DOCUMENT RESUME ED 347 836 FL 020 507 AUTHOR …

[Pages:164]DOCUMENT RESUME

ED 347 836

FL 020 507

AUTHOR TITLE PUB DATE NOTE PUB TYPE

Washburn, Jonathan Walter Teaching Difficult Vocabulary in Reading. May 92 164p.; M.A. Thesis, Biola University. Dissertations/Theses - Masters Theses (042)

EDRS PRICE DESCRIPTORS

MF01/PC07 Plus Postage. Classroom Techniques; *Difficulty Level; *English (Second Language); Lesson Plans; *Reading Instruction; Second Language Learning; Skill Development; Teaching Methods; *Vocabulary Development

ABSTRACT A discuc,sion of the relationship of vocabulary to

reading comprehension focuses on the instruction of difficult vocabulary to learners of English as a Second Language. The historical background of vocabulary instruction is chronicled and the importance of reading and vocabulary learning to each other is examined. Various kinds of difficult vocabulary are discussed, including unknown words, synophones and synforms, technical and other low-frequency words, false cognates, polysemous words, idioms, compounds, multi-word verbs, and abstract words. Four theoretical approaches to vocabulary acquisition, each suggesting a hypothesis of instruction, are then reviewed. Three of the hypotheses are classified as explicit vocabulary instruction, and the fourth is classified as reading skills instruction. Teaching strategies corresponding to each hypothesis are presented, along with two sample lesson plans, one from explicit vocabulary instruction and the other from reading skills instruction. A 73-item list of references included. (MSE)

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Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original dorument.

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TEACHING DIFFICULT VOCABULARY IN READING

A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of the School of Intercultural Studies Department of TESOL and Applied Linguistics Biola University

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree

Master of Arts in TESOL

-PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY

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TO THE EDUCATIONAl RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER tERICA

by

Jonathan Walter Washburn

May 1992

2

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HST COPY AVAILABLE

Copyright C 1992 by Jonathan Walter Washburn

ABSTRACT

TEACHING DIFFICULT VOCABULARY IN READING

Jonathan W. Washburn

Non-native students of English often have trouble in comprehending reading materials. Difficult vocabulary is any word or phrase which blocks reading comprehension. In order to enable students to improve their reading comprehension, teachers should become aware of the importance of vocabulary to reading comprehension and the strategies which can be used in teaching vocabulary. This paper examines the historical background of vocabulary teaching and discusses the various types of difficult vocabulary. It also reviews four theoretical approaches to vocabulary acquisition. Each theory suggests a hypothesis of instruction. Three of these hypotheses are classified under explicit vocabulary instruction while a fourth is classified under reading skills instruction. Furthermore, this paper presents teaching strategies suggested by each hypothesis and provides two lesson plans of vocabulary instruction: one from explicit vocabulary instruction and one from reading skills instruction.

iii

4

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABSTRACT

PAGE

iii

LIST OF TABLES

vii

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

viii

CHAPTER 1: BACKGROUND TO THE PROBLEM OF VOCABULARY

TEACHING

1

The Historical Background of Vocabulary Teaching

1

The Historical De-emphasis of Vocabulary Teaching

2

Renewed Interest in Vocabulary Teaching

6

Current Perspectives on Vocabulary Teaching

11

New Directions in Vocabulary Studies

14

Students' Evaluation of Vocabulary

16

The Importance of Reading to Vocabulary Learning

19

The Importance of Vocabulary to Reading Comprehension 22

CHAPTER 2: DIFFICULT VOCABULARY

28

Categories of Difficult Vocabulary

32

Unknown Words

32

Synophones / Synforms

33

Technical, Non-technical, and other Low Freqrincy

Words

35

False Cognates

39

Polysemous Words

40

Idioms

43

Compounds

44

Multi-word Verbs

45

Abstract Words

46

The Location and Frequency of Difficult Vocabulary

48

CHAPTER 3: THEORETICAL CONSIDERATIONS TO THE PROBLEM OF

TEACHING VOCABULARY

51

Three Models of the Reading Process

51

iv

Information Processing

53

Theory of Automaticity

53

Access Hypothesis

55

Schema Theory

55

Background Knowledge

58

Knowledge Hypothesis

58

Theory of Guessing

59

Guessing Hypothesis

60

Field Research

61

Theory of Direct Instruction

61

Instrumental Hypothesis

63

Summary of Theoretical Considerations

63

Explicit Vocabulary Instruction Vs. Reading Skills

Instruction

64

CHAPTER 4: STRATEGIES FOR TEACHING DIFFICULT VOCABULARY 68

Explicit Instructional Strategies

70

Instrumental Hypothesis

72

Dictionary Look Up

72

Definition Integration

78

Defining Words in the Classroom

79

Sentence Examples

81

Definitions and Sentences Together

81

Sentence Context

82

Crossword Puzzle

83

Rich Instruction

83

Structural Analysis

86

Root approach

87

Affix mastery

88

Problem-solving

91

Collocations

92

Topical Vocabulary List

94

Access Hypothesis

96

Synonyms/Antonyms

96

Mnemonic Imagery

97

Keyword Method

98

Knowledge Hypothesis

101

Semantic Feature Analysis

101

Semantic Associations

103

Semantic Mapping

103

Componential Analysis

105

Collocation Grid

106

Collocation Chart

106

Taxonomies

108

Analogies

114

Reading Skill Strategies

116

Guessing Hypothesis

117

f;

Lexical Familiarization...,.

117

Context Clues for Guessing

119

Infer from local context

120

Define words from context

121

Definition in context

121

Root list plus context

121

Knowledge of cognates

122

Knowledge of grammar

123

Pragmatic knowledge

124

Infer frem global context

124

Know when not to guess

125

Exercises Using Guessing Strategy Knowledge

126

Words-in-Context

126

Cloze Procedure

128

Asking Leading Questions

131

Think Aloud

132

CHAPTER 5: SAMPLE LESSON PLANS

136

The Letter: A Question of Compatibility

137

Lesson Plan 1

139

Lesson Plan 2

146

REFERENCES

150

vi

7

LIST OP TABLES

Table

Page

1. Crossword Puzzle

84

2. Describing Americans

93

3. Topic: Tools

102

4. A Semantic Map of Mardi Gras in New Orleans

104

5. Beig Suprised

105

6. A Collocation of Compliments

107

7. As Pretty as a Picture

107

8. You're Pulling My Leg

108

9. A Taxonomic Display of Some Technical Terms

110

10. A Taxonomic Display of Some Common Language Terms 111

vii

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