USING TECHNOLOGY TO ASSIST IN VOCABULARY ACQUISITION AND READING COMPREHENSION.

Using Technology to Assist in Vocabulary Acquisition and Reading Comprehension.

Andreea I. Constantinescu

anconst@u.washington.edu

University of Washington, (Seattle, Washington, USA).

Vocabulary plays an important part in second language acquisition and academic achievement.  This paper will present several possibilities to enhance vocabulary acquisition and reading comprehension with the help of technology.

INTRODUCTION

The role that vocabulary knowledge plays in second and foreign language acquisition has long been neglected. However, vocabulary is currently receiving increased emphasis in the language teaching curriculum. This is due to several reasons, such as the influence of comprehension-based approaches to language development, the research efforts of applied linguists, and the exciting possibilities opened-up by the development of computer-based language corpora (Nunan, 1999: 103). Moreover, it is now increasingly pointed out that there is a reciprocal, well-documented relationship between vocabulary knowledge and reading comprehension. As Tozcu and Coady (2004: 473) point out, learning vocabulary is an important aspect of L2/FL acquisition and academic achievement and is vital to reading comprehension and proficiency, to which it is closely linked.

This paper will focus on various possibilities to enhance vocabulary acquisition and reading comprehension with the help of technology. First, it starts with a brief overview of the relationship between vocabulary knowledge and reading comprehension. It continues with a presentation of different technological aids that trigger improved vocabulary acquisition and reading proficiency, with a focus on annotations. Finally, it proposes several teaching principles related to incorporating technology in the language classroom to benefit vocabulary acquisition and reading comprehension.

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Fourth Principle: Instructors Should Keep Up with Current Methodology and Make Best Use of Visuals and Multimedia

A fourth principle I would like to propose is for CALL instructors / developers. Thus, given what we currently know about the reading process and the various aids that help increase vocabulary acquisition, it is important that computer-based instruction designed to teach vocabulary and / or reading skills, is based on the current knowledge and methodological principles about how to best teach them.

Moreover, good CALL programs should make best use of visual elements and multimedia glossing, as well as generate students' participation. The programs should be interactive, allowing the students to make choices. Also, they should consist of a wide range of different types of exercises in which students not only choose the right answers but also type in answers.

CONCLUSION

To conclude, there is a reciprocal relationship between vocabulary acquisition and reading comprehension. The better the students' vocabulary knowledge is, the better they perform with reading comprehension tasks. Similarly, the more the students read using the appropriate skills and strategies, the more their vocabulary develops. Multimedia plays an important part in both vocabulary acquisition and reading comprehension; therefore, instructors should be aware of the potential benefits of integrating technology in the language classroom.

Source:

http://iteslj.org/Articles/Constantinescu-Vocabulary.html

Related articles:

http://www.glencoe.com/sec/teachingtoday/subject/vocab_acquisition.phtml

http://aim.cast.org/learn/research/aimresearch/sr_vocabulary_support

http://dww.ed.gov/learn/?T_ID=23&P_ID=59&intID=1001&t=2

http://www.ideapartnership.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=578:linguistic-diversity&catid=37:reports&Itemid=60