Some words in English just go together. Ebb and flow, pros and cons, peanut butter and jelly. For English language learners, it’s kind of like a 2-for-1 sale. You learn one, you’re probably going to get the other. And though we are going to focus on English in this article, all languages have patterns, phrases, and structures that are frequently found together. And no matter what the language of study, mastering these combos will fast-track your learning.
The Lexical Approach to foreign language learning makes that concept of grouped words its core tenet – Look at words together, use their real contexts, and you’ll learn more. Its emphasis on teaching these language “chunks” is a bit of a cheat code for learners, as they are primed with knowledge of the word combos that appear again and again in daily life.
The Lexical Approach for Young Learners
Let’s look at how a Lexical Approach class for kindergarteners stacks up against a traditional language class. As an example, we’ll take the classic preschool favorite – farm animals. In a regular class, kids will see a picture of a sheep, repeat the word several times, “bah-aah-ahh-ahh” a bit, then move on to the next animal. With the Lexical Approach, the topic would be approached more holistically via an illustrated story. “The sheep is eating grass in the field. The grass is green. The sheep eats it.”
Here, words commonly found together, like sheep + field, field + grass, and green + grass, are taught and reviewed simultaneously. That is how the Lexical Approach puts the words in context with one another, providing more relevant associative information at once.
The Lexical Approach and Those Pesky Phrasal Verbs
Words like green + grass or peanut butter + jelly are usually pretty easy for language learners. There are other common combos, however, that are notoriously difficult. The most frustrating part about these is that native speakers use them abundantly, flawlessly, and likely without even knowing what they are. Why are these so hard to learn for non-native speakers? Because they make no sense.
Phrasal verbs are a combination of simple words (a verb + a participle) that when combined, mean something completely unrelated to what the actual words themselves mean. For example, let’s look at the phrase “Give up.” English students learn that “Give” means to transfer possession of something and that “Up” means higher or above. Put the two words together in the phrasal verb “Give up,” however, and that means to quit. Why? Don’t even ask why because you will drive yourself crazy inventing reasons.
You may be thinking – Okay, so “Give up” is weird. Big deal. Here’s why it’s a big deal and the torment of so many English learners. It doesn’t stop with “Give up.” There is “Give off,” “Give in,” “Give out,” “Give back,” “Give way,” “Give in to (temptation),” etc. And that is just for the verb “Give.” There are thousands more for “Take,” “Put,” “Go,” etc.
So what does the Lexical Approach do for overcoming phrasal verbs and the madness that is the English language? First off, it gets ahead of the problem by acknowledging that phrasal verbs are a pitfall for learners. It makes specific phrasal verb teaching and “word chunks” an important part of its program. Then it hammers them into your memory.
Typical Lesson
4th Grade English class for native Portuguese speakers
Topic: Phrasal Verbs with the word “Make”
- Introduction of Phrasal verbs. Students copy and repeat, asking questions as needed.
Examples: Make over – to transform or remodel something/someone
Make off with – to steal or capture something
Make out – to visualize or see something
Make up – to invent a story
Make up to – to compensate for something
Etc.
- Role-play
In groups, students create a skit that features as many of the “Make” phrasal verbs as possible. Students then present to the class in groups.
- Word Hunt
Students are given copies of a modern text and asked to circle as many possible phrasal verbs as they can. The class then discusses who found what, and the meanings of each.
Role of the Teacher
The teacher must have an extremely strong grasp of the language for the Lexical Approach, as a lot of it is nuance and explaining the unexplainable. This is a more teacher-centric approach than other methodologies, and also requires more pre-class preparation of relevant materials.
Positives
- Students learn useful, natural-sounding ways of speaking/writing;
- Vocabulary retention is usually higher because students associate words with others;
- Increased student confidence in speaking, knowing they are “doing it the right way.”
Negatives
- Potential gaps in learning, as many topics are combined rather than explained slowly and individually;
- Can be challenging to assess students, especially individual performance;
- An overreliance on contexts can leave students confused when the words/phrases appear in different situations.
Final Thoughts
The Lexical Approach provides authentic language skills as quickly as possible, and it’s hard to ask for more than that from a language learning system. That being said, using exclusively the Lexical Approach can overwhelm students, especially beginners or young learners, and the concepts of associative learning work best when combined with other methodologies.
