Feb

14

Three Processes of Vocabulary Acquisition

Filed Under Acquisition, Learning | Comments Off

According to Nation (I. S. P. Nation 2001), vocabulary acquisition includes three processes, namely noticing, retrieval, and creative (generative) use. The author of this paper will provide an explanation of each of them in the subsequent paragraphs.

The process of noticing involves learner’s detection of a given word and marking it as an unknown. A crucial point, however, is that the learner at the same time realizes she/he has come across the word before, but it was used differently, and most importantly the learner becomes familiarized with a new context, as well as he/she wishes to learn a particular word. Moreover, the learner will tend to decontextualize the word the moment she/he notices it, which in turn will provide foundation for better understanding of the word.

The process of decontextualization takes place either consciously or subconsciously in a variety of ways. For instance, it occurs while listening or reading exercises, when the teacher highlights a particular word, while negotiating meaning in speaking exercises, or when the teacher provides learners with an explanation of the word, be it translation, giving a synonym, or target language definition.

When it comes to the negotiation of meaning in speaking exercises, its role cannot be neglected since such exercises result in better memorization of the word. In addition, not only do the students directly engaged in the exercise learn the word, but also those who are passively observing the meaning negotiation process. What is more, such exercises may be of a great usefulness for both small and large groups of students.

While the noticing directs the learner toward learning the word, the retrieval, the second process of vocabulary acquisition distinguished by Nation, reinforces the meaning of the word in the learner’s mind. The more frequent the retrieval of a particular item in a learning process, the greater the chances that the item will strike deeper in the learner’s memory. Thus, repetition and retrieval of the word extend its meaning, or definition, and repetitive exposure to and use of it will lead the learner to understanding of each meaning of the word he/she encounters.

Nevertheless, the span of time between encounters cannot be too long. If the learner is not able to recall encountering the word in the past, she/he finds herself/himself at the initial stage of the learning process. Nation states:

It is very useful to try to estimate how much listening and reading a learner would need to be doing per week in order for incidental receptive vocabulary learning to proceed in an effective way (…) On average learners would need to listen to stories at least three times a week for about fifteen minutes each time. They would need to read about one graded reader every two weeks (Nation 2001:68).

The last process of vocabulary acquisition in Nation’s classification is that of the creative or generative use. It takes place when “previously met words are subsequently met or used in ways that differ from the previous meeting with the word” (Nation 2001:x). Those new encounters push learners toward reconceptualization of their knowledge of these words.

Generative use has its receptive and productive realization. Receptive generative use occurs when a particular word is encountered in reading or listening, and has slightly different meaning, but as well may be productive, when the learner is not familiar with that particular meaning of the word yet.

There are also several degrees of generation, present when strengtheners are added to a word, e.g. very deep, heavy rain, etc.


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