A multiple-strategy-based approach to word and collocation acquisition

Abstract

Acquiring an adequate vocabulary is a cognitive challenge for foreign language learners. Varied exposures to newly acquired words as they occur in meaningful contexts may facilitate the process of vocabulary learning. In this study we investigated the effects of such a multiple-strategy-based vocabulary teaching approach. We conducted an experiment with 115 Taiwanese high school students, interviewed teachers, and engaged in classroom observations. The experiment involved a no-strategy control condition and two experimental conditions which utilized 7 different pedagogical activities. Interviews indicated increased student oral, listening, and reading proficiency. Observation data showed that multiple strategies led to learners' active participation and animated vocabulary teaching. The post-test mean scores of the experimental group participants ranked higher than those of the control group in word knowledge. The results also indicated that overall classroom language performance had been enhanced. The findings suggest that using multiple-strategy approaches, such as this one, are beneficial in the acquisition of L2 vocabulary.