Prof. Dr. Vanessa De Wilde (University Ghent)
Vocabulary knowledge is a cornerstone of second language (L2) development and plays a crucial role in learners’ ability to communicate effectively. This lecture examines how young and adolescent learners acquire L2 vocabulary across a variety of learning contexts, with particular attention to language learning beyond the classroom, before or alongside formal instruction. The lecture will compare vocabulary learning across different foreign languages and learning contexts, highlighting similarities and differences in the opportunities learners encounter and the outcomes they achieve. Attention will also be given to developmental trajectories, examining how vocabulary knowledge evolves over time from childhood to adolescence and what factors help explain variation between learners. Finally, the lecture considers why some words are learned more easily than others by examining the role of word-related variables (e.g. frequency and cognateness). By bringing together evidence from longitudinal and cross-sectional studies, the lecture tries to shed light on L2 vocabulary
learning in young and adolescent L2 learners.
