'Pedagogical approaches to the teaching of formulaic language'

by Dr Ana Pellicer-Sanchez (UCL)

25 September 2021 (11.00-12.00 UK time)

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Abstract: Knowledge of formulaic language is essential for achieving high levels of proficiency in a second language. It is now widely agreed that formulaic sequences (i.e., collocations, lexical bundles, idioms, etc.) should be a component of the vocabulary learning curriculum and that they should be taught alongside single-word items. Although vocabulary research traditionally focused on the teaching and learning of single words, the last decade has witnessed an unprecedented increase in the number of studies examining the effectiveness of different approaches to the teaching and learning of formulaic sequences. Research has shown that formulaic sequences can be learnt from a variety of approaches but that L2 learners’ knowledge of formulaic sequences lags behind their knowledge of single words and that they tend to use them inappropriately. This has led to the claim that formulaic sequences are particularly problematic for L2 learners, but research has only partially supported this assumption. This presentation will provide an overview of research exploring the effectiveness of different approaches to the teaching of formulaic sequences and will review empirical evidence comparing the acquisition of single words and formulaic sequences. Pedagogical implications of these findings and directions for future research will also be discussed.