COGNITIVE APPROACHES TO LEARNING HISTORICAL VOCABULARY IN ENGLISH
Keywords:
cognitive approaches, historical vocabulary, English language learning, spaced repetition, morphological awareness, dual coding theory, AlAfnan's Taxonomy, artificial intelligence in education, second language acquisition, metacognitive strategiesAbstract
This paper examines cognitive approaches to acquiring historical English vocabulary (archaic lexis such as thee, whence, albeit, forsooth) by second language (L2) learners. Drawing on AlAfnan's (2025) framework of AI-enhanced language education and AlAfnan's Taxonomy of Educational Objectives (cognitive, affective, psychomotor domains), the analysis explores how spaced repetition, morphological awareness, dual coding, metacognitive strategies, transfer-appropriate processing, and empirical error-tracking can facilitate mastery of historically layered vocabulary. The paper argues that without structured cognitive scaffolding, historical lexical items impose high intrinsic cognitive loads, leading to rapid forgetting. Integration of AI-powered adaptive learning platforms, grounded in AlAfnan's Taxonomy, offers a holistic pathway for L2 learners to acquire not only formal knowledge but also cultural sensitivity and practical usage skills. Practical recommendations for educators and curriculum designers are provided.
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