Essay About Incidental Learning

1.1. Introduction
This chapter presents a brief overview of the background, statement of the problem, significance of the study, research questions and hypotheses, along with definitions of key terms and limitations and delimitations of the study.
1.2. Background
Learning a foreign language requires learning a large number of words. In order to become proficient learners, students have to learn thousands of words, including those rarely used in communication. Not only English learners, but also English teachers are not less concerned by vocabulary teaching. Hence, learning a foreign language at different levels requires the acquisition of thousands of words.
Vocabulary acquisition has been considered as one of the most important components of a foreign language (Coady et al., 1993; Hirsh & Nation, 1992; Nunan,1988). Laufer (1997) makes an assertion that "the study of vocabulary is at the heart of language learning" (p.54). Similarly, According to Candlin (1988) vocabulary learning is at the heart of

Researchers have various views about different vocabulary learning strategies. According to Richards and Schmidt (2002) incidental learning is the process of learning something while intending to learn something else. In learning a new foreign language, incidental learning has been considered as an effective way of learning vocabulary from text (Day, Omura, & Hiramatsu, 1991; Jenkins, Stein, & Wysocki, 1984; Nagy, Herman, & Anderson, 1985; Saragi, Nation, & Meister, 1978).
Incidental learning is the process of learning something in the context without the intention of doing so. It is also learning one thing while learners are intending to teach another (Richards & Schmidt, 2002). In terms of language acquisition, according to Omura and Hiramatsu (1991) incidental learning is considered as an effective way of learning vocabulary from context