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Vocabulary software are fantastic tools for improving your knowledge of words. They are more advanced and sophisticated than traditional books and techniques.

Most of the software for building vocabulary available today have been developed after extensive research by experts in language, after consulting a wide variety of resources. “Computer-based instruction and exercises can easily handle the analytic component, and that is what most of the available software does” (Kelly, U A 2005, p. 751). As a result, use of software has become one of the most popular methods, and for many, the method of choice, for enhancing vocabulary.

Vocabulary applications combine a number of different methods and techniques, including the proven vocabulary-building techniques of "elaboration" and "repetition". A vast array of tools and techniques such as vocabulary books and articles, dictionaries, thesauruses, pictures, vocabulary trees, vocabulary flash cards, word matches, and further references, can be integrated into a single software product. This provides an incredible degree of versatility that is impossible with traditional resources. And you can customise many of the resources, such as create your own word lists, flash cards, and vocabulary maps, using flexible software.

In vocabulary software, a rich set of information about a word, such as its definition, its spelling, its origin, its derivatives, its usage, its antonyms, its synonyms, and detailed images related to the word, can all be accessed by a few mouse clicks or key presses. Compare this to traditional methods, where you need several individual resources; and even if you have all the old-style resources, you still must go through a lot of work, such as looking in different books, sifting through pages, and shuffling through piles of hard copy flash cards.

Computer programs for vocabulary can provide a visual as well as an auditory aid for the comprehension of a word. For instance, you can actually hear the accurate pronunciation of a word in different accents, rather than try to decode a word's pronunciation through phonetic symbols. The software can provide extensive exercises, display numerous games and quizzes, conduct tests that automatically analyse answers and rate your proficiency, track your progress, and provide accurate assessment, just to mention a few benefits.

The level of elaboration provided by software helps in deeper understanding, longer retention, and faster learning of words and their usage. Wood (2001, 180) states that software can be a powerful ally for students who wish to pursue particular topics, and then learning new words becomes a natural adjunct to self-selected explorations.

A wide variety of vocabulary software is available from a number of companies, with varying richness of features. You can make use of anything from free software and web pages, to cheap software ($15-$20) offering some basic features, to moderately priced software such as Ultimate Vocabulary ($67), which has all the features you need. But take care with the more expensive software ($200-$250) to make sure you are really getting value for money.

REFERENCES

Kelly, U A 2005, International Handbook of Educational Policy, Part I, Springer, 3300 AA, Dordrecht.

Wood, J 2001, 'Can Software Support Children's Vocabulary Development?' Language Learning & Technology, vol. 5, no. 1, pp. 166-201.