
(No Transcript)
77
(No Transcript)
78
(No Transcript)
79
(No Transcript)
80
(No Transcript)
81
--------------------------- Microsoft Internet
Explorer --------------------------- It may take
some time to submit the form, please be
patient. --------------------------- OK
---------------------------
82
(No Transcript)
83
Next

• QA
• Tea/Coffee
• Decision-making task in computer lab
• Open forum