Vocabulary strategy training: An attempt to activate passive vocabulary for written communication

Abstract

This article is based upon the reflection on my own teaching situation in an attempt to answer the question ‘Why can’t my students make use of the vocabulary they encountered while reading in writing a report?’ The problem inspired me to add lessons on vocabulary strategy training as a remedy. It was noticed that, after the lessons, most students successfully used a variety of memory strategies to help them enlarge their vocabulary knowledge. Moreover, the lessons helped them retrieve and activate words in their lexicon for writing, suggesting that vocabulary understanding is vital in activating passive vocabulary for written communication.