Designing a computer application for the formation of passive vocabulary through text reading

The difficulty of forming passive vocabulary while reading texts in a foreign language is one of the most pressing challenges in foreign language teaching. Many Russian and international linguists have addressed the issue of developing passive vocabulary and the efficiency of its formation, but only the development of computer technology in recent decades has made possible the laying out a structured approach to the process of selection, storage and memorizing foreign words while reading. This article examines the problem of the formation of passive vocabulary and analyzes the interrelation of receptive and reproductive vocabulary according to the opinion of international and Russian researchers. A conclusion is made about the need for functional differentiation of receptive and reproductive linguistic material, as well as for ensuring the repeatability of lexical units for developing actual passive vocabulary. A hypothesis about the prospects of applying information technology while resolving this problem is generated. The development technology and structure of a computer application are described, as well as its main modules, classes and the structure of its interface. The methodology of an experiment aimed at confirming the effectiveness of the applied technologies and the results of a test passed by the experiment’s participants are presented. The hypothesis is confirmed. Further theoretical and practical studies of the problem of the formation of passive vocabulary are warranted. The possibility of adding new language pairs to the application and searching for other ways to form receptive vocabulary using computer technology is proposed.

passive vocabulary, information technology, computer application, reception, reproduction