Vocabulary through affixes and word families -- A Computer-Assisted Language Learning program for adult ELL students

Vocabulary plays an important role in language learning of ELL (English Language Learner) students. This work discusses the importance of metalinguistic awareness in teaching vocabulary to adult English Language Learners at an intermediate- or advanced-level of English language proficiency with an emphasis on learning vocabulary through word families and increased morphological awareness. The main contribution is a computer-based program that guides users through a series of interactive reading and vocabulary practice exercises which allow them to explore and learn how certain words are connected through word families and how some of the most common affixes in English can affect the meaning and grammatical function of words. Unlike most existing Computer-Assisted Language Learning systems, the number of vocabulary practice exercises it can produce is unlimited, as is the range of reading materials it can analyze, including text supplied by the users.