| Despite considerable research on vocabulary learning, little is known about how teachers use language to convey vocabulary meaning and how it affects language development, particularly of second language learners. Based on a micro-analysis of instructional discourse in which vocabulary meanings were explicitly discussed with third-grade children, this study considered the possible influence of that discourse experience on the development of the children's English. The analysis focused on the language of four skilled teachers during two reading lessons. One target lesson in each class was directed to a group composed primarily of native and/or relatively fluent English speakers. The other was directed to a group with less fluency in English. The non-native English speakers were primarily from Asian or Latino backgrounds.;The study revealed that sequences of discourse about word meanings were generally well-marked, structured, and routine--in essence, mini-lessons within a lesson. These sequences were called "definition episodes" for the purposes of this study. Further analysis of definition episodes revealed the richness of the language that these teachers used to present word meanings. Three sets of teacher discourse strategies for conveying vocabulary meaning were identified: (1) "definition discourse strategies" were used to manage the discussion of vocabulary meanings; (2) "defining strategies" were used to convey meaning in a variety of ways; and (3) "comprehensibility strategies" were used to make the discussions as comprehensible as possible. It was argued that syntactic routines associated with these strategies, and the overall structure of definition episodes, have important implications for children's acquisition of English syntax as well as vocabulary. Possible pedagogical implications and directions for future research were also discussed. |
