Active vocabulary extension by means of authentic text’s reading

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Eurasian national university Astana, Kazakhstan

Active vocabulary extension by means of authentic text's reading

L.N. Gumilyov

Abstract

This study mainly focuses on the improving of vocabulary through the reading in English language at School №56. to find out the appropriate principles and methods for teaching vocabulary. The purpose of this study is to show the effectiveness of the active extension of vocabulary through reading texts in English. The participants of the study were school age students at School №56. The data were collected through a reading texts in English. The results indicated that participants supported the view that reading texts help students to improve their active vocabulary.

Key words: active vocabulary, text, reading

1. Introduction

Vocabulary is the main building block of language learning. The words arrange together on a grammar base and form the whole building of message. One cannot learn language without vocabulary. According to the Steven Stahl (2005), "Vocabulary knowledge is knowledge as well as the knowledge of a word not only implies a definition, but also implies how that word fits into the world."

Each teacher is well known that it is impossible to build a solid language base of schoolchildren without assimilation of lexical material. Creative teachers are trying to find and test in practice their effective methods of administration, securing control of lexical material and its assimilation by students.

Lack of vocabulary is a feeling of uncertainty among students and unwillingness to speak a foreign language. Therefore, one of the main objectives of the foreign lesson is to expand their active vocabulary. Basically vocabulary of students is increased due to the vocabulary of the texts.

Reading literature in the target language contributes to the development of speech and enriches vocabulary, newspaper and magazine articles are introduced to the culture and literature of the country the language is spoken, and develop analytical thinking.

Therefore, reading lessons are needed in the educational process. Scientist N. Ischuk argues that reading - one of the most important language skills that students must master the process of learning a foreign language. Reading - is not only the goal of learning as an independent form of speech activity, but also a means of developing skills. Reading the text, the person repeats the sounds, letters, words and grammar of a foreign language, remembers the spelling, the value of phrases and thus improving their knowledge of the target language. So reading is the ultimate goal and the means to achieve this goal (Ischuk 1998: 41).

Reading skill - is one of the most valuable, crucial and encouraging skills in developing the foreign language. In fact, it is an indispensable part of language acquisition. It is through this receptive skill that many students become aware that they can become competent in terms of comprehending and responding that what they have read. It is also triggers critical thinking skills that enhance students' ability to form an opinion and infer hidden ideas in a text. Reading can help students develop a stronger self-confidence in using the foreign language as well as.

Reading texts for academic purposes, student's interest may not match according to content of the reading texts. Therefore, academic texts can lose its popularity in the eyes of learners and in time becomes boring. The best means of achieving vocabulary learning is still unclear, partly because it depends on a wide variety of factors (Schmitt,2008)

The topicality of theme of this work due to the fact that only the presence of a solid lexical skills ensures the normal functioning of speech activity. But this is impossible without an increase in the vocabulary of students through reading foreign language texts in the classroom and outside school hours. To Day and Bamford, reading is an approach of teaching and learning a foreign language vocabulary through reading texts or books. Therefore, the aim of this research are to show the effectiveness of the active expansion of vocabulary through reading texts in English;

-to investigate the impact of improving vocabulary through reading that is integrated to the program of the learners on their foreign language and creative practices.

To achieve this goal it is necessary to implement the following specific objectives:

- define the concept of "reading";

- to reveal the theoretical basis for the formation of active vocabulary, consider methods for its expansion;

- to carry out the selection of exercises that help to expand the active vocabulary of students based on the analysis of educational materials.

The object of the research is the enrichment of active vocabulary through reading.

The subject of the research is school age students and teacher who apply for improving active vocabulary through reading The study used the following methods:

- Testing of students.

The theoretical significance of this work contains that the results may contribute to the further resolution of the many problems associated with teaching children a foreign language.

The practical value of this work contains that the materials proposed for utilizing (texts, tasks and exercises) can be used by teachers of foreign languages in the middle class.

2.Method

2.1.Design of the study

This study is conducted in practice at School №56 to investigate how reading skill can be an effective way for students to improve their vocabulary in utilizing foreign language. Firstly, two diverse levels of groups (English) were chosen to pilot this study. The first group (lyceum class) was Class 9”A” and Class 9”B” in which Basic English (B1) was taught. Thus , these students level is PreIntermediate. The second group was Class 8”B” which English language is deeply taught. Their level of English can be defined as Intermediate.(B2).They have taken 3 different skills as well as they have practiced reading comprehension , critical reading and essay writing. The new reading component -material appropriate to the nature of the study. This research was piloted in three lyceum classes. In the process of implementation, 46 pupils were tested.

2.1. Participants

The subjects of this study were 46 students of diverse lyceum classes in School №56, 20 male and 26 female students whose age ranged from 13-16 weree selected randomly.

2.2. Data collection procedure

For this survey 46 students were tested. 31 of them were students in first group (lyceum classes 9”A”-9”B”)and the other 15 were the students at second group (lyceum class 8”B”). The reading passage task was done partially in English. The each 3 texts comprises 190 word. According to the texts were several types of tasks. It compile 3 steps:

1. Reading the text and write short summary according to the text

2. Matching the words with the pictures

3. Use the new words to complete the sentences

3. Findings

Results of the study that both lyceum group students at School №56 shows that students translated very few words, although some of them, they should have known since the second, third and previews years of training: pupil, duty, future. Children did not guess the meaning of words that meaning was similar in Russian: career, activity, university, position, regular; word “magazine” translated as "shop", and the word “artist” as "artist".

I delineated that the reasons for translating a small number of words students was several factors: firstly,I realized that not everyone was familiar with the words of the text, and when a person sees a difficulty as well as a lot of unfamiliar words, immediately lost interest. Secondly, students didn't have interest in reading tasks such as a testing. Because, when I gave them worksheet paper and text, they said “Oh, again test task.”

According to the last 2 steps students had difficulty because of words which are unfamiliar words. In addition, they didn't know the meaning of some easy words.

I have written results of experiments on the table. I have included all the new words as well as the simple words which didn't know at the practical moment. The table included also translated words in the lesson. The table shows that student's vocabulary was improved according to the 3 texts.

Afterwards I knew what words they need to teach I had to decide how they teach. I utilized some of our methods: writing words in a notebook (with their translation or definition), writing the words and their definitions on small cards or on the blackboard, pronouncing the words over and over again, listening right pronunciation of the words and using this words in their speech.

Working with new vocabulary students divided into different groups, did some exercises, making suggestions and using them in a monologue statements and the preparation of the dialogues. The students prepared a special presentation of our new words, the association carried out (which used pictures or other words). Sometimes students tested their knowledge of the use of words in their speech or in writing.

As the level of English in two groups was mainly between Pre-Intermediate and Intermediate. They believed that reading texts was influential on their speed in increasing active vocabulary. Partially, first group asserts that short stories helped them to improve their vocabulary skills. Making picture stories, posters and drawing practices was the most beneficial group work for discussing reading passage. Especially, second group students (8”B” class) believed that drawing pictures was a great fun and played vocabulary games gave them more opportunities to expand their vocabulary.

Picture 1

For instance, the task (picture 1) uses pictures that illustrate settings common to the students' daily lives and school experiences. The pictures depict a number of concrete nouns. Find the biggest word. What is that word? (Students will say, "Table.") A line has been drawn from that word to the TABLE to match them. In the same way, please find all the words that you know and draw a line to match them with the right object in the picture. This method help students to learn new words in the text.

Some students also prepared power point slides for oral presentation of the stories by using new words. However, some students critized the level of stories as they contended that the level of them was low and it would be better to choose stories with higher levels. In addition, first group students (9”A”-9”B” classes) have read 3 text, the level of texts is defined to be Pre-Intermediate. Contemporary, general critisizm was on the high level of the text as well as time limit.

4. Conclusion

Lack of vocabulary triggers the uncertainty among students and unwillingness to speak a foreign language. Reading is not just means learning the language, but also an independent kind of speech activity. Therefore, teachers need to separately teach understanding of the text, without turning reading into a banal translation. But according to the experiment , firstly, students need to work on unfamiliar words used in the text, and then the actual reading, the control of understanding of the content, then students can understand the meaning of the whole text.

Nowaday, reading in a foreign language texts help people to exchange information between different countries. Educated person is more attached to the reading of fiction, journalistic, technical literature, as well as newspapers and magazines in foreign languages. This requires appropriate skills and abilities such as active vocabulary as well as critical thinking and understanding. Therefore, one of the main tasks of learning a foreign language in high school is expand active vocabulary through reading.

vocabulary reading language learning

References

1. Andrew, W. (1989) Pictures for language learning. Cambridge University Press.

2. Thornbury, Scott: How to teach Vocabulary, Longman, 2002

3. Day, R. R and Bamford, J. (1998) Extensive reading in the second language classroom: Cambridge University Press

4. Mc Cabe, M.P.(1991) Influence of creativity and intelligence on academic perfomence Journal of Creative Behavior

5. Renandya, W.A., Rajan ,B.R,S. & Jacobs, G.M .(1999) Extensive reading with adult learners. RELC Journal

6. Allen, V. (1983) Techniques in teaching vocabulary. OUP

7. Lewis, M. (1997) Implementing the lexical approach. LTP

8. Lewis, M. (1993) The lexical approach. LTP.

9. Gairns, R. Redman, S.(1986) Working with words. CUP.

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