Some researchers have proposed grouping English prefixes and suffixes to facilitate learning and define possible constraints on affix acquisition. They have also advocated teaching one word formation process before introducing another. In order to make teaching and learning of English prefixes and suffixes more systematic, Bauer and Nation (1993) organized them into a series of levels based on their productivity, frequency, regularity, and predictability and stated that this classification might provide “a consistent description of what should be considered to be part of a word family for readers at different levels of morphological awareness”. Schmitt and Boyd Zimmerman (2002) noted that since English inflectional suffixes are regular and predictable, they are likely to be more easily acquired, and so the emphasis in language instruction for ELL students should be placed on derivational suffixes as the rules to create derived forms of words in English are not always straightforward, and language learners might have trouble with identifying them (Schmitt & Boyd Zimmerman, 2002). Language teachers should also keep in mind that “many complex words are not based on regular, frequent patterns and are best learned as unanalyzed wholes” (Nation, 2001, p. 274).

Another way to reinforce derivational morphology among ELL students is to provide them with appropriate language input through reading. Schmitt and Boyd Zimmerman (2002) suggested using academic texts to help ELL students learn derivational affixes. These texts are usually rich in morphologically complex words, and so they might give language learners exposure to a variety of derivational suffixes. But this suggestion may be useful for advanced second language learners, not the beginners.

There has also been a movement in the area of teaching morphological processes to introduce new vocabulary items in conjunction with other members of their word families rather than teaching words in isolation. Bauer and Nation (1993) proposed introducing new vocabulary items along with their derived forms, and suggested that “teaching govern and then briefly pointing out the possibilities of governor, government, and ungovernable is much less work than teaching each of these as a separate item” (p. 264). Schmitt (2000) agreed with using this technique and stated that with this strategy, teachers can “maximize vocabulary learning” and get students accustomed to discussing word derivations on a regular basis (p. 148). Abstract  Vocabulary teaching has long been a hot topic in the field of English teaching as a foreign language (ETFL). This paper examines the use of vocabulary teaching strategies by an English teacher in a private junior high school, who implemented an extracurricular vocabulary expansion plan. Classroom observation is used to record the teacher’s vocabulary teaching process and content, and an interview is given during the implementation for reasons behind the teaching behavior. The data reveals that the teacher used vocabulary teaching strategies consciously, including teaching vocabulary in context, teaching collocations and word-formation and using combination of explicit and implicit approaches. The combination of explicit and implicit approaches could be a result of teaching experience, hence an unconscious act. From this it follows that English teachers may be dominated by their teaching experience giving their instructions, that vocabulary teaching strategies indeed play an extremely important role in vocabulary teaching, and that the connection between extracurricular vocabulary and the content of textbook is to be established.

Key words: vocabulary teaching strategy; explicit approaches; implicit approaches; collocations; word-formation; teaching in context 

词汇教学策略及延伸：一个课外词汇拓展案例的研究

摘  要词汇教学在英语教学当中一直是一个热门话题。因此，在本篇论文中，笔者以一个私立初中英语教师的课外词汇拓展计划为研究个案，对词汇教学策略的使用情况进行了研究。运用了课堂观察法与访谈法，记录她词汇教学的过程和内容，探寻这位教师教学行为背后的目的。数据显示，此教师在教学过程中，采纳了语境教学、搭配教学、构词法教学与显性隐性结合教学法等四种教学策略。尽管显性隐性结合教学法是教师凭经验无意中使用，这些数据还是能说明这位教师是在有意识地运用词汇教学策略。据此，笔者得出三个结论：1. 英语教师在授课过程中可能受制于以往教学经验；2. 词汇教学策略在词汇教学中起着至关重要的作用。3.这位教师如果能够建立起课外词汇与书本内容的有机联系，教学效果应该会更好。 词汇教学策略及延伸课外词汇拓展案例的研究(3):http://www.youerw.com/yingyu/lunwen_55110.html