Understanding academic vocabulary learning in higher education: challenges, strategies, and pedagogical implications
Abstract
This study analyzes the theoretical and practical aspects of acquiring academic vocabulary in higher education institutions. In particular, it examines the main challenges students face in mastering academic vocabulary, such as lexical deficiencies, decontextualized learning, and the incorrect use of collocations and terms. Furthermore, the study highlights strategies for the effective acquisition of academic vocabulary, including contextual teaching, corpus-based work, a focus on collocations, and the development of a system of communicative exercises. According to the research findings, integrative and communicative approaches are paramount in developing lexical competence, as they help form students' skills for the appropriate and effective use of vocabulary in academic discourse.