Vocabulary notebooks Schmitt, N., & Schmitt, D.. (1995). Vocabulary notebooks: Theoretical underpinnings and practical suggestions. ELT Journal, 49(2),

Principle 1: The best way to remember new words is to incorporate them into language that is already known x ?

Principle 2: Organized material is easier to learn x ?

Principle 3:Words which are very similar should not be taught at the same time x ?

Principle 4: Word pairs (L1/L2) can be used to learn a great number of words in a short time x ?

Principle 5: Knowing a word entails more than just knowing its meaning x ?

Principle 6: The deeper the mental processing used when learning a word, the more likely that a student will remember it x ?

Principle 7: The act of recalling a word makes it more likely that a learner will be able to recall it again later x ?

Principle 8: Learners must pay close attention in order to learn most effectively x ?

Principle 9: Words need to be recycled to be learnt x ?

Principle 10: An efficient recycling method: ‘expanding rehearsal’ x ?

Principle 11: Learners are individuals and have different learning styles x ?

Practical suggestions Loose-leaf binders, enabling grouping and manipulating (one word or item per page) Initially: word pairs (L2 translation or L1 synonym) Then: add further information on front or back of card: links with previously learnt words: ‘semantic maps’, ‘superordinates/hyponyms’ notice how often come across it, or how it collocates with other words roots and derivatives pics and sentence contexts keyword link

Further suggestions Fill in information later as a way of recycling and enriching Students should be encouraged to find their own information Personal word store: students later decide how they will organize their notebook Teacher needs to take in and check they are getting it right! Word selection: at appropriate frequency level so that they’ll encounter again. Frequency list (??) or from context. Use as a basis for classroom activities

Quote… “As the number of words in the notebook grows larger, students will no longer be able to complete all information for each word. However, the minimum information for each word should include: Ll translation or L2 synonym. part of speech, phonemic transcription, L2 definition, and the word’s derivations.”

Vocabulary notebooks Walters, J. And Bozkurt, N. (2009). The effect of keeping vocabulary notebooks on vocabulary acquisition. Language Teaching Research, 13(4),

Research questions 1) How does the use of vocabulary notebooks affect students’ vocabulary acquisition (receptive, controlled productive, and free productive)? 2) What are students’ and teachers’ attitudes towards the use of vocabulary notebooks?

Population: three classes of pre-university students Time: 4-week schedule, 80 target words Words: 80 ‘targeted’, 78 not (but highlighted and taught) Process: Teacher provides the words to list in notebooks, and some of the information: students expected to fill in the rest for themselves (meanings, part of speech etc.). Also: classroom activities like sharing, testing each other, adding information

Tests Receptive and productive tests of target words and of non-target words. Free composition to see if notebook words used more/more correctly Interviews to determine students’ and teachers’ attitudes.

Results Significant differences, in all types of test. But most of the words (60-70%) not learnt, according to the tests.

Student attitudes: Definitely useful. But demands commitment and high motivation. Some comments…

Vocabulary notebook activities were fun. I think that the more we look in the notebook the more we deal with the words, the better we learn. We put them in our brains, in the long term memory Actually, this tool was useful for our learning vocabulary, but it is good for the ones who can carry it out. For example, it is not good for me. The student must love writing and English. I know and I believe that it was very useful for me, and it would be better if I continue, but I will not.

When I compare my notebook with my former notes, this is more beneficial for me, but it requires more studying. I think I will not continue. I will take the easier way out. As we are under discipline, we feel it compulsory to keep this vocabulary notebook, and it affects our learning positively. If it was not compulsory, none of us would keep it. Maybe one or maximum two of us would do.

Teacher attitudes Excellent results, but time-consuming. Also: will probably not continue.

Further comment Did not appear to enhance learner autonomy.

Questions for discussion Was it the notebooks, as such, or just the time invested in deeper processing, that produced the results? Is it worth the time? Should we make students use notebooks? If so, how? back