Is there any value in learning lists of words from vocabulary books?

[Molly]

Is there any value in learning lists of words from vocabulary books?

Here are the experiences of one ex-ESL student:

The writer is talking about vocabulary books used in Japanese classrooms:

"I myself studied with one of these books when I was a high school student. Teachers suggested to me that memorizing all the words in the books was helpful and even essential for passing examinations. Therefore, I memorized almost all the words one by one, and later found out that memorizing the words might have helped me obtain a few extra points in the tests, but had not helped me develop abilities to use English very much. What happened to me at that time was that I actually memorized the words, but I did not know when and how to use them appropriately. The same problem seems to still be happening to present university students (Sakai, 1996)."

http://www.cels.bham.ac.uk/resources/essays/Kasuya%20Lexis%20(MichikoKasuya).pdf

[NinaZara]

It's the way they study it. The teachers usually expect the students to memorize a LONG list of words from one example in one sentence with one usage. The definitions were also given in Japanese, AND the pronunciations too. So even if they managed to learn them by heart, they still could not pronounce them properly.

As the result, they also learned to hate English.

Back in Malaysia, as I remember it, when we study new words, we only study 5 to 7 words in one session. Along with various activities with a lot of repetitions. It was as if our English teachers were trying to make sure we live it!

They also said, "Read, read, read, read, read!". Never once I heard my Japanese teachers say this.

[Molly]

As the result, they also learned to hate English.

That's and understandable reaction.

NB As a result, they also learned to hate English.

[NinaZara]

Thanks for the correction, M.