Technology and Vocabulary

Abstract

Vocabulary knowledge is one of the most important components of L2 proficiency (Schmitt, 2010). At the same time, the acquisition of L2 vocabulary is particularly challenging because it is item-based as opposed to rule-based acquisition of grammar. That is to say that vocabulary items (words and multiword units) need to be learned one-by-one, which requires repeated exposure and practice. Furthermore, learners need to be actively engaged with the target lexical items for them to be committed to memory and eventually acquired. With the exponential growth of technological applications for L2 learning in recent years, many tools and methods have come to the aid of learners by increasing both the frequency of exposure and the level of engagement.