Differential Word Knowledge and Reading Comprehension

Stahl, Steven A.

doi:10.1080/10862968309547495

Cited by 84 publications

(64 citation statements)

References 32 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Relying on a dictionary as the primary way to increase vocabulary does not work because good readers do not think about the definition of individual words as they read (Hague, 1987). Another way of saying this is that mere definitional knowledge is not used in the process of comprehending text (Stahl, 1983).…”

Section: Dictionary Usementioning

confidence: 99%

Vocabulary Learning: A Critical Analysis of Techniques

Oxford¹,

Crookall²

1990

TESL

141

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This article evaluates more than a dozen vocabulary learning techniques for students of a second or foreign language. These techniques are divided into four broad categories: decontextualizing, semicontextualizing, fully contextualizing, and adaptable. Each technique is evaluated in terms of underlying theoretical assumptions and practical utility. Specific classroom implications are also offered.Given the difficulties of vocabulary learning in a second or foreign language (L2), along with the obvious necessity of trying to overcome them, one would expect that vocabulary instruction would be at the top of the agenda for language teachers. However, the opposite is often the case. Vocabulary is not explicitly taught in most language classes, and students are expected to "pick-up" vocabulary on their own without any guidance. Courses on reading, writing, speaking, listening, grammar, and culture are common in L2 programmes, but very few vocabulary courses exist. Many instances of so-called vocabulary instruction involve merely giving students lists of words to memorize or providing limited practice opportunities, with no further assistance to the often overwhelmed learner. Hague (1987) and Carter (1987) both decry the neglect of vocabulary instruction in L2 classes, and they also suggest a variety of possibilities for rectifying the situation.In this article, our definition of "knowing an L2 word" involves not just the ability to recognize the word or to match it with its L1 counterpart, if such exists; knowing an L2 word also involves being able to use the L2 word communicatively in any of the four main language skills. To use Anderson's distinction (1980), our definition goes beyond merely "knowing that" (declarative knowledge of facts, definitions, or relationships) and includes "knowing how" (procedural knowledge, in this case the communicative use of L2 words).This article describes a number of techniques by which vocabulary instruction has been handled, mishandled, or avoided almost entirely by L2 teachers. These techniques are classified into four groups: decontextualizing, semi-contextualizing, fully contextualizing, and adaptable. Decontextualizing techniques are those that remove the word as completely as possible from any communicative context that might help the learner TESL CANADA JOURNAL! REVUE TESL DU CANADA

show abstract

Section: Dictionary Usementioning

confidence: 99%

Vocabulary Learning: A Critical Analysis of Techniques

Oxford¹,

Crookall²

1990

TESL

141

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Most of this research has examined the effects of various direct instructional approaches on vocabulary acquisition and certain related comprehension measures (Beck, Perfetti, & McKeown, 1982;Gipe, 1987-79;Jenkins, Pany, & Schreck, 1978;Lieberman, 1967;Mezynski, 1983;McKeown, Beck, Omanson, & Perfetti, 1983;MeKeown, Beck, Omanson, & Pople, 1985;Stahl, 1983;Stahl & Fairbanks, 1986). However, others have suggested that, because of the magnitude of the task, direct instruction can only account for a small proportion of vocabulary growth, and a substantial amount of lexical meanings must be acquired incidentally through exposure to natural written contexts (Nagy & Anderson, 1984;Nagy & Herman, 1984;Nagy, Herman, & Anderson, 1985).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

The Lexical Development of Kindergarteners: Learning from Written Context

Eller

Pappas

Brown³

1988

Journal of Reading Behavior

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This paper argues that an important aspect of vocabulary development is readers' understanding of the nature of written language. The purpose of the study was to investigate the process involved in acquiring word knowledge from written context. Prereading kindergarten children were read two picture storybooks on three separate occasions (per book) and were then invited to take their turns to "read" the books. Using an ordinal category system developed for the study, three analyses of the three "readings" of each book were made which identified patterns of vocabulary growth. The results showed the ways that children learned lexicogrammatical information incidentally through exposure to written context.

show abstract

“…Além disso, vários autores têm mostrado, especialmente com relação à leitura na língua estrangeira, que um aperfeiçoamento na compreensão leitora pode ser atribuído a um aumento no conhecimento de vocabulário (BECK; PERFETTI; MCKEOWN, 1982;STAHL, 1983;GRABE;STOLLER;1997).…”

Section: Introductionunclassified

O papel da categoria conhecimento nos processos de compreensão leitora

Baldo¹

2007

Signum: Estud. Ling.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Differential Word Knowledge and Reading Comprehension

Cited by 84 publications

References 32 publications

Vocabulary Learning: A Critical Analysis of Techniques

Vocabulary Learning: A Critical Analysis of Techniques

The Lexical Development of Kindergarteners: Learning from Written Context

O papel da categoria conhecimento nos processos de compreensão leitora

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About