Prior research has supported the development of language through interaction (e.g. Swain, Brooks & Tocalli Beller, 2002; Swain, 2005). Following Sociocultural theory (SCT) notions (Vygotsky, 1978), metatalk (MT) is claimed to be a specific aspect of interaction that leads to language development (e.g. Swain & Lapkin, 2002; Swain, 2005). This study takes a step further to explore the relationship between MT and language development by inquiring specifically about vocabulary development. Learners of Spanish as a second language completed a dictogloss activity and their interactions were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed. The analysis of lexical language-related episodes (LLREs) was carried out by adopting Sociocultural theory as a theoretical framework in order to trace lexical development in interaction through MT. Conclusions indicate that (1) because MT is a cognitive and semiotic tool that enables lexical development by means of participation in socially-mediated activities it is comparable to other forms of speech in their mediation functions and potential; (2) learners’ MT included the analysis of meaning, spelling, pronunciation, and word function, and reflected SCT concepts such as agency, situatedness, and task versus activity that explain their reliance on the word depth knowledge construct; and (3) SCT principles (e.g. roles, regulation) provide a window into learners’ transformation and imminent development during MT. Inferencing strategies and interaction features contribute further details to the analysis of how MT unfolds. New categories describing MT in interaction emerged from the data and illustrate how learners object-regulate and position themselves in the task. These results provide a detailed account of how MT occurs in collaborative settings to mediate vocabulary knowledge. This research contributes to the study of L2 vocabulary learning through the application of SCT. / text

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The focus of this dissertation is the development and testing of a CALL tool which assists learners of German with the extensive reading of German texts of their choice. The application provides functionality that enables learners to acquire new vocabulary, analyse the meaning of complex word forms and to study a word’s semantic and syntactic features with the help of corpora and online resources. It is also designed to enable instructors to create meaningful exercises to be used in classroom activities focusing on vocabulary acquisition and word formation rules. The detailed description of the software development and implementation is preceded by a review of the relevant literature in the areas of German morphology and word formation, second language acquisition and vocabulary acquisition in particular, studies on the benefits of extensive reading, the role of motivation in second language learning, CALL, and natural language processing technologies. The user study presented at the end of this dissertation shows how a first test group of learners was able to use the application for individual reading projects and presents the results of an evaluation of the software conducted by three German instructors assessing the affordances of the applications for students and potential applications for language instructors.

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This study investigates the association of vocabulary development and reading comprehension, focusing principally on the contribution of context to vocabulary depth learning. Research into reading for vocabulary learning has typically emphasized the learning of discrete items as though they were unrelated. Adopting the viewpoint of cognitive linguistics, this study assumes a cognitively motivated relationship inherent in these to-be-learned items, and thus defines vocabulary depth in terms of the ability to recognize the inclusion and membership properties of semantic categories occurring in a text. In other words, what distinguishes this study from others is its emphasis on extent to which learners are able to recognize the hierarchical relations (inclusion) and internal category structure (membership) of the lexical items found in a text. The research was conducted in a real classroom setting using procedures that are pedagogically valid. This is believed to be the optimal context for revealing the genuine nature of second language learning. Specifically, a Freshman English course incorporating extensive reading as one of its requirements was selected for this investigation since successful reading at advanced level depends upon recovering the instantial categories (i.e. those that exist in some particular instance) established in the text. To compare the effects of the original and alternate encoding options, a selected text was modified structurally and paratactically so as to enable a comparison of the extent to which text structure is associated with comprehension, when comprehension is defined in terms of the ability to recognize inclusion and membership. In addition, the rhetorical properties present in the original text were also taken into account in order to investigate whether common rhetorical properties could result in more successful recognition of category membership and whether distinct rhetorical properties could lead to more successful differentiation of degrees of category membership.

Vocabulary plays an important role in language and literacy development. However, little is known about vocabulary development in young children who need to learn an official or majority language, in addition to a minority language spoken at home. This dissertation concerned English (majority) and Armenian (minority) vocabulary development in young bilingual children. First, a parallel bilingual vocabulary test was developed, which included picture identification and picture naming tasks to assess listening (receptive) and speaking (expressive) vocabularies in the two languages. Then, the vocabulary test was used to compare bilingual vocabulary growth and examine individual differences in vocabulary performance. Twenty Junior and twenty-two Senior Kindergarten bilingual children were tested twice on the vocabulary tasks over a six-month interval. Information was also obtained on environmental (parental education, Armenian/English language exposure) and child characteristics (nonverbal cognitive abilities, phonological short-term memory) related to vocabulary development, as potential predictors of individual vocabulary performances. Children showed growth over time in all four vocabulary tasks. However, less growth was observed in Armenian expressive than in Armenian receptive, English receptive, and English expressive vocabulary. Children had high exposure to Armenian at home; however, consistent with their exposure to English through peers, most were proficient in English vocabulary. The findings suggest a preference to use English and the influential role of English language exposure on higher proficiency in English vocabulary. These findings imply a potential risk for Armenian language maintenance, which warrants future studies. English language exposure and phonological short-term memory were both unique predictors of English vocabulary, whereas Armenian language exposure was the only unique predictor of Armenian vocabulary. Therefore, providing additional minority language exposure might be the best way to enhance and maintain minority vocabulary and language. This dissertation had three novel contributions. It provided a sound and replicable method to develop a bilingual vocabulary test in other minority languages. The vocabulary test made it possible to compare performance across minority and majority languages directly and confidently for the first time. Finally, the relative values of four different characteristics were examined in predicting individual differences in minority and majority vocabulary performances.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Toronto, 2005.

Thesis (M.S.)--Eastern Illinois University, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 61-65).

Thesis (Ed. D.)--University of Oregon, 2008. / Typescript. Includes vita and abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 75-79). Also available online in Scholars' Bank; and in ProQuest, free to University of Oregon users.