Principles guiding vocabulary learning through extensive reading
Open accessAbstract
Extensive reading is one of a range of activities that can be used in a language learning course.Ideally, the choice of activities to go into a course should be guided by principles which are well supported by research.Similarly, the way each of those activities is used should be guided by well-justified principles.In this article, we look at the principles justifying the inclusion of extensive reading in a course, and then look in detail at a set of principles guiding how extensive reading can best be carried out to result in substantial vocabulary learning.Extensive reading can result in a wide range of learning outcomes, but in this article we narrow our focus on vocabulary learning (for similar analyses of a wide range of vocabulary learning activities see Webb and Nation [in preparation]).
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Varied contextual exposure is important for long-term retention.
“This aligns with research highlighting the importance of varied contextual exposure for long-term retention (Nation, 2015(Nation, , 2020;;Webb & Nation, 2017).”
From Integrating ChatGPT for vocabulary learning and retention: A classroom-based study of Saudi EFL learners (2025) · cites this paper as Nation, 2015
The Learning Conditions section says varied contexts are important for vocabulary learning and that repeated meetings can enrich and strengthen word knowledge. It discusses better retention through retrieval, but does not establish that varied contextual exposure specifically improves long-term retention; no page number is available in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.84)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredLearners need multiple contextualized exposures to internalize vocabulary effectively.
“Nation (2015) emphasized that learners need multiple contextualized exposures to internalize vocabulary effectively.”
From Integrating ChatGPT for vocabulary learning and retention: A classroom-based study of Saudi EFL learners (2025) · cites this paper as Nation (2015)
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Research works printed but not linked: 12
- Horst, M. (2005). Learning L2 vocabulary through extensive reading: a measurement study. Canadian Modern Language Review, 61, 355-382.
- Hulstijn, J., Hollander, M., & Greidanus, T. (1996). Incidental vocabulary learning by advanced foreign language students: the influence of marginal glosses, dictionary use, and reoccurrence of unknown words. The Modern Language Journal, 80, 327-339.
- Knight, S. M. (1994). Dictionary use while reading: The effects on comprehension and vocabulary acquisition for students of different verbal abilities. The Modern Language Journal, 78, 285-299.
- Laufer, B. (in press). Retention of new words: Quantity of encounters, quality of task, and degree of knowledge. Language Teaching Research.
- Luppescu, S., & Day, R. R. (1993). Reading, dictionaries and vocabulary learning. Language Learning, 43(2), 263-287.
- Nation, I. S. P., & Anthony, L. (2013). Mid-frequency readers. Journal of Extensive Reading, 1, 5-16.
- Schmitt, N., Jiang, X., & Grabe, W. (2011). The percentage of words known in a text and reading comprehension. The Modern Language Journal, 95, 26-43.
- Sutarsyah, C., Nation, P., & Kennedy, G. (1994). How useful is EAP vocabulary for ESP? A corpus based study. RELC Journal, 25, 34-50.
- Tran, Y. T. N. (2012). The effects of a speed reading course and speed transfer to other types of texts. RELC Journal, 43, 23-37.
- van Daalen-Kapteijns, M. M., & Elshout-Mohr, M. (1981). The acquisition of word meanings as a cognitive learning process. Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior, 20, 386- 399.
- Webb, S., & Nation, I.S.P. (in preparation). How Vocabulary is Learned. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- S.P. (2013) Learning Vocabulary in Another Language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (second edition). E-mail: Paul.Nation@vuw.ac.nz
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Abdelhalim, S. M., & Alsehibany, R. (2025) · Language Learning & Technology · doi:10.64152/10125/73635 · Cited by 17 · see citing works
- Authors
- Nation, P.
- Affiliations
- Victoria University of Wellington (NZ)
- Corresponding author
- Nation, Paul
- ORCID
- Nation, Paul
- Venue
- Reading in a Foreign Language
- Published
- 2015-04-01
- Volume
- 27
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 136-145
- ISSN
- 0264-2425 (ISSN-L)
- 1539-0578
- OpenAlex
- W4414029766
- Cited by
- 10
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 4 · 2019: 1
- FWCI
- 0.00
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Reading in a Foreign Language (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- ScholarSpace (University of Hawaii at Manoa) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Second Language Acquisition and Learning
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Language and Linguistics › EFL/ESL Teaching and Learning
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Reading and Literacy Development
- Keywords
- extensive reading, vocabulary acquisition, language learning principles, foreign language reading, language course design
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