Processes of vocabulary instruction in 10 French as a second language classrooms

This paper offers detailed descriptions and illustrative examples of processes used by 10 French as a Second Language (FSL) instructors to teach vocabulary to adult FSL Learners in Vancouver, reporting qualitative analyses of classroom transcripts and pedagogical materials the instructors used to teach their lessons. Two main findings of the study are that these teachers emphasized semantic aspects of lexis over all other aspects of vocabulary knowledge, and that lexical instruction in analytic and experiential classes was characterized by similar features. Pedagogical implications and directions for further research are suggested.