Formulaic Sequences and Their Relationship with Speaking and Listening Abilities

Foreign-language (FL) learners are faced with the challenge of acquiring a large vocabulary.Research has shown that the acquisition of formulaic sequences (FS) and collocationsis one of the biggest lexical challenges for foreign language learners. Researchersand teachers alike acknowledge the importance of learning FS in the FL classroombecause FS serve a number of communicative functions; they are ubiquitous in language;they allow more fluency in language output and their use makes FL learners come acrossas more proficient (Barfield and Gyllstad 2009; Boers et al. 2006; Schmitt 2008: 340).This paper reports on three studies that explore the effect of different pedagogic interventionson the acquisition of formulaic sequences and collocations. The pedagogic implicationsof the research findings are discussed in detail.

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Eye movements in vocabulary research

10.26686/wgtn.13670605 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Ana Pellicer-Sánchez ◽

Anna Siyanova

Keyword(s):

Eye Movements ◽

Eye Tracking ◽

Future Research ◽

Auditory Input ◽

Major Research ◽

Research Gaps ◽

Comprehensive Overview ◽

Formulaic Sequences ◽

Online Processing ◽

Research Findings

Abstract The field of vocabulary research is witnessing a growing interest in the use of eye-tracking to investigate topics that have traditionally been examined using offline measures, providing new insights into the processing and learning of vocabulary. During an eye-tracking experiment, participants’ eye movements are recorded while they attend to written or auditory input, resulting in a rich record of online processing behaviour. Because of its many benefits, eye-tracking is becoming a major research technique in vocabulary research. However, before this emerging trend of eye-tracking based vocabulary research continues to proliferate, it is important to step back and reflect on what current studies have shown about the processing and learning of vocabulary, and the ways in which we can use the technique in future research. To this aim, the present paper provides a comprehensive overview of current eye-tracking research findings, both in terms of the processing and learning of single words and formulaic sequences. Current research gaps and potential avenues for future research are also discussed.

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