Collaborative construction of word knowledge in vocabulary-related group activities in the ESL classroom

The present study examined the issue of second language vocabulary learning from a sociocultural theoretical framework. The purpose was to research vocabulary learning in situations in which learners collaboratively construct word knowledge through discourse. The participants in this study were seven adult ESL learners in an Intensive English Program. Data were collected in an intermediate reading class throughout a five-week session. The vocabulary was academic in nature.; The participants were videotaped in the classroom as they talked about unfamiliar words they encountered in readings. The learners also participated in follow-up activities (quizzes, reviews, and games) and were videotaped as the explained words. The researcher transcribed and coded the data in order to single out vocabulary-related episodes (VRE), series of turns in conversation in which the participants' aim is to construct knowledge about one vocabulary item. A total of 76 VREs were analyzed to identify both conversational features of peer-collaboration in vocabulary tasks and cognitive features and their relevance to the development of word knowledge.; The researcher observed that expertise was shared among participants, determining the way in which the learners assisted each other. The participants used both linguistic and non-linguistic forms of assistance. The learners activated cognitive strategies that helped them through the process. The strategies identified by the researcher were "elaboration" strategies (Lawson and Hogben, 1996). Of the aspects of word knowledge (form, meaning, and use), the participants concentrated mostly on meaning.; Further, the analysis constituted a means to identify evidence of learning. The learners spontaneously demonstrated that they had developed knowledge in 26 VREs. However, an analysis of the follow-ups revealed that they learners demonstrated knowledge development when asked in the quizzes, reviews, and games. Thus, the lack of evidence in all VREs does not imply that the learners did not gain knowledge through participation in the activities. The researcher also identify features that facilitated and constrained understanding of word form, meaning, and use. The participants took advantage of the affordances (van Lier, 2000) generated by the task, using each other's expertise, the tools available to them, and the instructor's assistance to develop knowledge about the words.