Vocabulary Studies in First and Second Language Acquisition: The Interface Between Theory and Application

This volume presents recent original research on vocabulary that explores common themes and current issues in both first and second language over a wide range of ages and stages. A key feature is that, in every case, the issues have implications for educational practice and policy. These include preparation for the academic language of school; developing foundations for literacy' teaching and learning first and second language vocabulary in the classroom; language dominance and vocabulary knowledge; the relationship between L2 lexical learning and the acquisition of morphosyntax; the impact of studying abroad; predicting academic success and failure; and language assessment in educational research and summative examinations. A variety of contexts is included. Beginning in the home with an analysis of first language parental language input, the chapters move through the early pre-school years into mainstream schools, bilingual classrooms and bilingual adult communities and into foreign language teaching and learning and academic success at school and higher education.

Table of Contents:
Acknowledgements Notes on the Contributors Preface; P.Meara Lexical Features of Parental Academic Language Input: the Effect on Vocabulary Growth in Monolingual Dutch Children; L.Henrichs& R.Schoonen Vocabulary, Reading and Classroom Supports for Language; D.Dickinson, T.Flushman& J.Freiberg Exploring Vocabulary with Young L1 Learners: the Contribution of a Corpus; A.Sealey Vocabulary, Education and Diversity; V.Edwards Language Dominance and Lexical Diversity: How Bilinguals and L2 Learners Differ in their Knowledge and Use of French Lexical and Functional Items; J.Treffers-Daller Lexical Diversity and Native-Like Selection: the Bonus of Studying Abroad; P.Foster Lexical Performance by Native and Non-Native Speakers on Language-Learning Tasks; P.Skehan Can Differential Processing of L2 Vocabulary Inform the Debate on Teacher Codeswitching Behaviour? The Case of Chinese Learners of English; E.Macaro, Tao Guo, H.Chen& L.Tian Lexical Development in Instructed L2 Learners of French: Is there a Relationship with Morphosyntactic Development?; A.David, F.Myles, V.Rogers& S.Rule A New Method of Measuring Rare Word Diversity: the Example Of L2 Learners of French; D.Malvern& B.Richards Vocabulary Knowledge and Academic Success: a Study of Chinese Students in UK Higher Education; H.M.Daller& H.Xue Vocabulary Size and the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages; J.Milton& T.Alexiou References Index

About the Author :
BRIAN RICHARDS is Emeritus Professor of Education at the University of Reading, UK. He has published widely in the fields of first and second language and language assessment and together with David Malvern is co-author of Lexical Diversity and Language Development published by Palgrave in 2004. H. MICHAEL DALLER is Senior Lecturer for Linguistics and English Language at the University of the West of England, Bristol, UK. He has edited and authored books, and published articles on migration and multilingualism, assessing and modelling vocabulary knowledge and on the measurement of bilingual language proficiency. DAVID MALVERN is Professor of Education, the University of Reading, UK. He has been Research Officer at the Royal Society, Visiting Professor at the Department of Educational Psychology, McGill University, and a European Union and British Council Consultant. PAUL MEARA began his research career studying the psycholinguistics of syntax, but soon realised that vocabulary acquisition was a lot more interesting. He now works in Swansea University, UK, where he runs a group of part-time PhD students, all working on a range of vocabulary-related research topics. JAMES MILTON is subject leader in Applied Linguistics at Swansea University, UK. His research focuses on vocabulary acquisition and measurement in foreign languages. Recently published works include Modelling and Assessing Vocabulary Acquisition (2007). JEANINE TREFFERS-DALLER is Professor of Linguistics at the University of the West of England, Bristol, UK. She has published widely in the field of bilingualism and language contact, in particular on code-switching and borrowing in French/Dutch contact in Brussels. She is a member of the Editorial Board of Bilingualism: Language and Cognition.