School of Languages at XJTLU Conference 2024

An extensive working vocabulary and the ability to autonomously learn new lexical items can be considered a fundamental aspect of success for English for academic purposes (EAP) students. Unsurprisingly, the ability to comprehend more in listening and reading tasks, and to more specifically and elaboratively communicate in writing and speaking tasks can be greatly enhanced if students have breadth and depth of lexical resources to draw from. Webb and Nation (2017) suggest that repeated meaningful exposure to, and use of novel vocabulary items leads to both increased learner retention, and the ability to functionally use them, implying that syllabi be designed intentionally to facilitate this repeated exposure. The recent advent of generative A.I (G.A.I.) has presented a new opportunity for EAP teachers who utilize recursive vocabulary pedagogical strategies in that students can be provided with a real-time learning partner to further investigate lexis and be provided immediate feedback on their vocabulary use. The present study explores the enaction of a new G.A.I. integrated recursive vocabulary learning framework, gathering data from both intermediate and advanced EAP learners (approximately 100 students). The research follows a mixed-methods approach. Quantitative data will be collected online via pre- and post-intervention tests, and during the intervention with weekly tests. These measures aim to assess the impact of the G.A.I. integrated framework on vocabulary acquisition. Qualitative data will be gathered through student perception surveys and focus group discussions to gauge their perceptions of the framework and the inclusion of G.A.I. as a learning partner. The collected data will be analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics for the quantitative part, while thematic analysis will be conducted for the qualitative part. The results are expected to shed light on the efficacy of the G.A.I. integrated framework and provide insights into its application in a unique transnational context.