The vocabulary demands of reading information pamphlets

Abstract

This study examined one type of authentic text - namely public information pamphlets. The aim was to assess their value as reading material for language learning through extensive reading. The theoretical framework for this is the view that it is acquisition of language through extensive use that is responsible for the development of fluency in second or foreign language learning. Vocabulary is the aspect of reading such texts which is investigated in this study, since the research suggests that lexical knowledge is the most decisive factor in reading comprehension after the initial stage of language learning. The study examined first, the lexical coverage of the texts by a 2000 head word vocabulary, using the General Service List (West 1953), and a recent revision, the New Second 1000 Word List (Hwang 1989). Secondly, the occurrences and use of words outside this 2000 word vocabulary were examined. The results of the study showed that information pamphlets provide good material for relatively advanced learners for language acquisition through reading. The lexical coverage of one sub-group of texts by the 2000 head word vocabulary, came close to 95% of the running words in the texts. Laufer (1986), estimates that this coverage gives satisfactory comprehension, and thus provides comprehensible input which would make further language learning through reading possible. When texts had been specifically written with the intention of communicating important information to a wide audience, this was reflected in a high coverage by the 2000 head word vocabulary. The length of individual texts did not affect the coverage. Words outside the 2000 head word vocabulary of the Base Lists were examined in the study. The most frequently occurring of these outside words often occurred in the headings and the subheadings of different sections of the texts. Thus teachers and learners are able to identity, in advance, important but probably unknown words by scanning headings. In addition a substantial number of outside words occurred in places in the texts where contextual help was present to enable readers to work out word meaning from the context. This contextual help was often in the form of paraphrase, exemplification, definition, synonymy, comparison and illustration. The findings of the study provide information which can guide both teachers and learners in their selecting of authentic reading material, and their approach to vocabulary in such material.