Page 38 - Apuntes de Investigación en la Enseñanza de Idiomas

22 Apuntes de Investigación en la Enseñanza de Idiomas

A vocabulary notebook refers to “a notebook kept by each learner specifically for the purpose of re-
cording new and useful lexical items” (Fowle, 2002, p. 381). In addition, vocabulary notebooks have
been also implemented to expand rehearsal with the words selected in the notebook as a way to
enrich words at the receptive level and move them to the productive level (Shmith & Shmitt, 1995).

Methodology

The research paradigm is based on mixed methods, since quantitative and qualitative data will be
gathered. There was a period of intervention that makes this project an action-research study. As
stated above, the research was carried out in the School of Philosophy and Literature and the BA in
Language Teaching more specifically. Participants were in the 5 semester and the intervention took
th
place in the Critical Reading Class. Students were explained what a vocabulary notebook consisted
of and how they had to keep it along the semester. They were required to read for ten minutes every
day and select two words to explore them. The teacher checked the notebooks every exam period.
In addition, they were asked about the words they remembered from their notebooks. At the end
of the semester the teacher asked them their opinions and perceptions of having kept a vocabulary
notebook. Data collected from the notebooks were quantified in terms of number of words students
remembered after exploring them. Students’ perceptions were codified in order to find categories
which could give us insights of the effects of this intervention on what students thought of academic
vocabulary and how they learnt it.

Preliminary results

Preliminary results show that although students explored many words that they kept in their vocab-
ulary notebooks, they were not able to remember all of them. It is very likely due to scarce rehearsal
activities in order for students to remember words with less difficulty. On the other hand, students
commented that it was the first time they kept a vocabulary notebook, as it was required in this proj-
ect. In addition, they found that exploring academic words this way was of great advantage; first, to
know words they did not know, and second, to increase their vocabulary to eventually, get more from
academic articles in terms of comprehension.

Preliminary conclusions
With this Project it is expected to get insights to show the value and importance of vocabulary note-
books not only to increase students’ vocabulary but also to change their thoughts about the neces-
sity of knowing such vocabulary to develop academic competencies and therefore, access to target
communities of practice.