In Academic Word Lists, Keith Folse explains how various lists like the Academic Word List (AWL) have become popular tools in the ESL classroom for teaching vocabulary. Following a discussion on the importance of teaching vocabulary, Folse explains why word lists are useful in language learning and how they can help address the lexical gap. He also outlines what words are on the AWL, how the word families are selected, and what teachers should know about other word lists. The book also includes 10 suggestions for using academic word lists in the classroom, including how to use vocabulary notebooks.