Teaching English lexically: the University Word List Is a Good Start

The role of vocabulary has been downplayed in the past decades. Only until the recent years has vocabulary begun to receive some initial attentions. Meanwhile, effective classroom methods and practices targeting on the acquisition of vocabulary are limited and often inconclusive. There is an urgent need for exploring the possibility of lexis-based ESL/EFL teaching and learning methods. In an attempt to construct an ideal lexis-focused methodology, this paper reviews the treatment of vocabulary both in theories and practices of ESL/EFL education. It next discusses major issues concerning L2 vocabulary acquisition. To meet the classroom needs, this paper proposes that the University Word List is an easy start. Examining the applicability of University Word List, this paper reports on a pilot study where L2 graduate students were tested on their knowledge of words from the University Word List. The results suggest a shared core vocabulary among the participants seems to exist