ABSTRACT
The availability of corpora has greatly strengthened the possibilities of identifying high-frequency lexical items in a more systematic and objective manner than has typically been used for vocabulary instruction. This article adopts a corpus-based approach to accommodate the vocabulary instructional needs of students enrolled in university reading support courses. The adopted model identifies high-frequency interdisciplinary academic vocabulary and their functions in authentic academic language with the support of the Word and Phrase Tool (WPT). Considering academic vocabulary to be an interrelated feature of academic language, as opposed to a series of isolated items, the instructional model shows how the use of this tool, in connection with a well-designed selection process, can advance the capabilities of instructors while doing justice to the dual necessities of depth and brevity.
Disclosure Statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Timothy S. Nelson
Timothy S. Nelson is a faculty member at Middle Tennessee State University where he teaches and coordinates reading support courses in the University Studies department. He earned his PhD in Literacy Studies from Middle Tennessee State University. His research interests include academic vocabulary and language, speech rhythm sensitivity, and student success.
Mohammed Albakry
Mohammed Albakry is Professor of English and Applied Linguistics in the English Department and Affiliate Faculty in the Literacy Studies PhD Program at Middle Tennessee State University. He completed his PhD in Applied Linguistics at Northern Arizona University. His research in language studies is interdisciplinary and often takes up the intersection between language and identity, language and education, and discourse and society.