ABSTRACT

Content-based instruction is a favoured methodology for approaching L2 language instruction. Although vocabulary development is one language area where advanced learners could grow, there is little research focusing on vocabulary instruction in content-based Spanish L2 courses at US universities. This study analyses a corpus of 25 hours of instruction comprising two upper-level culture courses and one upper-level linguistics course taught by three experienced instructors. Although the courses differed in content and the instructors’ pedagogical practices, all three offered opportunities for learners to increase vocabulary breadth and depth through lexical elaborations. Interactive lectures, review of content, and text-based discussions contributed to a higher number of elaborations. Moreover, students’ participation was fundamental to increasing the interactive nature of those elaborations. Findings show that specialised and general vocabulary as well as proper nouns and even new terms in English were targeted for elaboration. Overall, this study presents a positive view of the content-based classroom as a place for vocabulary development. The study further suggests that an even richer instructional context could be created by helping teachers become more aware of the need to plan for and implement classroom opportunities for increasing vocabulary knowledge.

摘要

基于内容的教学是接近 L2 语言教学的一种受欢迎的方法。尽管词汇发展是高级学习者可以成长的一个语言领域，但很少有研究关注美国大学基于内容的西班牙语 L2 课程中的词汇教学。本研究分析了一个 25 小时的教学语料库，包括两门高级文化课程和一门高级语言学课程，由三位经验丰富的教师教授。尽管这些课程在内容和教师的教学实践上有所不同，但这三门课程都为学习者提供了通过词汇阐述来增加词汇广度和深度的机会。交互式讲座、内容审查和基于文本的讨论促成了更多的阐述。而且，学生的参与对于增加这些阐述的互动性至关重要。调查结果表明，专门和一般词汇以及专有名词甚至是英语中的新术语都是阐述的目标。总体而言，本研究对基于内容的课堂作为词汇发展的场所提出了积极的看法。该研究进一步表明，通过帮助教师更加意识到需要规划和实施课堂机会以增加词汇知识，可以创造更丰富的教学环境。这项研究对基于内容的课堂作为词汇发展的场所提出了积极的看法。该研究进一步表明，通过帮助教师更加意识到需要规划和实施课堂机会以增加词汇知识，可以创造更丰富的教学环境。这项研究对基于内容的课堂作为词汇发展的场所提出了积极的看法。该研究进一步表明，通过帮助教师更加意识到需要规划和实施课堂机会以增加词汇知识，可以创造更丰富的教学环境。