Algunas observaciones sobre la disponibilidad léxica en estudiantes italófonos de español

In the last decades vocabulary teaching has obtained a special relevance in the field of Spanish as Foreign Language (ELE). One problem remains the delimitation and grading of vocabulary. Studies on Lexical Availability may provide us with some insights in vocabulary teaching planning. Available words, differently from frequent words, are related to a semantic domain (thematic words) and depend on the communicative goals of students. The research about Lexical Availability conducted at Ca’ Foscari University Venice is the first one wholly applied to Italian students of Spanish and the first one carried out in Italy. The ways in which this kind of research on vocabulary may contribute to the teaching / learning of Spanish are many, as well as they may increase our knowledge of the organization of the mental lexicon, the storage and retrieving of words and the influence of psycho-social factors, attitudes and motivation on vocabulary learning.