INTRODUCTION

Research on second language acquisition can be interpreted to show that a well-balanced language course should contain four major strands: meaning-focused input, meaning-focused output, fluency development and language-focused instruction. The inclusion of a language-focused instruction strand is not a reaction to communicative approaches but is the result of research findings that courses that contain such a strand are likely to achieve better results than courses that do not contain such a strand (Long, 1988; Ellis, 1990). For most second language learners, language-focused vocabulary instruction is an essential part of a language course.

The aim of this article is to show how the vocabulary component of a language course fits into these four strands. The assumption is that vocabulary growth is such an important part of language acquisition that it deserves to be planned for, deliberately controlled and monitored. There is a growing body of theory and research findings that can guide us in doing this.

VOCABULARY AND MEANING-FOCUSED INPUT

Reading has long been seen as a major source of vocabulary growth. Research indicates that, for several reasons, there is a fragility to this kind of learning. First, research with native speakers of English shows that the amount of vocabulary learning that occurs during the reading of a text is rather small (Nagy, Herman, & Anderson, 1985). It is necessary to use sensitive tests of vocabulary knowledge to show any learning at all.