ABSTRACT

Learning vocabulary is a central and time-consuming endeavour for a language learner and it has thus been suggested that the foreign language classroom has to supply explicit support for students’ vocabulary development. A major source of explicit word focus is vocabulary exercises in teaching materials and students’ learning can be facilitated if they are designed in a way that is conducive to learning. Few studies have so far sought to establish what learning opportunities tasks in materials provide. The present study reports an analysis of the vocabulary exercises in three series of Swedish intermediate EFL materials, focusing on target vocabulary and learning conditions. The target vocabulary was analysed in terms of frequency distribution in general English and the learning conditions provided were studied using a modified version of the Involvement Load Hypothesis. The results indicate that learning is facilitated through extensive retrieval opportunities in the material. However, it was also found that the exercises seldom require students to use the target vocabulary and that it comprises primarily high-frequency words, that is, words that the learners are likely to already know. It is therefore concluded that a more systematic approach to vocabulary has to be adopted by materials developers to ensure that word-focused tasks contribute significantly to students’ learning.

摘要

学习词汇对于语言学习者来说是一项重要且耗时的工作，因此有人建议外语课堂必须为学生的词汇发展提供明确的支持。明确的单词重点的一个主要来源是教材中的词汇练习，如果以有利于学习的方式设计，可以促进学生的学习。到目前为止，很少有研究试图确定材料中的学习机会任务提供了什么。本研究报告了对三个系列的瑞典中级 EFL 材料中词汇练习的分析，重点关注目标词汇和学习条件。根据通用英语中的频率分布分析目标词汇，并使用修改版的参与负荷假设研究所提供的学习条件。结果表明，通过材料中广泛的检索机会促进了学习。然而，也发现练习很少要求学生使用目标词汇，它主要包括高频词，即学习者可能已经知道的词。因此得出结论，材料开发人员必须采用更系统的词汇方法，以确保以单词为中心的任务对学生的学习有显着贡献。还发现练习很少要求学生使用目标词汇，它主要包含高频词，即学习者可能已经知道的词。因此得出结论，材料开发人员必须采用更系统的词汇方法，以确保以单词为中心的任务对学生的学习有显着贡献。还发现练习很少要求学生使用目标词汇，它主要包含高频词，即学习者可能已经知道的词。因此得出结论，材料开发人员必须采用更系统的词汇方法，以确保以单词为中心的任务对学生的学习有显着贡献。