Microsoft Word Interactive Approaches for Vocabulary Te

Vocabulary Pedagogy as a Significant Area
These years, a number of researchers have devoted themselves into techniques of 
vocabulary teaching and learning. (E.g., Huang & Liou, 2007; Hunt & Beglar, 1998; Koolstra 
& Beentjes, 1999; Lee, 2004; Jassaji, 2004) Moreover, Zahar, Cobb and Spada (2001) have 
mentioned that concentration on second language vocabulary acquisition (SLVA) has 
developed speedily in the last ten years. While L2 vocabulary acquisition research is no 
longer “a neglected area,” (Meara, 1980) a lack of subjective resources for teaching methods 
of vocabularies remain to a problem in the field of teaching English due to the shorter history 
of research with topic of vocabulary pedagogy. Hence, this study suggests an interactive 
approach of teaching vocabulary to the readers and hopefully, the updated teaching strategies 
can be applied through this article.
Interactionism for Vocabulary Pedagogy
Interactionism applied in language teaching has been mentioned by many researchers (e.g. 
River, 2000). This type of interactive methods argues that the foreign language growth and 
social and community growth are directly related to each other and that one cannot be 
comprehended without each other. According to the professor of Harvard University, River 
(2000) “…Linguistic interaction is a collaborative activity involving the establishment of a 
triangular relationship between the sender, the receiver and the context of situation.” (River, 
2000, p. 4; Wells, 1981:29, p. 46-7)
Through the interactions, the interlocutors gain an opportunity to double check the 
meaning in the vocabularies of communication, to reconfirm their expressed meaning can be 
received by the listeners, and to make sure their patterns of languages can be regarded as 
appropriate in their society and community. It is important that the interactions of 
communication not only express the speakers intended meaning, but also the interlocutors 
can convey in a way that the content of the speaking is understandable and suitable based on 

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The 2009 AE Conference Iso University, Kaohsiung
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the intergroup members’ social identity.
Integrationists are “Researchers who believe in interactions focus on the social context of 
language development and how the relationship between the language learner and the persons 
with whom he or she interacts influences language acquisition.” (Richards, Platt, Platt, 1998) 
After a series of interacting activities in the target language, the interlocutors should be able 
to make progresses in vocabularies, since the interactants need to understand each other’s 
words in order to continue the communication. Hence, this study agrees with above scholars’ 
suggestions that interactions should be an effective way of teaching and learning 
vocabularies.