Vocabulary Acquisition by English as a Second Language Learners
This chapter provides a review of the relevant peer-reviewed and scholarly literature concerning vocabulary acquisition and English language learners and a discussion concerning Web-based vocabulary platforms including several representative examples as well as their potential for contributing to English language learner (ELL) student success. Finally, an analysis of pedagogy and technology integration in language acquisition is followed by a summary of research and major themes that emerged from the literature review.
Literature Review/Themes
Vocabulary Acquisition and English Language Learners
Vocabulary acquisition is a vital and continuous process requiring practice and time on task (Wei, 2014). Vocabulary acquisition entails constant repetition for young learners to develop an effective grasp of the material (Baleghizadeh & Ashoori, 2011). Indeed, vocabulary acquisition represents a fundamental building block on which second language fluency depends. In this regard, Alharbi (2015) emphasizes that vocabulary acquisition and retention represents the first and foremost area requiring attention by ELL students who will be required to learn a minimum of 3,000-word families and under the vast majority (at least 95%) of the English language that is used on a daily basis by native speakers.
This point is also made by Wei (2014) who also cites the centrality of vocabulary acquisition as the foundation for ELL students to gain mastery of the English language. For instance, according to Wei (2014), the acquisition of vocabulary by ELL students is an integral part of the mastery of the language. Indeed, without a comprehensive knowledge of relevant vocabulary words, ELL students will be unable to communicate at all, making the need for effective teaching strategies of paramount importance (Min, 2013). In addition, vocabulary acquisition and retention are key to successfully completing the battery of standardized tests that are used throughout the United States today (Dong, 2013). These are especially important issues given the enormity of the affected population, with the most recent estimates placing the number of students enrolled in ELL programs in the U.S. at around 4.5 million, and all demographic indicators suggest these levels will swell to even greater numbers in the near future (Thompson, 2016).
At first blush, though, developing effective teaching strategies that promote vocabulary acquisition by ELL students appears to be an especially daunting enterprise. In fact, researchers have determined that the English language has the largest vocabulary of any language in the world today, and educated English native speakers are generally required to understand around 70,000 words and 20,000-word families (Min, 2013). Conversely, educated ELL students typically know fewer than 25% of the vocabulary of native speakers (Min, 2013).
Consequently, it is vitally important for ELL students to expand their knowledge of English words to successfully compete in academic and professional settings (Min, 2013). In this regard, Min stresses that developing an expanding repertoire of English vocabulary words is not only essential for beginning ELL students, it represents an ongoing requirement that is essential for their continuing mastery of the English language. This need remains salient irrespective of ELL students' level of grammar or pronunciation competency since it forms the basis for communicating all aspects of a second language (Min, 2013).
Clearly, providing ELL students with this level of vocabulary knowledge requires classroom teachers to draw on those methods that have proven efficacy and tailoring these methods to meet the unique and changing needs of their students. The research to date indicates that ELLs learn better when the curricular offerings are relevant and in context. Learning in context is just one of the methods learners may use to increase their vocabularies, but ELL must use meta-cognitive thinking and learn terms within whichever context they appear (Alharbi, 2015; Jeff, 2010).
Not surprisingly, the research to date also confirms that ELL students acquire vocabulary at different rates compared to native speakers. For instance, researchers have demonstrated that native speakers typically acquire around 1,000 new words each year prior to their entry into college at which point the rate accelerates to around 2,000 new words each year (Peregoy & Boyle, 2013). In other words, the more words students already know, the faster they are able to acquire new ones.
By sharp contrast, ELL students require approximately twice as long to acquire the same number of new words, particularly after entering college when the vocabulary becomes...
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