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Options for assisting vocabulary learning in communication tasks

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posted on 2020-08-03, 08:08 authored by Jonathan NewtonJonathan Newton
In a task-based approach to learning, learners will often meet new vocabulary 'in passing', as they pursue communicative goals. This paper argues that such encounters can be turned to the learners' advantage, and that rather than remove difficult words, teachers should consider a number of cooperative options for exposing learners to new words during task-based interaction. The article examines data from a number of classroom tasks where learners had to deal with new words during task performance without access to a dictionary or teacher's intervention. The results suggest not only that rich language use resulted from negotiating new words, but that the meaning of many of these words was retained in the days after the task performance. The paper concludes by considering a number of post-task options for reinforcing vocabulary learning. © 2001 Oxford University Press.

History

Preferred citation

Newton, J. (2001). Options for assisting vocabulary learning in communication tasks. ELT Journal, 55(1), 30-37. https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/55.1.30

Journal title

ELT Journal

Volume

55

Issue

1

Publication date

2001-01-01

Pagination

30-37

Publisher

Oxford University Press (OUP)

Publication status

Published

Contribution type

Article

Online publication date

2001-01-01

ISSN

0951-0893

eISSN

1477-4526

Language

en