Esp vocabulary Teaching at the Vocational Secondary School of Furniture Industry

1.4. Teaching approaches

Teaching methods discussed above are closely linked with teaching approaches. Whereas teaching methods are collections of individual teaching techniques, systematic sets of teaching practices based on the appropriate theory of language learning, teaching approaches are the ways through which the teaching methods are achieved. The examples of some approaches are above all the Lexical approach (Lewis, 3), Communicative approach (Harmer, 41-42) and Eclectic approach (Halvorson, 11).

1.4.1. Lexical approach

Lexical approach is based on the idea that a significant part of language acquisition is the ability to make lexical phrases in chunks (pairs or groups of words which are usually found together or in a close proximity). In this way language consists of chunks and they, in the form of combinations, make up a coherent text. Language is viewed predominantly as lexis rather than a combination of grammar structures and vocabulary. Stress is put on vocabulary as the main carrier of meaning, but this concept is moved from words to lexis. The goal is to achieve fluency and accuracy through acquisition of a large storage of fixed or semi-fixed prefabricated items. Lexical approach puts a big stress on spoken language rather than on writing. Activities are based on target language / mother tongue comparison and translation with looking for equivalents from mother tongue. Meaning of vocabulary might be guessed from context. Language patterns/collocations are noticed and noted into systematically organized notebooks. Students are supported to work with monolingual dictionaries, which provide good base for active manage of a language. Listening skill is stressed and developed at lower levels while at higher levels it is predominantly reading: mostly short texts read in class and extensive reading (articles chosen because of personal interest or for pleasure). Various texts are used for different purposes. The motto of this approach according to Thornbury (13) may be: “Without grammar little can be conveyed, without vocabulary nothing can be conveyed.”