Which is more important: learning grammar or learning vocabulary?
Clearly, no-one can claim to speak a foreign language unless they have mastery of both its essential grammar and its essential vocabulary. But the question here is: Should the learner focus more on acquiring grammatical knowledge or on acquiring an extensive wordstore?
Over the last few decades vocabulary has been neglected at the expense of grammar in a majority of the published English language teaching courses. This focus will probably continue in most EFL situations, but in ESL situations, such as at Frankfurt International School, there is a growing understanding of the centrality of vocabulary. Certainly, to achieve academic success the ESL student, like all students, must be able to read quickly and with comprehension. A large vocabulary is a necessary condition of efficient reading.
It is true that a mastery of basic grammar is also a necessary condition of academic success in an ESL situation. To a large extent, however, grammar acquisition in such situations can take place without much directed learning or teaching. It is clear, therefore, that ESL students need to focus on the explicit learning of the large amount of vocabulary that they need to do well in their subject classes, particularly academic vocabulary. So for them, learning vocabulary is more important than learning grammar.
Following are citations from research literature that support the above claim:
".. vocabulary is perhaps the most important component in L2 ability." (Folse)
"While without grammar very little can be conveyed, without vocabulary nothing can be conveyeyed." (Wilkins)
"Research has shown .. that a lack of vocabulary knowledge is the largest obstacle for second-language readers to overcome." (Huckin and Bloch)
"Nonnative speakers must have good reading skills if they expect to have any chance of academic success. Numerous researchers have shown the relationship between vocabulary knowledge and reading ability." (Folse)
Clearly, no-one can claim to speak a foreign language unless they have mastery of both its essential grammar and its essential vocabulary. But the question here is: Should the learner focus more on acquiring grammatical knowledge or on acquiring an extensive wordstore?
Over the last few decades vocabulary has been neglected at the expense of grammar in a majority of the published English language teaching courses. This focus will probably continue in most EFL situations, but in ESL situations, such as at Frankfurt International School, there is a growing understanding of the centrality of vocabulary. Certainly, to achieve academic success the ESL student, like all students, must be able to read quickly and with comprehension. A large vocabulary is a necessary condition of efficient reading.
It is true that a mastery of basic grammar is also a necessary condition of academic success in an ESL situation. To a large extent, however, grammar acquisition in such situations can take place without much directed learning or teaching. It is clear, therefore, that ESL students need to focus on the explicit learning of the large amount of vocabulary that they need to do well in their subject classes, particularly academic vocabulary. So for them, learning vocabulary is more important than learning grammar.
Following are citations from research literature that support the above claim:
".. vocabulary is perhaps the most important component in L2 ability." (Folse)
"While without grammar very little can be conveyed, without vocabulary nothing can be conveyeyed." (Wilkins)
"Research has shown .. that a lack of vocabulary knowledge is the largest obstacle for second-language readers to overcome." (Huckin and Bloch)
"Nonnative speakers must have good reading skills if they expect to have any chance of academic success. Numerous researchers have shown the relationship between vocabulary knowledge and reading ability." (Folse)
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