Computer Ondersteunde Vreemde-Taalverwerving op de Hogere Niveaus

The interactive self-study programme (called CAVOCA: Computer Assisted VOCabulary Acquisition) is based on generally accepted theories about the mental lexicon (cf. Aitchison's Words in the Mind) and the "levels of processing" theory first advanced by Craik and Lockhart. The programme constitutes a systematic attempt to operationalize the theoretical analysis of the word learning process that recognizes various stages in this same process: learning about the various features of the word, embedding it in various networks, consolidation etc. leading to efficient lexical retrieval. With this end in mind, the words are presented in a variety of L2 contexts, enabling the learner to process the word intensively and facilitating long-term retention. The programme is intended as an alternative to more orthodox word learning techniques such as bilingual word lists with their disappointing long-term retention results. The programme has been contrasted in various experimental (differential treatment) settings with bilingual word lists, and the results confirm the theory concerning the structure of the mental lexicon in that a deeper level of processing results in better long-term retention.