Batia Laufer

Batia Laufer is professor and chair of English Language and Literature Department at the University of Haifa, Israel. She was educated in Israel, the Netherlands, and Edinburgh, Scotland (PhD). Her main contribution to the field of Applied Linguistics is her research on Vocabulary Acquisition in Additional Languages. Her additional research areas are Lexicography, Cross Linguistic Influence, Reading and Testing.

Batia has published several books and numerous articles in various professional journals (AppliedLinguistics, Language Learning, Studies in Second Language Acquisition,International Review of Applied Linguistics, Modern Language Journal, Language Testing, Language Learning and Technology, Canadian Language Review, International Journal of Lexicography and others).

Some of her specific research topics are: vocabulary threshold for reading, the limitations of input based learning, factors of word difficulty, quantitative assessment of vocabulary, task effect on learning, the use of learner dictionaries, avoidance, vocabulary attrition)

In addition to lecturing at numerous (over 60) international conferences,
Batia Laufer gave invited talks at over 30 universities in different countries.

Abstract: Learning vocabulary in the second language. What do we know about it from research?

The lecture will address some key issues in five areas of second language
vocabulary:

- the nature of vocabulary
- the nature of vocabulary knowledge
- learning L2 vocabulary
- teaching L2 vocabulary
- testing L2 vocabulary.

It will examine some popular beliefs and practices in light of research
evidence. Specifically, the following issues will be discussed: adequate
vocabulary size, guessing unknown words, dictionary use, acquiring words
through extensive reading, decontextualized vocabulary teaching,
translation, ease and difficulty of words, testing passive and active
knowledge.