1.
History of Lexical approach:
PPt: analysing lexical units rather than grammatical structures
The lexical approach is a way of analysing and teaching language based on the idea that it is
made up of lexical units rather than grammatical structures. The units are words, chunks formed
by collocations, and fixed phrases.
PPt: Published by Michael Lewis in 1993
Although the principles of the Lexical Approach have been around since Michael Lewis
published 'The Lexical Approach' 10 years ago. Many teachers and researchers do not have a
clear idea of what the Lexical Approach actually looks like in practice.
Since the publication of the “Lexical Approach” by Michael Lewis in 1993, Language teaching
practices have been widely reviewed and discussed. So what are the features of the Lexical
Approach? Is it a revolution in the profession of language teaching or just an evolution? What
are its claims? How can it be implemented in the classroom?
PPT: In mid-twentieth century, drilling of linguistic and phonological structures, with vocabulary
items introduced only as needed to make the drills possible (DeCarrico, 2001).
For most of the twentieth century, second language instruction was centered around the teaching
of grammatical structure. The emphasis on structure reached its peak at mid-century with the
Audiolingual Method, which emphasized the drilling of linguistic and phonological structures,
with vocabulary items introduced only as needed to make the drills possible.
2. Goal of Lexical approach:
PPt: Lexical chunks and phrases is common in English counting for 55-80% of native speakers'
speech
PPt: Responsibility for learning onto the learner
The teaching of chunks and set phrases has become common in English as a foreign or second
language, though this is not necessarily primarily due to the Lexical Approach. This is because
anywhere from 55-80% of native speakers' speech are derived from prefabricated phrases.
Fluency could be considered unachievable if one did not learn prefabricated chunks or
expressions.
The Lexical Approach share a concern for "shifting responsibility for learning onto the learner".
lexical approaches is their emphasis on authentic language. Because the vocabulary items and
collocations to be taught are selected from corpora samples, they represent language as it is used
in "real life" by native speakers.
3. Characteristics of Lexical approach:
PPt: the Lexical Approach centers on the teaching of collocations, or "the way words combine in
predictable ways" (Hill, 2000, p. 47).
Unlike other methods, which may organize language instruction around grammar, functions,
notions, or situations, the Lexical Approach centers on the teaching of collocations, or "the way
words combine in predictable ways" (Hill, 2000, p. 47).
PPt: Two basic types: Grammatical collocations and Lexical collocations
DeCarrico (2001) classifies collocations into two basic types:
Grammatical collocations, in which a noun, verb, or adjective occurs with a grammatical word,
usually a preposition (e.g., rely on, afraid of, by accident, in retrospect).
Lexical collocations, which do not contain grammatical words, but consist of combinations of
nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs. Hill (2000, p. 51) offers the following examples of lexical
collocations:
Example:
adjective + noun a huge profit
noun + noun a pocket calculator
verb + adjective + noun learn a foreign language
verb + adverb live dangerously
adverb + verb half understood
adverb + adjective completely soaked
Lexical Approach advocates point out that without attention to collocations, English language
learners are prone to make mistakes such as the following:
Example:
Be careful. That snake is toxic.
We will sever this class because it is too large.
A Ferrari is a very potent car. (Conzett, 2000, p. 73)
4. Principles of Lexical approach:
Principle 1 - Grammaticalised Lexis
Principle 2 - Collocation in action.
PPt: Grammaticalised Lexis: The basic principle of the lexical approach, then, is: "Language is
grammaticalised lexis, not lexicalised grammar" (Lewis 1993).
Lexis is central in creating meaning, grammar plays a subservient managerial role. If you accept
this principle then the logical implication is that we should spend more time helping learners
develop their stock of phrases, and less time on grammatical structures.
Example:
Chris: Carlos tells me Naomi fancies him.
Ivor: It's just a figment of his imagination.
According to the theory we have just outlined, it is not the case that Ivor has accessed 'figment'
and 'imagination' from his vocabulary store and then accessed the structure: it + to be + adverb +
article + noun + of + possessive adjective + noun from the grammar store. It is more likely that
Ivor has accessed the whole chunk in one go. We have, in Peters' words, in addition to
vocabulary and grammar stores, a 'phrasebook with grammatical notes'. Probably, the chunk is
stored something like this: It is/was + (just/only) + a figment of + possessive + imagination
PPt: Collocation in action: refering to a 'large theme' in the thesis.
This sounded ugly, but there is nothing intrinsically ugly about either word, it's just a strange
combination to a native-speaker ear. In the Lexical Approach, sensitising students to acceptable
collocations is very important, so you might find this kind of task: Underline the word which
does not collocate with 'theme': main theme / large theme / important theme / central theme /
major theme
Example:
Complete the following sentences with as many different words as you can.
(a) The Lexical Approach has had a strong…………….on me.
(b) Carlos and Ivor ……………..me to try out the Lexical Approach.
A second important aspect of the Lexical Approach is that lexis and grammar are closely related.
If you look at the examples above, you will see in (a) that 3 semantically related words - impact,
influence, effect - behave the same way grammatically: have a/an impact/influence/effect on
something. In (b) verbs connected with initiating action - encourage, persuade, urge, advise etc
all follow the pattern verb + object + infinitive. This kind of 'pattern grammar' is considered to be
important in the Lexical Approach.
Wram-up:
1. How many principles are in lexical approach? What are they?
A. 3 principles including chunks, collocations and fixed phrases.
B. 2 principles including collocations and fixed phrases
C. 3 principles including Grammaticalised Lexis, Collocation in action and fixed phrases.
D. 2 principles including Grammaticalised Lexis, Collocation in action
Đáp án D
2. When the lexical approach are published?
A. 1993
B. 1990
C. 2000
D. 2001
Đáp án A
3. What main goal of the lexical approach is?
A. Helping teacher self-control in teaching
B. Shifting responsibility for learning onto the learner
C. Taking more students’ attention
D. Gaining more happiness
Đáp án B
