Author: Eulogio, Jo-Kwang
Title: A comparison between teaching vocabulary with translation and in context
Degree: M.A.
Year: 1995
Subject: Vocabulary -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- China -- Hong Kong
English language -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- China -- Hong Kong
Hong Kong Polytechnic University -- Dissertations
Department: Department of English
Pages: 75 leaves : ill. ; 31 cm
Language: English
Abstract: This paper is concerned with the teaching and learning of vocabulary in the ELT classroom. The issue is whether lexical items should be taught in word-pairs with L1 translation or in context. This has been a debate in the treatment of vocabulary in the second language classroom. In the experiment, there were three groups of students. After receiving some training in contextual guessing, the three groups were taught fifteen strange lexical items with different methods. The first group was taught with a list of word-pairs with L1 translation. In the second group, the words were taught in context. The third group was instructed with both translation and context. After the instruction, there were two tests, one delivered half an hour after the instruction lesson; the other was given after one week. The results indicated that the combined method produced the best results; secondly, it is hard to determine conclusively whether the use of translation or context is more superior. Another interesting finding is the teaching effects of the three methods diminished quickly over time. The teaching implication is vocabulary learning is an on-going process which must be facilitated with long-term vocabulary development.
Rights: All rights reserved
Access: restricted access

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