Describes the use of keyword mnemonics as an aid to vocabulary learning. Warns that the technique does not result in students' being able to use the word in discourse or thinking. Considers the appropriate use and limitations of the method and its application in a developmental reading class. (DMM)

States that the acquisition of writing skills and vocabulary building are especially important for minority students. Describes how the systematic study of prefixes, suffixes, and word roots; the generation of student-originated vocabulary lists; and special testing techniques were used for improving writing skills and building vocabulary in a…

Discussion of computer-aided indexing activity focuses on examples from projects at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Standardization and quality in providing subject access to databases are considered; and computer-aided lexicography, including thesaurus construction, access vocabulary, definitions preparation,…

Examines a number of techniques and strategies in the foreign-language classroom likely to encourage acquisition through formation of associations, in particular semantic networking systems, that exist in the native speaker's mental lexicon. (GLR)

Two groups of 32 junior kindergarten and 32 first-grade children performed an instance and superordinate name comprehension task, using 96 single-exemplar pictures from 12 categories. High rates of instance name intrusions and other findings suggest that superordinate name production may be interfered with by more readily available instance names.…

In this study, phonological similarity neighborhood sizes were calculated for expressive lexicon derived from 2 vocabulary lists representative of children aged 1;3 to 3;0. Over 80% of the words in these early lexicons had at least one phonological neighbor; nearly 20% had six or more phonological neighbors. (Contains 29 references.)

Describes a study that investigated the effects of images on vocabulary retention among college students who read lists of unfamiliar words and definitions. One group read sentences using unknown vocabulary words. Another group read the same sentences with drawings depicting major points. Images significantly improved student performance,…

The relationship between partial word knowledge and instruction was investigated for 132 college students. When correct usage could be chosen on the basis of general semantic constraints, subjects did well and instruction had no effect. However, studying dictionary definitions did increase the amount of specific information available in memory.…

Study of advanced English learners' development of active vocabulary found that the need for greater vocabulary influenced subjects with sufficient communicative competence and no explicit vocabulary instruction to enrich their lexicon. (34 references) (CB)

The fragility of English for Special Purposes (ESP) is examined in the context of a particular British ESP course, European Business Administration. Issues include the characteristic ESP time pressure, the treatment of "hard" terminology in English for Academic Purposes (EAP), the nonlinguistic subject matter of EAP courses, and the use…

This study with 12 elementary school children with mild mental retardationship found that the relation between lexical knowledge and mental age depended upon the nature of the vocabulary test. Results suggested that mental age in this population was more strongly related to knowledge of abstract relational terms than to knowledge of labels for…

Illustrated cards can be used in language classes to prompt students to respond with spontaneity and free expression. A variety of games and cards such as "Concentration" are described, and it is argued that some language goals can be practiced more effectively by card games than by traditional textbook-pencil-teacher approaches. (12…

Describes VOCAB-LIT, a technique for helping students understand literary elements through vocabulary study. Finds that the VOCAB-LIT technique is an effective strategy for integrating vocabulary study and literature study. (RS)

An approach in which advanced language students construct their own dictionaries in class combines vocabulary development with development of a metalanguage. The procedures used in the classroom exercise are outlined and illustrated, and examples of students' personalized dictionaries are presented. (MSE)

Investigates the effects of purpose for reading and frequency of encounters with unknown words in written context on learning from context tasks performed by 119 sixth grade good and poor reading comprehenders. Finds no significant interactions, resulting at least partial support for Robert Sternberg's model of verbal comprehension. (MG)