A Proposal for Computer-assisted Instruction in Vocabulary

First, the biases of language pedagogy reflect the biases of much of modern linguistics. Phonology and syntax form patterns that linguists find appealing, and it has been tempting to apply our expanding theoretical knowledge of these topics to practical language teaching. The lexicon, by comparison, seems to form a relatively disorganized heap that is resistant to orderly patterning. Linguistic analysis of vocabulary has yielded relatively little that might inspire derivative pedagogical applications.