The Role of Frequency in the Elementary Foreign Language Classroom

Abstract

Researchers state that the number of times a learner encounters a word may contribute to its acquisition (Nagy, Herman, & Anderson, 1985; Pigada & Schmitt, 2006; Rott, 1999; Webb, 2007). The current study seeks to find out whether there is a relationship between specific frequency – that is, the number of times a word occurs in a text – and vocabulary learning. Contrary to most frequency studies, a more ecological perspective is proposed here. Specific-frequency effects on vocabulary acquisition are studied under classroom conditions. A group of fourteen nine-year-old students of EFL in their forth year of Elementary Education are tested on vocabulary contained in their coursebook. Both written and oral occurrences are taken into consideration. Receptive and productive vocabulary knowledge is assessed by means of immediate and delayed tests. Results suggest that specific frequency has a significant effect on delayed retention, though it does not seem to make a difference in immediate retention. The learning context may have an influence on the results obtained. That is, other factors such as saliency can be more relevant in the formal context where the study was carried out. Therefore, it is recommended a combination of intensive and extensive repetition, plus focus on meaning-form link in order to profit from the formal context where vocabulary learning is taking place.