Introducing a lexical syllabus for jhs

Introducing a Lexical Syllabus
TargetingVocabulary for Junior High School
Chemda Benisty
ETAI International
July, 2010

The Lexical Syllabus:
Sets numerical lexical targets
Includes suggestions to facilitate the transition from receptive knowledge to productive use of target vocabulary

Presentation Outline
Some insights from the literature
The situation in Israel
Syllabus design
Presentation of the syllabus
Pedagogical recommendations
Questions

Some Insights from
the Literature

Why Focus on Vocabulary?
It is the basis of language and crucial for the functioning of the four skills
It is closely tied to comprehension

A New Perception of Vocabulary
Vocabulary acquisition includes the learning of lexical chunks
Corpus linguistics provides support for this claim

More Research Insights
Two main complementary processes for acquiring new vocabulary:
Explicit learning
Implicit learning

Explicit Learning
Deliberate decontextualized attention:
Establishes the form meaning link (Schmitt 2008)
Facilitates acquisition within a limited time
Results in higher gains in acquisition
Better for the most frequently used words

Implicit Learning
Enhances vocabulary knowledge and theacquisition of new vocabulary while engaging in different language activities:
Depends on 8-15 exposures
Exposures must be in frequent intervals

Research Insights
Nine aspects of word knowledge
Form: spelling, sound, and word parts
Meaning: concepts and referents, and associations
Use: grammatical functions, collocations, frequency and register
Nation 2005

Research Insights
Each aspect impacts both receptive knowledge and productive use
Productive learning involves deeper processing of vocabulary
Productive learning necessitates deliberate attention

Research Insights
Depth of knowledge is as important as vocabulary size.
Unfortunately, most learning stops following the provision of a translation (Schmitt, 2008).

The Situation in Israel

The Situation in Israel
The Israeli English Curriculum for All Grades(2001) does not incorporate a lexical syllabus.

Consequences
Teachers make decisions about vocabulary.
Teachers rely on textbooks.
Textbooks don’t necessarily have clear criteria for vocabulary selection.
Vocabulary is often marginalized in favor of a focus on grammar.

The Need for a Lexical Syllabus
To set numerical goals for vocabulary instruction
To standardize vocabulary instruction in Israel
To inform and improve the quality of vocabulary instruction
To enable the assessment of students’ progress

Syllabus Design

Selection Criteria
Learning burden
Usefulness for
TEFL
Relevance to the
learners’ world
Frequency

Setting Numerical Goals
This basic lexis: 2000 word families for less proficient students by the end of JHS
Note:
This basic high frequency lexis is essential for a variety of spoken and written texts.

Example of an Entry from the GSL
ADOPT
· adopted
· adopting
· adoption
· adoptions
· adopts
1st list

Exclusions from the lists
All inflections of verbs, adjectives and nouns
Items familiar to learners from elementary school
Irrelevant items for Israeli students
Exclusions

The Format of the Lexical Syllabus
Divided into two lists
American English spelling preferred with references to British spelling
Headwords alphabetized and bolded
Other parts of speech underlined

Examples italicized
Verbs proceeded by to
Multiple meanings differentiated by the use of lower case letters

Spoken language given special attention
Lexical chunks added to most entries
On a disc

Presentation of Lexical Syllabus
1st list
2nd list

Examples
(to) categorize (categorise), category: divide sb/ sth into categories, group sb/ sth under categories, put sb/ sth in/ into categories, create categories, categories of

Examples
(to) approve/ disapprove: (a) like sb/ sth: strongly/ very much approve of sth/ sb, (b) agree to sth: formally approve, approval/ disapproval: need/ receive/ give/ show full/ final/ written/ formal approval

The Transition from
Receptive Knowledge
to Productive Use

From Receptive Knowledge to Productive Use
Collocations- crucial for developing productive aspects of language
Collocational competence contributes to fluency
Note: Not all can be explicitly taught; consider level (tracking)

Allotting time to productive aspects
Recycling
Pushing learners to produce and make use of newly taught lexical items

Production contributes to vocabulary acquisition:
The need
The search
The evaluation
Hulstijn and Laufer, 1995, cited in Schmitt, 2008.

Successful production increases the likelihood of memorization
Successful production impacts motivation

Thank You!
Questions?

Introducing a lexical syllabus for jhs

by ChemdaBenisty

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