Although first language (L1) and second language (L2) research has indicated that the meanings of unknown words can be derived from the contexts in which they occur, research has also found limitations to the value of context. Using data gathered in a classroom experiment on L2 vocabulary acquisition (Frantzen, 1998), the present study sought to determine some of the reasons why the context in which a word appears does not always lead a language learner to an accurate interpretation of its meaning. It expands the existing research by using a natural, intact, unmanipulated text as the context (an aspect underrepresented in current L2 word inferencing literature). Analysis of the students’ answers, their self–reported guessing strategies, the contexts in which the words appeared, and the text's glossing revealed that the “blame” for the incorrect answers may be placed on: (a) the context itself, (b) the students’ behavior, and in a minor way (c) the story's glossing. Numerous patterns are presented and discussed in light of other L1 and L2 research and new patterns are reported.
This article discusses reasons for explicit pronunciation instruction, despite the continued neglect of this area in the communicative classroom. ACTFL/NCATE Program Standards for the Preparation of Foreign Language Teachers (2002) and Standards for Foreign Language Learning in the 21st Century (National Standards, 1999) dictate that teachers have an understanding of target language sound/spelling relationships, segmentals, suprasegmentals, and dialectal variation. Suggestions are offered for building a knowledge base, including issues invohed in pronunciation instruction, content areas of Spanish phonetics, and types of pedagogical materials that can be designed and implemented in the communicative foreign language Spanish classroom. Pedagogical materials created by students enrolled in a graduate‐level Applied Spanish Phonetics course show that it is possible to engage in pronunciation instruction in the communicative foreign language Spanish classroom and incorporate basic pronunciation instruction into an existing curriculum at all levels.
Absteact.In this study, one group of first‐semester Spanish students were encouraged to acquire vocabulary through small‐ and large‐group oral activities plus semantic mapping. Another group participated in similar oral activities, but did not perform semantic mapping. A comparision of the two groups suggests a trend toward the effectiveness of semantic mapping as a strategy that helps novice learners recall and organize second language (L2) vocabulary. Learners in this study who were exposed to semantic mapping in addition to systematically engaging in communicative activities did not appear to have an immediate advantage in terms of amount of L2 vocabulary learned, as compared with students who did not use semantic mapping. However, learners in the semantic mapping group ranked their familiarity with L2 vocabulary more highly and were able to group more L2 vacabulary by thematic heading than learners in the vocabulary activities group.
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