The Academic Word List (AWL)

INTUIT Closing conference

30 January 2008

Riet Bettonviel –Tilburg University

Ruben Comadina Granson – Language Centre, University of Groningen

What is Academic Vocabulary?

Why activating and extending Academic Vocabulary?

Activating and Extending Academic Vocabulary

A corpus of over 400 written academic texts, about 3.5 million words.

Core academic vocabulary: the 570 words on the Academic Word List.

The words are divided into 10 sublists according to frequency.

Averil Coxhead’s AWL – Brief Introduction

Activating and Extending Academic Vocabulary

Activating and Extending Academic Vocabulary

Pilot University of Groningen

Introducing first-year IE&B students to AWL

AWL in Blackboard

First writing assignment

Teacher Feedback

Running first writing assignment through AWL Highlighter

Reflective Report

Activating and Extending Academic Vocabulary

Pilot University of Groningen

A.G.O.

– AIM: Students able to produce writing texts at an academic level.

– GOAL: Students become aware of, use, and apply academic vocabulary accordingly.

– OBJECTIVES:Students will expand their academic vocabulary using the AWL.

Activating and Extending Academic Vocabulary

Pilot University of Groningen

Findings

Aware of “academic vocabulary”Better use of lexisConfidence to activate passive vocabulary

Activating and Extending Academic Vocabulary

Pilot University of Groningen

Conclusions and Recommendations

Increase value through tool integrationRaise awarenessActivate passive vocabularySet new goals

Activating and Extending Academic Vocabulary

Pilot University of Groningen

The Future

Use in a variety of settingsFine-tuning through evaluationOur own version?

Activating and Extending Academic Vocabulary

Pilot Tilburg University

Pre-Master students

Sub Lists 1-7

Research Report

Texts from content courses

Test: Multiple Choice

Activating and Extending Academic Vocabulary

Pilot Tilburg University Aims

Academic Vocabulary within a context

Opportunity to practise

Passive knowledge (test)

Active knowledge (writing papers)

Awareness

Activating and Extending Academic Vocabulary

Pilot Tilburg University Evaluation

No (technical) problems (96%) Use of AWL Highlighter (55%)Better command of Academic Vocab (39%)Awareness increases (55%)Pay more attention to Acad. Vocab (55%)Prefer AWL system to regular rote learning (43%)Planning to use AWL in future (33%)

Activating and Extending Academic Vocabulary

Pilot Tilburg University

Conclusions

Translation lists vs. AWL (combination of the two)

In a contextNo major improvement in written workMore work (for students and teachers)Higher level of awareness

Activating and Extending Academic Vocabulary

Pilot Tilburg University

Future of AWL Highlighter

UvT List based on AWL (+ extra) Including:

Synonym(s)Translation (Dutch)Preposition(s)Word typeExample Sentence