LEXICAL LANGUAGE TEACHING
What is the lexical approach?
The term lexical approach was introduced in 1993 by Michael Lewis, who observed that "language consists of a grammaticalized lexicon, not a lexicalized grammar" (The Lexical Approach, 1993).
In language teaching, a set of principles based on the observation that understanding words and word combinations (snippets) is the primary method of learning a language. The idea is that instead of students memorizing vocabulary lists, they learn common phrases.
The idea is that grammar is only surpassed by Lexis or words. But by "words", we are not talking about vocabulary or individual words here. We are more interested in "snippets" of words or phrases, words that generally go together and are commonly found side by side in the language.
There are many in English: words that come as a set and signal the presence of the other, such as Starsky and Hutch, Donkey and Shrek, Batman and Robin. Consider the following phrases:
-by the way
-abstract reasoning
-complete idiot
-Best wishes
-Make up your mind
-They make every effort
-These words often go together and native speakers use them a lot next to each other.
The lexical approach posits that languages are made up of these "snippets" and that the key to fluency in any language is the nuanced use of these phrases, which native speakers hear in everyday conversation, regardless of grammatical soundness or soundness. The meaning of the words. (If you think about it, native speakers don't consciously observe grammar rules every time they speak. They just speak).
Lexis in language teaching and learning
Linguistic activities consistent with the lexical approach should be directed towards natural language and towards raising awareness of students about the lexical nature of language. Activities of this nature include the following:
-intensive and extensive listening and reading in the target language
-First and second language comparisons and translation
-Repetition and recycling of activities to keep the words and expressions learned active.
-guess the meaning of vocabulary items from context
-notice and record patterns of language and collocations
-work with dictionaries and other reference tools
-work with language corporations to research word associations, use of prepositions, style, etc.
How to apply the lexical approach to language teaching in the classroom
1. Immerse students in authentic materials.
"Authentic material" refers to the natural exposure to the language that native speakers encounter every day. For example, Spanish speakers receive their news through their favorite Spanish-language news channels. Germans read German novels. The French watch French movies. Italians go to restaurants and read the menu in Italian.
“Authentic material” is different from textbooks or language tutorials created for language learners. Those are provided on purpose. For example, in video tutorials, teachers slow down and enunciate words clearly so that viewers can follow along. They also explain what each word means and give sample sentences.
This does not happen with authentic materials. There is an unspoken assumption that readers, viewers or listeners already understand the language, so they do so at full speed.
Immerse your students in authentic materials, real materials created for real native speakers. Where else can you find a lively and relevant language, as it is normally used every day? Let your students experience the language as it is, and they will become proficient in noticing the linguistic "chunks" we are talking about.
One way to do this is through authentic videos through FluentU. FluentU takes real-world videos, such as music videos, movie trailers, news, and inspiring talks, and turns them into personalized language learning lessons. FluentU takes a step back from the traditional textbook approach and encourages students to learn languages in a more natural way.
2. Highlight the lexical snippets whenever you can.
At first, your students will have a hard time judging for themselves which words in the sentences come up as a group. It will be your job to highlight them.
For example, highlight snippets when writing sentences like:
“Time for a quick shower. "
"I do not like fast food. "
"The loss caused excruciating pain."
3. Translate fragments of the target language into English (and vice versa).
To bring the phrases to life for your class, try to give students an idea of what their equivalent expressions are in English (or whatever language you are teaching). This would open your eyes to the many cases where a particular lexical fragment is appropriate.
For example, the Spanish idiom "Between the sword and the wall", which literally means "between the sword and the wall" is the equivalent of the English expression "between a rock and a hard place". Highlight this in your discussions.
PROPÓSITOS Y OBJETIVOS
Purposes:
- Encourage reflection by students about the importance of learning a foreign language for your academic and professional life, understanding the experience as an opportunity for intercultural approach and personal enrichment.
- Promote in students attitudes typical of informed, critical and reflective to express their opinions and questions regarding the texts and topics proposed by the chair.
Goals:
Acquire knowledge of all aspects of the foreign language (vocabulary, structures
Syntactic, semantic and discursive relationships) necessary for the comprehension of written texts in their disciplinary field.
Develop autonomy regarding the selection and understanding of these
texts develop a repertoire of reading strategies and skills
Acquire vocabulary, syntactic structures and elements main discursives of the foreign language
Use the linguistic information in the text to arrive at its meaning
Understand the communicative value of a text
Use the content of the texts they read in order to write summaries and adaptations in Spanish.
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