Prof. Eve Zyzik, Univ. of California-Santa Cruz

The dimensions of vocabulary knowledge in language learning and teaching: A practice-oriented workshop

Previous research on second language vocabulary acquisition has shown that learning to use a new word is not a simple matter of making a form–meaning connection. In fact, knowing a word requires mastery of nine different aspects of vocabulary involving both receptive and productive knowledge (Nation, 2001, 2013). In the first part of this workshop, I will present an analysis of the vocabulary activities in textbooks of Spanish as a foreign language at three proficiency levels. In line with previous research, the activities in these textbooks focus overwhelmingly on form–meaning connections and grammatical functions while ignoring other aspects of vocabulary, such as collocations, multiple meanings, and word parts. In the second part of this workshop, I propose a more holistic view of vocabulary practice in which items are revisited regularly as different aspects of vocabulary knowledge are emphasized. Participants will engage with various types of vocabulary activities in order to determine what aspect of vocabulary is being targeted. By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to identify the focus of most vocabulary activities in current textbooks and create alternative activities that go beyond form-meaning connections.