Ma, Q: Second Language Vocabulary Acquisition

This book offers readers a basic grounding in L2 vocabulary acquisition. In addition, it provides theoretical analyses and empirical data regarding Chinese learners of English: their specific learning difficulties, needs, strategies, etc. The book provides an overview of the research in L2 vocabulary acquisition in the last two decades. Linguistic, psycholinguistic, socio-cultural, neurolinguistic, and corpus linguistics analyses are considered. The book constructs a comprehensive framework for Computer Assisted Vocabulary Learning (CAVL). This is achieved by providing an overview of vocabulary learning in CALL and then proposing a big framework within which most vocabulary learning programs can be conceptualized. The author then gives a detailed account of how Chinese learners approach English vocabulary learning. She provides an up-to-date picture of the overall situation regarding the language policies adopted, the traditional, orthodox approach to language learning, and the recent reforms implemented in Chinese universities. General and specific vocabulary learning difficulties encountered by Chinese learners are documented and analysed and empirical studies are reported.