Anna Hajduk
Contextualization in L2 vocabulary
instruction – an action research
study
Lublin Studies in Modern Languages and Literature 32, 261-272
LUBLIN STUDIES IN M ODERN LANGUAGES AND LITERATURE 32, 2008, h t t p://w w w.l s m l l.u m c s.l u b l i n.p l
Anna Hajduk
Maria Curie-Skłodowska University,
Lublin, Poland
Contextualization in L2 vocabulary instruction -
an action research study
F o r m a n y y e a r s s p e c ia lis ts in te a c h in g E n g lis h v o c a b u la r y h a v e e n d e a v o u r e d to a n a ly s e k e y is s u e s c o n c e r n in g L 2 v o c a b u la r y te a c h in g a n d s e e k a p p r o p r ia te in s tru c tio n a l te c h n iq u e s in o r d e r to s o lv e a v a r ie ty o f p r o b le m s e m e r g in g in th e c la s s r o o m e n v ir o n m e n t. I n r e c e n t y e a r s a p le n itu d e o f s u c h te c h n iq u e s f o r b o th p r e s e n tin g a n d p r a c tis in g le x ic a l ite m s h a v e e v o lv e d , a lth o u g h o n ly s o m e h a v e b e e n g iv e n a p r o m in e n t s ta tu s . O n e o f th e m - c o n te x tu a liz a tio n - h a s b e e n g iv e n a c a r e f u l c o n s id e r a tio n a m o n g o th e rs b y Y in g (2 0 0 1 ), C h o d k ie w ic z (2 0 0 0 ), S ta h l (1 9 9 9 ), K r u s e (1 9 8 7 ) a n d N a tio n (2 0 0 1 ). It is f re q u e n tly f o r g o tte n th a t w o r d s d o n o t fu n c tio n in is o la tio n b u t w ith o th e r w o rd s , a n d o v e r b u r d e n in g s tu d e n ts w ith le n g th y d e c o n te x tu a liz e d w o r d lis ts to b e m e m o r iz e d m a y b e in e ff e c tiv e in r e ta in in g L 2 le x ic a l ite m s. L e a rn in g v o c a b u la r y is a n a r d u o u s p r o c e s s , th u s s e v e r a l e x p o s u r e s to th e w o r d u s e d in v a r io u s s itu a tio n s a r e n e e d e d . C o n t e x tu a liz in g n e w v o c a b u la r y ite m s m a y p r o v e to b e a p o w e r f u l to o l fo r th e te a c h e r to e n h a n c e s tu d e n t s ’ w o rk o n v o c a b u la r y a n d to h e lp e n r ic h th e ir w o rd k n o w le d g e .
T h e a c tio n r e s e a r c h s tu d y r e p o r te d in th is a r tic le in v e s tig a te d th e is s u e o f c o n te x tu a liz a tio n o f L 2 le x ic a l ite m s a s a w a y o f c o n trib u tin g
to their effective learning. Additionally, the degree to which the use of
context in the vocabulary instruction provided fostered the learners’
motivation was considered. The present article first discusses the
purpose of the study as well as the materials used by the author. Then,
the design and the procedure according to which the lessons were
conducted are presented in depth. Finally, the article centres on the
interpretation of the results of the study by analysing the vocabulary
tests and the questionnaire the subjects completed.
1. The goals of the study
The goals of the study whose subjects were 30 secondary school
students, representing the intermediate language of language
proficiency, were:
1. to make the students aware of the importance of making fine
distinctions between word meanings;
2. to give the students an opportunity to practise selected
vocabulary in context;
3. to check if teaching the target words in context would help the
students use them in a meaningful way in the teacher-prepared
tasks;
4. to verify the effectiveness of the conducted lessons for the
subjects’ vocabulary enrichment;
5. to determine whether and to what degree the use of
contextualization in teaching L2 vocabulary would increase
the students’ positive attitudes to learning.
2. Materials
Presentation worksheets were prepared by the author of this article, at
the same time the teacher of the students participating in the course.
For research purposes they incorporated definitions and sentences
clarifying the meaning of the L2 target vocabulary. The additional
information the handouts included concerned the words’ grammatical
form, countability, plurality and their synonyms. When necessary,
Oxford and Longman dictionaries and British National Corpus were
consulted.
Contextualization in L2 vocabulary instruction. 263
A set o f pictures
a c c o m p a n y in g th e le s s o n s a n d a c tin g a s a n im p e tu s fo r th e s tu d e n ts to e la b o r a te o n a g iv e n to p ic u s in g th eim p le m e n te d w o r d s w e r e a d a p te d fro m th e c o u r s e b o o k
New
Opportunities Pre-Intermediate
(2 0 0 4 ).The texts
s e le c te d fo r th e s tu d y a lo n g w ith th e ta rg e t le x ic a l ite m s w e r e a ls o a d a p te d f ro m th e c o u r s e b o o k a n d th e y d e a lt w ith to p ic s o f g e n e r a l in te re s t.Reading tasks
in c lu d e d r e a d in g f o r g e n e r a l a n d d e ta ile d in f o r m a tio n a n d r e q u ir e d th e f o llo w in g : · m a tc h in g th e p a r a g ra p h s w ith th e ir title s ; · d e c id in g w h e th e r th e g iv e n s ta te m e n ts a re tr u e o r fa lse ; · a n s w e r in g th e q u e s tio n s o n th e b a s is o f th e te x t; · c o m p le tin g g a p p e d s e n te n c e s in te x ts ; · m u ltip le - c h o ic e q u e s tio n s ; · c h o o s in g th e b e s t e n d in g s fo r th e s e n te n c e s p ro v id e d .A s fa r a s
activities for practising and revising L2 target words
a rec o n c e r n e d , th e y w e r e e ith e r te a c h e r - p r e p a r e d o r a d a p te d m a te r ia ls . T h e te a c h e r ’s ta s k s a im e d to g e n e r a te th e ta rg e t v o c a b u la ry .
Vocabulary test,
a d m in is te r e d b e fo re a n d a f te r th e s tu d y in f o rm o f a p re - a n d p o s t- te s t in o r d e r to d e te r m in e th e u s e f u ln e s s o f a c o n te x t- b a s e d c o u rs e f o r v o c a b u la r y e n r ic h m e n t w a s te a c h e r -p r e p a r e d . It c o n s is te d o f a s e t o f ta s k s in w h ic h th e ta r g e t w o r d s c o u ld a p p e a r in a n u m b e r o f c o n te x ts n a tu ra l f o r th e ir u se . T h e te s t in v o lv e d , a m o n g o th e rs , c lo z e p r o c e d u re e x e r c is e s c h e c k in g i f th e s tu d e n ts w o u ld s u c c e e d in c o m p le tin g th e g a p s w ith th e ite m s p r a c tis e d th r o u g h o u t th e c o u rs e , m u ltip le - c h o ic e ta s k s o r f ill- in - th e - b la n k s , a n d e x a m in e d th e s tu d e n ts ’ c a p a b ility o f d is t in g u is h in g b e tw e e n v a r io u s w o r d s e n s e s a n d th e ir a c c u r a te u s e in a r a n g e o f c o n te x ts . T h e g e n e r a l g o a l o f th e p o s t- te s t w a s to d e te r m in e th e u s e f u ln e s s o f th e c o n d u c te d le s s o n s fo r th e s u b j e c t s ’ v o c a b u la r y e n ric h m e n t.The post-study questionnaire
w a s c a r rie d o u t in P o lis h s o a s toa s c e r ta in th a t e n q u irie s in c lu d e d in it w o u ld b e th o r o u g h ly
u n d e r s ta n d a b le to th e s tu d e n ts . B e s id e s e x a m in in g th e e x te n t to w h ic h th e ta s k s p r e s e n te d in th e s tu d y e n h a n c e d th e s tu d e n ts ’ m o tiv a tio n a n d
e n c o u ra g em en t, th e su rv e y a tte m p te d to v e rify th e u se fu ln e ss o f the te a c h e r-p re p a re d activ ities.
3. D e sig n a n d p ro c e d u re s
T h e re se a rc h stu d y to o k p lace in S e p te m b e r an d O c to b e r 2006 in one o f th e se c o n d a ry sc h o o ls in L u b lin a n d lasted six w eek s. T h e se v en lesso n s d e v o ted to p re se n tin g an d p ra c tisin g 69 ta rg e t E n g lish w o rd s w e re c o n d u c te d on th e b asis o f th e co u rse b o o k w ith a ra n g e o f activ itie s d esig n e d b y th e a u th o r o f th e p re se n t paper, an d w ere p re c e d e d b y a test c h e c k in g th e s tu d e n ts ’ k n o w le d g e o f th e v o c a b u la ry to be in tro d u c ed . T h e se q u e n c e o f th e le sso n s re q u ire d th a t th e lex ical item s b e c o n sta n tly re v ise d an d p ractised . D u rin g th e last lesso n the v o c a b u la ry p o st-te st as w e ll as th e q u e stio n n a ire w e re a d m in istered .
T h e m a jo r aim o f e v e ry le sso n w as to p ro v id e the stu d e n ts w ith a th o ro u g h c o n te x t-b a se d p re se n ta tio n an d p ra ctice o f th e ta rg et v o c a b u la ry se le c te d fro m th e co u rseb o o k . T h e p rese n ta tio n stag e ad d re sse d th e tw o lan g u ag e sk ills, n a m e ly sp e a k in g a n d reading, w h ic h m e a n t th a t th e ta rg et L2 lex ic a l item s (8-13 p er lesson) a p p e a re d in th e p re -sp e a k in g o r in the p re -re a d in g stage. In th e case o f th e form er, v o c a b u la ry e x p la n a tio n w a s fo llo w e d b y th e s tu d e n ts ’ sp e a k in g p e rfo rm a n c e s tric tly c o n tro lle d b y th e teach er. A s re g a rd s the re a d in g lesso n s, the m e a n in g s o f the ta rg e t w o rd s w e re either in tro d u c e d b y th e te a c h e r in th e p re-re a d in g phase, or left to be a rriv ed at b y th e stu d e n ts b y g u e ssin g fro m context.
O n o ffe rin g th e w o r d s ’ d e fin itio n s in th e p rese n ta tio n stag e, the te a c h e r s u p p lie d th e ir sy n o n y m s or an to n y m s. T h e stu d e n ts w e re also re q u e ste d to re state th e d e fin itio n s g iv e n o r d isc u ss th em w ith th eir peers. T h is v e rifie d th e ir p ro p er u n d e rsta n d in g o f th e w o r d s ’ m e an in g s ex p lain ed . W h ile in tro d u c in g th e item s w ith m u ltip le m e an in g s, the te a c h e r aim ed to eq u ip the stu d e n ts w ith m a n y co n te x ts in w h ic h a p a rtic u la r w o rd m ig h t be fo u n d . S h e p ro v id e d se v e ra l sen te n c e s cla rify in g th e m e a n in g s o f th e ta rg e t w o rd s so th a t stu d e n ts co u ld rea liz e h o w c ru cial it is to m ak e fine d istin c tio n s b e tw e e n v a rio u s w o rd sen ses.
Contextualization in L2 vocabulary instruction. 265 T h e p ractice p h ase co m p rise d a v a st a rra y o f ta sk s w ith d iv erse c o n te x ts cre a te d b y e m p lo y in g sy n o n y m s, an to n y m s, c o n tra st or c o m p a riso n . T h e se e x e rc ise s re v ise d th e ta rg e t lex ic al item s. W h a t is m ore, so m e a c tiv itie s d e m a n d e d th a t th e stu d e n ts w rite a sh o rt extract, a letter, an in terv iew , or rew rite a sto ry in o w n w o rd s, y e t in c lu d in g th e ta rg e t v o c a b u la ry . S u c h ta sk s aim e d to in v e stig a te w h e th e r the c o n te x t-b a se d in stru c tio n o f th e ta rg et v o c a b u la ry co n trib u te d to its p ro p e r ex p lo ita tio n b y th e stu d en ts.
A s sta te d b efo re, th e co u rse o f le sso n s w a s fo llo w e d b y a g e n eral re v isio n o f the ta rg e t le x ic a l item s p re se n te d a n d p ractised th ro u g h o u t a ll th e lesso n s, a n d c o n c lu d e d w ith a fin al te st a d m in iste re d w ith the a im o f e v a lu a tin g to w h a t d eg ree th e ta rg et w o rd s p ractised w ere re ta in e d b y th e stu d en ts.
4. R e su lts an d d iscu ssio n
T h e re su lts o f th e p re -stu d y te st (T able 1) re v e a le d th at th e su b je c ts h a d n o t b e e n a c q u a in te d w ith th e ta rg e t lex ica l item s se le c te d fo r the course. T h e m a jo rity o f th e stu d e n ts d id n o t ev en a tte m p t to co m p lete th e tasks, an d o n ly se v e ra l le a rn e rs w e re ab le to fill in o ne up to tw o gaps. T h e ac tiv ity ap p e a re d to be e a sie r fo r tw o le arn ers w h o sc o red tw o p o in ts each, n e v e rth e le ss sin ce it w a s a m u ltip le -c h o ic e activity, th e c o rrect a n sw e rs m ig h t h av e b e e n p ro v id e d at random .
Table 1. Numbers of students who obtained particular ranges of points on the pre-test. Pre-test results
n=30
Task 1 Task 2 Task 3 Task 4 Task 5 Task 6 Task 7 0-2 points 30 29 30 30 29 28 30 3-5 points 0 1 0 0 1 2 0 6-8 points 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
A s re g ard s th e s u b je c ts ’ re sp o n se s to th e lesso n s, th e y v a rie d d e p e n d in g on th e p h ase o f th e le sso n an d the d iffic u lty o f p artic u lar task s. A s sta te d b efo re, tw o k in d s o f le sso n p ro ced u res d e p e n d in g on th e p u rp o se o f in tro d u c in g th e k e y w o rd s w e re d iffe ren tiated : the p re se n ta tio n p h ase fo llo w e d b y th e s u b je c ts ’ sp e a k in g p e rfo rm a n c e su p e rv ise d b y th e teach er, a n d th e p re se n ta tio n p h ase fo llo w e d b y a re a d in g task.
T h e s tu d e n ts ’ oral p re se n ta tio n w as to b e s tric tly c o n tro lle d b y the teach e r, w h o e n c o u ra g e d th em to em p lo y th e n e w ly in tro d u c e d w ords. S e v e ra l stu d e n ts m a n ife ste d so m e in h ib itio n s to ex p ress th e m se lv e s in E n g lish . T h e co n fid e n t ones g o t in v o lv e d in th e o ral p erfo rm an ce m o re w illin g ly a n d d id ex c e p tio n a lly w e ll u sin g th e ta rg et w o rd s p ro p e rly d u rin g th e talk, w h ilst th e ones n o t w illin g to sp e a k p ro v e d to be b e tte r at w ritin g tasks.
In th e re a d in g lesso n , in fe rrin g th e m e an in g s p ro v e d p a rtic u la rly d iffic u lt w ith re g a rd to so m e p h ra sa l v e rb s (m iss o u t on, b e le ft out,
undergo, m a k e up fo r, g o by). E n q u ire d a b o u t th e re a so n fo r so m e
v o c a b u la ry w o rd s b e in g tro u b leso m e, th e stu d e n ts in d ic a te d to o p o o r a c o n te x t to p ro v id e en o u g h d etails fo r a w o rd to b e id en tified . In o rd er to e lim in ate fu rth er m isu n d e rsta n d in g s w ith re g a rd to the w o rd m e an in g s, an ad e q u a te e x p la n a tio n w as pro v id ed .
T h e task s the stu d e n ts w e re to p e rfo rm n o t o n ly gav e th e m a p o ssib ility to p ra c tise th e ta rg e t lex ical item s in co n tex t, b u t sim u lta n e o u sly h e lp e d to ch e c k w h e th e r due to L 2 v o c a b u la ry te a c h in g re ly in g on co n te x tu a liz a tio n the stu d e n ts co u ld learn th e n e w w o rd s in a m e a n in g fu l w ay. T h e te a c h e r o b serv ed the s u b je c ts ’ p e rfo rm a n c e d u rin g th e lesso n s an d a n a ly z e d th e ir re sp o n se s to the task s th e y a cco m p lish ed . In th e co u rse o f th e first tw o lesso n s the p artic ip a n ts o f the stu d y w e re u n e n th u sia stic ab o u t carry in g o u t the task s as th e m a jo rity o f th em re q u ire d so m e am o u n t o f read in g , w h ic h th e p u p ils h ad n o t b e e n a c c u sto m e d to. N o n eth eless, o w in g to the c o u rse b a se d on a re g u la r re p e titio n an d p ractice, th e su b je c ts a c q u ire d m o re flu e n c y w ith tim e, a c c o m p lish e d th e a ctiv itie s q u ic k e r a n d m ore w illin g ly . T h e ta sk s w ith a b ro ad c o n te x t an d a se t o f lex ic a l item s to ch o o se from p ro v e d to b e the m o st co m p lic a te d an d ch allen g in g . A lso
a c tiv itie s c o n c e rn in g p h ra sa l v e rb s an d in v o lv in g m u ltip le co n te x ts to be filled in w ith th e sam e w o rd c a u se d d ifficu lty . Y et, h o w e v e r d e m a n d in g th ese ty p e s o f a c tiv itie s w ere, th e p u p ils e v e n tu a lly su c c e e d e d in su p p ly in g co rre c t an sw ers. S u rp risin g ly , w ritin g the in te rv ie w s on th e b a sis o f th e c lu e s su p p lie d , g av e re la tiv e ly g o o d resu lts. T h e o th er w ritin g a ssig n m e n ts w e re m o stly d esig n e d to be c a rrie d out at h o m e d ue to a c o n sid e ra b le a m o u n t o f tim e n e c e ssa ry to c o m p le te them . T h e te a c h e r’s a n a ly sis o f s tu d e n ts ’ co n trib u tio n leads to co n c lu sio n th a t a lo n g w ith th e lesso n s, th e p ro g re ss in th e s tu d e n ts ’ p e rfo rm a n c e co u ld b e o b serv e d , a n d it w a s c le a rly n o tic e a b le th at c o n sta n t re v isio n a id ed the le a rn ers to re tain th e ta rg e t v o cab u lary .
T h e g e n e ra l re v isio n h e lp e d th e stu d e n ts go th ro u g h th e p ractised v o c a b u la ry a g a in p rio r to the fin a l test, w h ic h th e y w e re n o t in fo rm ed a b o u t th e te st so a s to m ak e its o u tc o m e s m o re cred ib le. D u rin g the re v isio n lesso n s, m o re tim e w a s d e v o ted to th e activ itie s co v e rin g the v o c a b u la ry fro m th e in itia l sta g e s o f th e stu d y . S in c e th e su b je c ts re ta in e d th e ta rg et v o c a b u la ry item s th ro u g h p ra ctice w ith o u t m e m o risin g th e m b y h ea rt, so m e in fo rm a tio n g a th e re d at the b e g in n in g m ig h t h av e b e e n fo rg o tten , a n d th e re fo re th o se w o rd s n e e d e d fu rth e r atten tio n . S till, ev en th o u g h th e stu d e n ts fo u n d so m e le x ic a l ite m s p ro b le m a tic an d so u g h t the a d v ice o f th e teach er, the ta sk s w e re p erfo rm e d accu rately . H a v in g re v ise d all th e ta rg et v o c a b u la ry , th e su b je c ts to o k th e p o st-test (T able 2).
Table 2. Numbers of the students who obtained particular ranges of points on the post test
Contextualization in L2 vocabulary instruction... 267
Post-test results n=30
Task 1 Task 2 Task 3 Task 4 Task 5 Task 6 Task 7
0-2 points 5 2 9 3 2 1 0
3-5 points 12 4 18 12 15 6 6
6-8 points 13 24 3 15 13 23 24
T h e sc o res a c h ie v e d b y the stu d e n ts c le a rly in d icate th at th e y w ere ab le to re ta in th e m a jo rity o f th e lex ic a l item s p ro v id e d th ro u g h o u t the
stu d y . T h e first task, a clo ze p ro c e d u re a ctiv ity , g av e th e lo w est resu lts on th e p re-test. D e m a n d in g a s it w as, a fte r the se q u e n c e o f lesso n s 13 stu d e n ts su c c e e d e d in o b ta in in g m o re th a n a h a lf o f the p o in ts. In the m u ltip le -c h o ic e ta sk th e m a jo rity o f th e stu d e n ts p ro v id e d m in im u m six c o rre c t re sp o n ses. N e a rly a ll the w o rd s te ste d in th is a c tiv ity w ere c o m p o u n d w o rd s o r p h ra sa l v e rb s w ith o ne o f th eir parts a lre a d y p ro v id e d , w h ic h m ad e th e ta sk slig h tly easier. T h e se n te n c e s refe rrin g to p h rasal v e rb s w e re d eem ed p ro b le m a tic th ro u g h o u t the w h o le c o u rse an d th u s in c lu d e d m ista k e s on th e test.
A n o th e r ta sk c o v e re d th e k n o w le d g e o f all th e p h ra sa l v e rb s pra ctised , a n d re q u ire d n o t o n ly id e n tify in g su ita b le co n te x ts fo r the g iv e n lex ic a l item s, b u t also th e ir fo rm to the te n se o f a p a rticu lar co n tex t. T h e sta tistic s sh o w n re v e a l th a t th is ex ercise w a s m o st tro u b le so m e . In m a n y cases, a lth o u g h a d e q u a te c o n te x ts w ere c o rre c tly re c o g n ise d , th e stu d e n ts still o ffe re d th e v erb in th e in fin itiv e n o tw ith sta n d in g th e fo rm n e e d e d to su it a g iv en sen ten ce.
T h e g ap c o m p le tio n ta sk w a s carrie d o u t re la tiv e ly w e ll w ith o n ly 3 p a rtic ip a n ts re v e a lin g p ro b le m s w ith c o m p le tin g the activ ity . T he s u b je c ts id en tifie d a c c u ra te ly th e w o rd s su c h as broken, vetera n and
p re te n d , a n d as re g a rd s th e o th er lex ical item s, no re g u la rity co u ld be
id e n tifie d sin ce m ista k e s o c cu rred in d iffe re n t sen ten ces. A n o th e r test a c tiv ity w a s carrie d o u t c o rresp o n d in g ly , w h e re a s h a rd ly a n y stu d e n t h a d d iffic u lty w ith the last tw o task s, w h ic h d id n o t d em an d as m u ch re a d in g a s th e others.
O n th e w h o le, th e re su lts o f th e p o st-stu d y te st m a k e it p o ssib le to co n c lu d e th a t th e stu d y su c c e e d e d in im p ro v in g th e s tu d e n ts ’ k n o w le d g e o f th e ta rg e t lex ic a l item s. T h e sta tistic s c le a rly sh o w p ro g re ss in v o c a b u la ry d ev elo p m en t, th u s th e effe c tiv en e ss o f the c o n d u c te d lesso n s m a y b e ra te d fa irly high.
O n c lo ser e x a m in a tio n o f th e tests, so m e a d d itio n a l o b se rv a tio n s co u ld be m ade. F irstly , in sp ite o f th e atte m p ts to create rich contexts, so m e g ap s p ro v ed to h av e m o re th a n o ne p o ssib le an sw er. T h e co n tex t b e in g in su ffic ie n tly sp ecified , led to th e s u b je c ts ’ m istak es. F u rth er, so m e c o n te x ts w ere lik e ly to b e to o d iffic u lt fo r th e stu d e n ts to fu lly u n d e rsta n d them . A n o th e r ex p la n a tio n fo r th is can b e th e w o r d ’s
c o m p lex ity , as so m e lex ica l item s e.g. p h ra sa l v e rb s are g e n e ra lly m o re p ro b le m a tic to stu d e n ts an d re q u ire fu rth e r p ractice.
In g e n e ra l h o w ev er, th e re su lts o b ta in e d m a d e it e v id en t th a t the u sag e o f c o n te x tu a liz a tio n fo r L2 v o c a b u la ry te a c h in g as w e ll as the te a c h e r ’s se lf-d e sig n e d task s w e re e ffic a cio u s an d th e p u rp o se o f e n ric h in g th e s tu d e n ts ’ v o c a b u la ry w a s ach iev ed .
T h e p o st-stu d y q u e stio n n a ire w a s c o n d u c te d w ith a v ie w to in v e stig a tin g th e s tu d e n ts ’ a ttitu d e to th e c o u rse th e y p a rtic ip a te d in a n d th e ir g e n e ra l a sse ssm e n t o f th e study. G en erally , th e le a rn e rs ’ fe e lin g s a b o u t th e se q u e n c e o f lesso n s w e re p o sitiv e an d re v e a le d th eir in te re st in th e activ itie s th e y p erfo rm ed . T he q u e stio n s a sk ed w ere m a in ly o f a clo sed type, th e stu d e n ts h a v in g e.g. to estim ate on a scale th e d iffic u lty or e ffe c tiv en e ss o f th e ta sk s e m p lo y e d in th e study.
R e sp o n d in g to th e q u estio n p e rta in in g to th e s u b je c ts ’ ge n era l p e rc e p tio n o f th e d iffic u lty o f le a rn in g E n g lish v o c a b u la ry as m a n y as 21 p u p ils fo u n d le a rn in g v o c a b u la ry easy o r q u ite easy (See T ab le 3 b e lo w ).
Contextualization in L2 vocabulary instruction... 269
Table 3. The students’ perception of the difficulty of learning English vocabulary. Learning English words
n=30 easy quite easy quite
difficult difficult
very difficult No. of
answers 4 17 4 4 1
W h e n a sk ed w h e th e r th e a c tiv itie s su p p lie d b y the te a c h e r w ere in te re stin g th e m a jo rity o f stu d e n ts a p p e a re d to h av e e n jo y ed th e task s p re p a re d b y th e teach er. It can b e se e n fro m T ab le 4 th a t m o st p artic ip a n ts th o u g h t th e task s to be in terestin g .
Table 4. The students’ evaluation of the attractiveness of the teacher-prepared tasks. Teacher-prepared tasks
n=30
interesting interesting interesting No. of
answers 0 1 9 13 7
T h e stu d e n ts w e re also ask e d to ev a lu a te th e u se fu ln e ss o f the te a c h e r-p re p a re d task s. M o st p artic ip a n ts o f th e stu d y c laim ed th at th e y fo u n d th e im p le m e n te d a c tiv itie s u se fu l (17-yes, 1 3 -rath er yes).
F in ally , th e su b je c ts w e re to e stim a te th e d iffic u lty o f p artic u la r ta sk s su p p lie d b y th e te a c h e r fo r th e rese a rc h p u rp o se s (See T a b le 5). S u rp risin g ly eno u g h , h a rd ly a n y le a rn e rs co n sid e re d th e em p lo y ed a c tiv itie s to b e v e ry d em an d in g , y e t m a n y stu d e n ts ra te d a fe w ty p es o f ac tiv itie s as p ro b lem atic. T h e c o m p le tio n a ctiv itie s w e re e stim ated fro m re la tiv e ly e a sy to difficult.
Table 5. The students’ evaluation of particular activities in terms of their difficulty. Types of tasks ea sy q u it e ea sy q u it e diffic ult luc £ fiid ver y diffic ult
1. the completion activity (paragraph,
story) ; 1 5 19 4 1
2. the completion activity (sentences); 6 7 16 1 0 3. the completion activity (dialogues); 9 12 9 0 0 4. the completion activity (several examples
with the same word) ; 0 1 12 15 2
5. writing a story, or an interview on the
basis of words/clues given; 4 3 16 7 0
6. rewriting a story using vocabulary underlined in the version offered by the teacher;
2 7 14 6 1
7. substituting the words in the text with
their synonyms; 18 8 4 0 0
8. multiple-choice task; 6 7 13 3 1
9. discussing the topic or given pictures
using newly introduced words; 6 11 7 5 1
Contextualization in L2 vocabulary instruction... 271 11. matching the verbs with prepositions so
as to create phrasal verbs to be put in the right context and proper form;
1 4 18 6 1
12. filling the gaps in the text with the first
letters of correct words already provided. 8 17 3 2 0 W ritin g a ssig n m e n ts p ro v e d to be fa irly p ro b lem atic. R e w ritin g a sto ry w ith e m p lo y in g ta rg e t lex ical u n its w a s d e e m e d slig h tly less difficu lt, p o ssib ly o w in g to b e in g o ffe re d th e m o d e l v e rsio n illu stra tin g th e u sa g e o f th e ta rg e t v o c a b u lary . B o th su b stitu tin g the w o rd s w ith th e ir sy n o n y m s a n d m a tc h in g th e h a lv e s o f th e se n ten ces w e re d e c lare d effo rtless, th ere b e in g o n ly a fe w stu d e n ts w h o rated the a c tiv ity as co m p lex . T h e le a rn e rs ’ a ttitu d e to w a rd s th e c o m p letio n a c tiv ity w ith th e first letters o f th e w o rd s su p p lie d w a s a n alo g o u s. In th e case o f the m u ltip le -c h o ic e a c tiv itie s o r m u lti-p a rt v e rb s exercises, th e su b je c ts asse sse d th em a s ra th e r d iffic u lt to co m p le te. In te re stin g ly eno u g h , the sp e a k in g ta sk s w e re fo u n d fa irly e a sy or q u ite d iffic u lt a lth o u g h th ro u g h o u t the co u rse th e y se e m e d to be tro u b le so m e and in h ib itin g to stu d e n ts.
5. C o n clu sio n
S u m m in g up, th e assu m p tio n th a t c o n te x tu a liz a tio n fo ste rs v o c a b u la ry d e v e lo p m e n t h a s b e e n co n firm e d b y th e p re se n t ac tio n re se a rc h study. A d o p tin g tra d itio n a l w a y s o f te a c h in g L 2 ta rg et v o c a b u la ry is su re ly e x tre m e ly b o rin g to stu d en ts, th a t is w h y m o re effe c tiv e te c h n iq u e s for te a c h in g w o rd s co u ld b e em p lo y ed . It is th e te a c h e r’s ta sk to ad ju st h is/h e r c lassro o m p ro c e d u re s so th a t th e y h e lp stu d e n ts to p ra ctice and re c y c le ta rg e t v o c a b u la ry and, as a resu lt, k eep it activ e (B erm h ed en 2002, C a m e ro n 2001). T h e o u tc o m e s o f th e stu d y su p p o rt th e v ie w th a t e x p lo itin g c o n te x t fo r th e p u rp o se o f v o c a b u la ry p re se n ta tio n and p rac tice co n trib u te s su b sta n tia lly to its e n ric h m e n t an d ex p an d s s tu d e n ts ’ g e n e ra l k n o w le d g e o f lexis. T h e u sa g e o f co n te x tu a liz a tio n fo r te a c h in g E n g lish v o c a b u la ry fa c ilita te d its a c q u isitio n b y the stu d en ts. T h e re su lts o b ta in e d fro m th e fin a l te st sh o w ed th a t th e task s p re p a re d b y th e te a c h e r w e re co n d u c iv e to re ta in in g th e ta rg e t le x ical
item s. F u rth erm o re, th e s tu d e n ts ’ re sp o n se s to th e task s e m p lo y e d in th e stu d y assu re d th e w rite r th a t c o n te x tu a liz in g u n k n o w n w o rd s h e lp e d the su b je c ts u se th em in a m e a n in g fu l w a y in b o th w ritin g or sp e a k in g a ctiv ities. T h e d ata g a th e re d fro m th e p o st-stu d y q u e stio n n a ire m ad e it a p p a re n t th a t th e stu d e n ts w e re b ia se d in fa v o u r o f th e c o n d u c te d c o u rse an d w illin g to p a rtic ip ate in the c o n te x tu a liz a tio n -b a se d lesso n s. T h e y ev a lu a te d the te a c h e r-p re p a re d a c tiv itie s a s in te re stin g an d co n firm e d th e ir u se fu ln e ss in p ra c tisin g as w e ll as re ta in in g n e w v o c a b u la ry . E v id en tly , d e sp ite co n sid e ra b le effo rt d e v o ted to a c c o m p lish in g the te a c h e r’s task s, th e lesso n s w ere g re a tly a p p re c ia te d a n d re g a rd e d a s b e n e fic ia l fo r e x p a n d in g E n g lish v o c a b u la ry .
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