Spring 2019

In this Spring 2019 edition, Helena Lustenberger’s fascinating interview with Professor David Crystal sets the scene for a Focus on Vocabulary. This lexical journey then takes us forward with Hannah McCulloch in conversation with Professor Paul Nation, a prominent figure in the field of vocabulary research, one whose tireless work and dedication spans decades, and who continues to influence teachers and classrooms across the globe. Then we move to Scott Thornbury’s consideration of Michael Lewis’s lexical approach and the impact it has had on second language learning 25 years after it was first proposed. The content overview below illustrates the diversity of the articles that we hope will encourage and inspire you to experiment with vocabulary teaching in your own classrooms.

Table of Contents


14 The Interview: Professor David Crystal

On bridging the vocabulary gap, the failure of traditional dictionaries, and semantic targeting

FOCUS: Current trends in teaching vocabulary 

18 Introduction

19 Interview with Professor Paul Nation
On the four strands, extensive reading, and more

21 Scott Thornbury
Revisiting The Lexical Approach

24 Julie Moore
Four principles for creating vocabulary activities

26 Leo Selivan
Experimental vocabulary practice

28 Penny Ur
Vocabulary review: just reminding is not enough

31 Andrew Walkley 

Lexical sets

The problem of lexical sets as an organising principle for courses and what we might do about it

34 Gillian Pelton Saito
Vocabulary acquisition and use in a Japanese university class

36 Walton Burns
Harnessing social learning and metacognition to introduce new words

38 Amy Jost
Experience is the best teacher: teaching legal English vocabulary 101

40 Dewi Williams
Teaching lexically. A workshop with Hugh Dellar

42 Susanna Schwab
Current trends in teaching vocabulary (2019) Guidelines, principles, and playful activities for vocabulary teaching and learning

45 Geoff Tranter
Vocabulary work in advanced groups
The “who” and the “what” that establishes what vocabulary work in the classroom actually means.

48  Elsbeth Mäder 

Versatile Vocabulary

And more …

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Articles