This document discusses vocabulary acquisition and provides resources for learners. It defines vocabulary acquisition as the process of learning and using new words. Vocabulary can be acquired incidentally through everyday exposure like reading, conversations, and media, or through direct study. The document recommends presenting new vocabulary through multiple modalities and providing opportunities for practice and application. Resources suggested include websites with word games, podcasts, and interactive activities to help expand learners' vocabularies.

1. Vocabulary Acquisition
EDU697
Learning What is it? How does it work? Example Application Resources 1
Objectives Resources 2

2. Learning Objectives
Learners will:
• Understand the definition of vocabulary
acquisition. (Slides 3 and 5)
• Explore ways in which vocabulary is acquired.
(Slide 4)
• Apply knowledge of vocabulary acquisition in
the context of developer and instructional
designer training. (Slide 6)

3. What is it?
The process by which one acquires the capacity
to perceive and use words to understand and
communicate.

4. How does it work?
Hearing talk, reading, and non-verbal
communication are all ways in which children
acquire vocabulary.
Vocabulary acquisition may be Incidental or through
Direct Study.
For more information on how vocabulary is
acquired, as well as strategies for expanding
students’ vocabulary, visit
http://www.glencoe.com/sec/teachingtoday/subject
/vocab_acquisition.phtml

5. Example
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day on
December 4, 2011 was: “crux”
Read it, hear it, see it used here
Use it, spell it, play a game with it here
(Just type in “crux” in the Start Here box and
begin practicing!)
Watch or create an Animoto video about it here

6. Application
• Present new information in a variety of ways
(audio, video, text, images, interactive activities)
• Build practice exercises and prompts in job aids
and templates
• Build upon lessons and link back to commit to
memory
• Incorporate examples; allow opportunities for
practical application

7. Resources & References
Christensen, C., Horn, M., Johnson, C. (2011). Disrupting class: How disruptive
innovation will change the way the world learns (2nd ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Creating Weekly (2009). How to vocabucast. Retrieved December 4, 2011, from
http://www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?title=How_to_Vocabucast&video_id=93473
&vpkey
International Reading Association (2011). Supporting vocabulary acquisition for English
language learners. Retrieved December 4, 2011, from
http://www.readwritethink.org/professional-development/strategy-guides/supporting-
vocabulary-acquisition-english-30104.html
Just One Teacher (2010, July 31). Applied game-fu: Vocabulary “quests”? Retrieved
December 4, 2011, from http://j1t.blogspot.com/2010/07/applied-game-fu-vocabulary-
quests.html
Creative
ideas
above!

8. Resources & References
Laufer, B. & Rozovski,-Roitblat, B. (2011). Incidental vocabulary acquisition.
Language Teaching Research, 15(4), 391-411. Retrieved December 4, 2011, from
ProQuest Direct Database. Includes
word games
and
Merriam-Webster (2011). Word of the day. Retrieved December 4, 2011, from
podcasts!
http://www.merriam-webster.com/word-of-the-day/
Teaching Today (2011). Helping students learn vocabulary-acquisition skills.
Retrieved December 4, 2011, from
http://www.glencoe.com/sec/teachingtoday/subject/vocab_acquisition.phtml
Vocabulary.Co.IL (2011). English vocabulary building games. Retrieved December 4,
2011, from http://www.vocabulary.co.il/ Cool
site!
VocabularySpellingCity.com (2011). Vocabulary SpellingCity.Com. Retrieved
December 4, 2011, from http://www.spellingcity.com/