Critical Review on Linking Research and Practice

Critical Review on Linking Research and Practice:   

Effective Strategies for Teaching Vocabulary in the

ESL Classroom

By Jihyun Nam

Abstract

This paper is aimed at reviewing critically on Linking Research and Practice: Effective Strategies for Teaching Vocabulary in the ESL Classroom. The article starts by reviewing a broad range of relevant literature that addresses various aspects of second-language (L2) vocabulary teaching and learning. In order to provide a model for ESL teachers to apply theories and insights provided by others in their own classrooms. The writer then argue to apply some vocabulary teaching strategies drawn from research findings to an authentic Web reading text in which certain vocabulary items are assumed to be difficult for ESL students to comprehend. In delivering the thoughts, the writer composes the content coherently from the development sides to the actual problems. However, it seems that the writer should be adopt the best method in developing vocabulary teaching strategies.

Keywords: Teaching vocabulary, ESL, Strategy

I.     Introduction

Read (2004) as cited in Nam (2010:128) noted that in studies on L2 vocabulary learning, a distinction had long been made between incidental and intentional learning, with the main focus on the former, especially exploring the extent to which students can learn vocabulary items incidentally while engaging in other language-learningactivities. Furthermore, to augment incidental vocabulary learning in the ESL classroom, it would be effective for teachers to provide students with target vocabulary items through tasks, as well as to ask them to read only the texts that include the target words.

Based on the brief explanation above, the reviewer is eager to make a critical review of an article entitled Linking Research and Practice: Effective Strategies for Teaching Vocabulary in the ESL Classroom.  This article was taken in TESL CANADA JOURNAL issued 33, Vol. 28, No. 1, WINTER  2010. This article was written by Jihyun Nam. He is pursuing a doctoral degree in the Department of Literacy, Culture, and Language Education at Indiana University. His research areas include acquisition of second-language vocabulary, critical applied linguistics, critical pedagogy and literacy, critical discourse analysis, and critical ethnography. He has recently striven to link ESL/EFL instruction with critical perspectives.

This article is really worth-taking since it can give some more theoretical contributions toward Effective Strategies for Teaching Vocabulary in the ESL Classroom. It is prompted by Earlier Research on Teaching and Learning L2 Vocabulary. It provides an overview of some issues pertaining to conduct of incidental vocabulary learning in the ESL classroom. It consists of five sections. The first section tries to review the applying vocabulary teaching strategies to an authentic text. The second discusses pictorial vocabulary teaching. The third focuses on fill in task. The fourth reviewes post reading composition task. Finally, this article provides reading and retelling task. The paper concludes by looking at rationale and focus of conducting the various vocabulary-teaching strategies for ESL students according to their proficiency levels. This article is easy to read, structurally coherent, providing some relevant and reliable data so that the readers know what actually the writer wants to conclude.

2. Review of the Articles

Nam begin his article by reviewing a broad range of relevant literature that addresses

various aspects of second-language (L2) vocabulary teaching and learning. For example, intentional and incidental vocabulary learning, vocabulary retention, and vocabulary learning through diverse activities or tasks (2010:128). Calderon et.al (2012:110) state that explicit vocabulary instruction entails frequent exposure to a word in multiple forms; ensuring understanding of meaning(s); providing examples of its use in phrases, idioms, and usual contexts; ensuring proper pronunciation, and, when possible, teaching its cognates, or a false

cognate, in the child’s primary language.

Nam also argue that in order not only to bridge the gap between theory and practice, but to

provide a springboard for ESL teachers’ design of vocabulary teaching materials, he has developed various activities and tasks for vocabulary teaching and learning that apply effective strategies drawn from others’ research findings to an authentic Web text. In addition, Lawson and Hoghen as cited in Alemi et.al (2011:87) that there is a lack of consensus regarding the conceptualization of the process concerning what contributes to vocabulary acquisition. For example, the importance of the context use for acquiring vocabulary, and the extent to which students do develop specific strategies for

vocabulary learning during their language studies.

     However, this article should be completed by several vocabulary learning strategies. Such as reading aloud. According to Calderon et.al (2012:110) that reading instruction is quite complex, and all the more so because students use multiple cognitive processes in reading. Over the years, the focus of reading instruction has varied, shifting from decoding, to fluency, and, recently, to comprehension and word meaning. But reading entails more than decoding or fluency or comprehension. It makes use of multiple skills: oral language proficiency. Then, Kindle (2010:65-88) also holds the view that  reading aloud to children is a recommended practice in early childhood and primary-grade classrooms that is purported to enhance vocabulary growth.

Supplying some relevant examples might be not satisfactorily acceptable. Practically, there are still some challenges in trying to address vocabulary learning goals, by providing the information about reading aloud as a strategy for vocabulary learning. Especially, it is necessary for childhood or young learners. These factors should be taken into account by the writer in supporting his arguments about vocabulary learning strategies.

3. Conclusion

To sum up, it has to be admitted that the current study is still far from being conclusive. Further studies must be undertaken, better measure must be developed and enough examples must be provided to improve our understanding concerning vocabulary teaching.  Although the number of studies reviewed and employed here is limited, they do yield implications for ESL vocabulary-teaching that teachers may use as theoretical suggestions for creating materials. First, the use of visual representations such as pictures and drawings which can promote vocabulary retention. Second, L1 translation equivalents, as in Figure 2, can also promote L2 vocabulary-learning. Third, higher involvement in vocabulary production processing, for example, a composition task or retelling a text, can contribute to vocabulary retention. Finally, task-based vocabulary-learning through various activities can promote vocabulary learning.

REFERENCES

Alemi, M., Tayebi, A. 2011. The Influence of Incidental and Intentional Vocabulary Acquisition and Vocabulary Strategy Use on Learning L2 Vocabularies. Finland Journal of Language Teaching and Research, Vol. 2, No.1, pp:81-98.

Kindle, J., K., 2010. Vocabulary Development During Read-Alouds: Examining the Instructional Sequence. Literacy Teaching and Learning, Vol.14, No. 1&2, pp:65-88.

Calderón, M., Slavin, R., Sánchez, M.2011. Effective Instructions for English Learners. The Future of Children, Vol.21, No.1, pp:103-119.

Nam, J. 2010. Linking Research and Practice: Effective Strategies for Teaching Vocabulary in the ESL Classroom. TESL Canada Journal, Vol. 28, No.1, pp:127-134.