Unit 2: Teaching English Vocabulary

Lexis

You may come across the word ‘lexis’ used in place of vocabulary. Technically, lexis refers to all the words and phrases in a language, whereas vocabulary is a specific set of the lexis, for example, medical vocabulary, the vocabulary in this course, the vocabulary for this lesson, etc. 

Cognates

• The term for related words across different languages is 'cognates'. These are words which have the same historical origin. Often the meaning is still the same and this is very helpful for students.

• For example, anniversary in English has the same meaning as "anniversaire" in French

Collocations

• A collocation is a natural combination of words such as ‘pins and needles’ or ‘make a mess’, which English speakers tend to say in a particular order. Collocations can also be described as words that occur together more often than with other words.

• For example, English speakers say, “have a party” and not, “make a party”.

Word families

• Groups of words that have a common feature, pattern, or meaning. They typically share what is known as a root word. Prefixes and suffixes are added to the root word to change its meaning.

• It is important for students to develop an understanding of how word families work. Considering words in the context of word families means knowing the meaning of individual words as well as the relationship these words have to one another. 

MFP: Meaning, Form and Pronunciation

A useful formula to remember when you are teaching a new piece of language (vocabulary or grammar) is MFP: Meaning, Form and Pronunciation. Form means both spelling and grammatical form. Make sure you consider all three aspects when you are planning to teach new vocabulary.

Conveying meaning-Effective techniques:

• Mime, gesture and facial expressions

• Realia, i.e. real objects

• Pictures

• Diagrams

• Punctuation (! ? are used in many languages)

• Technology, e.g., PowerPoint

• Flashcards or images

• Drawings

• Translation

Fun Ways to Use a Dictionary

• Dictionary Race: Each student has a dictionary. The teacher calls out a word and the students race to find the word in the dictionary. This helps with spelling and finding their way around a dictionary.

• Word Formation: When discussing a vocabulary item, give your students time to look up the word and find other words in the same word family; for example, happiness - noun, happy - adjective, unhappy - opposite.

• Word Of The Day: At the end of the lesson, students choose one word from that day which they would like to look up. They then teach this word to the rest of the class.

• Dictionary Quiz: Create a quiz which requires the students to look up words in order to complete it. The quiz can include questions on word formation, spelling, usage, collocation and pronunciation.

Ways of conveying meaning: Step 1: Create a clear context

The most effective way to make meaning clear is to create a context - as you know, a situation or story - into which you place your vocabulary. This means that the words or phrases you’re going to teach are all linked together in a situation that students will recognise. 

For example, students might not know what the English word safari means, but they will certainly recognise what a safari is if you set the context using a picture - or if you come into class dressed in safari gear, driving a pretend jeep, and spotting animals with your binoculars! 

Ways of conveying meaning: Step 2: Elicit, elicit, elicit!

For example, if the teacher says this first: 

“I see an animal… it’s from Africa… it has black and white stripes!” “What animal can I see?”

And, then shows them this picture:

It is almost certain that at least one student will know that this animal is a zebra. 

Provide your students with visual and spoken clues so that they can draw on their prior knowledge to try to tell you the word. Only once students have had a chance to tell you the word, do you say it yourself.

Ways of conveying meaning: Step 3: Use only language your students already know

• When you’re teaching new vocabulary, it’s really important to grade your language. This means using language learners can understand, whether it’s how fast or slow you speak, or your choice of grammar and vocabulary. Here we’re looking at choosing words that are appropriate for your students' level. A helpful way to know is to use the CEFR levels as a guide. 

• When you’re teaching a new word or phrase, it’s easy to accidentally use another piece of unfamiliar vocabulary. You then need to explain that, and in doing so, you might introduce a third unfamiliar term! 

• Instead, you should try to talk or ask about the vocabulary item in the simplest way possible, while using correct and natural language. (Grading doesn’t mean using unnatural and oversimplified - and, frankly, weird - language, like 'ZEBRA HAVE STRIPE, YES?' which we’ve all heard some people use with language learners.)

• First, it’s useful to think about exactly what words you'll use to elicit the target language. It’s also helpful to write everything you’re going to say on your lesson plan, especially in the beginning of your teaching career. Think carefully about how you’ll teach it when you’re planning your lesson. As you gain more experience, you’ll be able to do this easily. Keep this acronym in mind when teaching: KISS—keep it simple, silly!

  Here's a summary of the key points:

  • Grade your language - do not use language students don't know when explaining a new item.

  • Decide what vocabulary you will teach and how you will explain it when you are planning your lesson.

  • Where possible, explain new items by relating them to language students already know, e.g. categories, examples.

  • Some words can be used as two parts of speech simultaneously.

Ways of conveying meaning: Step 4: Use CCQs

After you’ve elicited the target vocabulary from the students without saying it yourself, you’ll then need to check that students actually do understand the meaning. Checking students' understanding is called concept checking and asking concept check questions (CCQs) is a vital skill in language teaching.

Possible problems with ‘What does X mean’

1. If someone asked you 'What does philosophy mean?' you would probably find it quite frustrating because as a native speaker or advanced non-native speaker of English, you undoubtedly do know what it means, but it is an abstract term and is difficult to define.

2. Often the definition of a word or phrase requires the use of language that is a higher level than the word itself.

3. If students are unable to come up with a definition, the teacher may assume they don't know what it means and go on to tell them.

4. Most students resent it when the teacher explains things they already know!

5. Try to avoid the question 'What does X mean?' unless it is about words which can be explained very easily.

Possible problems with ‘Do you understand?’

So how can we check whether our students really understand? We use concept questions, which are simple questions requiring short answers.

How to devise vocabulary concept questions:

• Think about the essential meaning. If helpful, provide a simple context. (Pictures can help provide context as well as sentences.)

• Devise simple questions which require only simple, short answers.

• Grade your language appropriately.

• Generally avoid using the word or phrase (target language) you are checking. If the students give the correct responses to your questions, this indicates that they understand the word or phrase correctly. If they give the wrong responses, go back and explain again!

A vocabulary concept question should:

• focus on the essential meaning of the target language

• usually not use the target language

• use simple, graded language appropriate to students' level

• require only short, simple answers

How much should I teach?

The recommended number of new vocabulary items to introduce in an individual (hour-long) lesson is 8–12. If you are doing a reading or listening lesson, you might find more than this that you will want to introduce. In this case, decide what vocabulary is useful for students in the text and if it is something that they will continue to use, or if it is something that they will only need to understand the text.

How useful is it?

If there is a word that students need to know for a particular reading or listening passage, but which they are unlikely to need again, don't spend too much time on it – just give them a quick definition so they will recognise it.

Receptive vocabulary

Receptive vocabulary is the vocabulary that we recognise and understand, but do not actually use in our own language.

Productive vocabulary

Productive vocabulary is the vocabulary we use in our own language – when we are speaking and writing.

Recycle Vocabulary

• Vocabulary revision is often done at the end of a class as a short activity or as a warmer in subsequent classes. But students won’t be able to just remember all the vocabulary you’ve taught them in a class.

• Did you know that you have to see a new word at least five times before you can usually use it and include it in your 'active' vocabulary?

• Students will need to be exposed to, and use, words or phrases a number of times if they’re going to be able to actually remember and produce them when they speak and write. This is why it’s important to recycle your vocabulary! When vocabulary is recycled is as important as how it’s done.

• If you teach some new vocabulary and then return to it over the next few lessons, you might feel that your students have ‘learnt’ it. However, research shows that a system of ‘expanding rehearsal’ is a good way to ensure students are able to learn and recall vocabulary. So, what is ‘expanding rehearsal’? It’s a system of recycling vocabulary whereby it’s practised more often when it is new and then by returning to it at increasing intervals. 

• For example, your students would practise the vocabulary after the lesson, the next lesson, the following week, the following month and then six months later.

Recycling vocabulary in productive skills lessons

Having learnt a new word or phrase, students need to use it. Here are some ideas on how you can do this whilst developing their productive skills (speaking and writing):

• writing sentences/stories/essays/adverts/letters and so on, in which students are likely to use the vocabulary

• role plays/discussions/debates on topics which require certain vocabulary

• telling stories and personal anecdotes which will lend themselves to using particular target language (for example, if you have taught language related to accidents and injuries, have students tell each other about an accident they've had)

• problem-solving activities which use the target language

• conversations in which each student is given a card with a new word or phrase on it. They have to try to slip the word into the conversation, and other students have to try to spot the word.
  

Recycling vocabulary in receptive skills lessons

Having learnt a new word or phrase, students need to hear and see it being used. Here are some ideas on how you can do this whilst developing receptive skills (reading and listening).

• A simple task you can give students is to ask them to notice whenever they hear/see some of their new vocabulary used during the following week. They can report back in another lesson.

• Find or create reading texts that use some of the new vocabulary.

• Quizzes and questionnaires which use new vocabulary are useful, as students can do these together so they will both read and use the target language.

Here are just a few examples of games and activities which could be used effectively for vocabulary revision:

• Matching games, such as dominoes, snap or pairs

• Jumbled words (anagrams)

• Crosswords, word searches

• Gap fills

• Hangman

You may have suggested asking students to write sentences using the new vocabulary, which is a common exercise in language classes. In fact, writing sentences using new vocabulary is very demanding – students nearly always get it slightly wrong, so it actually creates more work and causes confusion.

Tests

• Tests sound dull but are a surprisingly effective way of getting students to actually learn new words. Tests are more fun and more motivating if you present them as competitive team games, rather than doing a conventional old-fashioned test. 

• You could put the class in the same teams each time you test their vocabulary and keep a running score over a term or course, with a prize for the winning team at the end of the course. If you do this, try to make sure the teams are equally matched – don't put all the strong students in the same team or the others will become demotivated.

Conveying meaning

One common question from new teachers is: Why not just translate new vocabulary? 

Well, many academic studies have been devoted to the question of whether teachers should or should not use the students' first language in the classroom. Although there is no conclusive proof that one approach is better than the other, there are many reasons to support using only or mainly the target language (the one the students are learning – in our case, English).

1. If you are teaching English in the students' home country, their main exposure to English will be in their English language classroom. It definitely is the case that the more the students use, hear and see the language they are learning, the quicker they will learn it, so the more English the teacher uses, the better.

2. If you are teaching English in an English-speaking country, then you are likely to have a mixed nationality class. It would not be practical for you to translate for everyone, and you are unlikely to know all their languages anyway. You want the students to communicate with each other in English. If you allow them to all look up words separately in their own dictionaries, or talk to other students who speak their first language in that language, you will not be encouraging collaborative working.

3. Translating word for word is not a reliable way of producing accurate language. We do not want to encourage students to rely on translation. When teachers present the new vocabulary in English, they are providing interactive listening practice and 'activating' language that students have already encountered.

These are effective techniques:

• Mime, gesture and facial expressions

• Realia, i.e. real objects

• Pictures

• Diagrams

• Punctuation (! ? are used in many languages)

• Technology, e.g., PowerPoint

• Flashcards or images

• Drawings

• Translation

Presenting new vocabulary

• Realia

  Realia for simple vocabulary items is an easy way to clarify and convey meaning. This technique is especially useful at lower levels as it provides a direct link to the meaning of the word without any explanation, and students may remember words better if they relate them to a real object. However, it might be impractical or impossible to use realia in your lesson - for example, if you were teaching airport or mother.

• Pictures

  If using realia is not an option, pictures, drawings, or images can work just as well, as long as they are very clear and unambiguous. Often, you’ll be in a situation where a student asks you for the meaning of a word, and you don’t have a picture at hand. Don’t be afraid of drawing stick figures if needed. Remember, you don’t need to be Picasso, as your students aren’t judging your drawing ability.

• Diagrams
  Diagrams can be used to show the relationships between words while mind maps can illustrate items associated with a word or topic. These can be presented to the class or the students can draw their own.

• Mime/gesture/body language

  Mime and gesture are good for illustrating simple action verbs. If you’re not confident in your acting skills, it should be easy to find relevant video clips online, but this can be time-consuming. It’s much quicker to channel your inner theatrical self.

• Technology

  Technology like PowerPoint or SmartBoard presentations are very useful when presenting new vocabulary because images, audio, and video can be used and prepared beforehand. However, always remember to check your equipment before the lesson, and always have a back up plan for when the tech fails you!

Vocabulary pre-teaching

• Presenting the vocabulary students will need for the upcoming activity is called vocabulary pre-teaching.

• The target language is what you want students to learn and practise within your lesson whereas the target vocabulary is the vocabulary you’ll explicitly teach. The students should be able to use these words by the end of your lesson.

When considering the vocabulary to teach, keep these in mind.

• Level of the Vocab

  CEFR levels are a handy guide as to which vocabulary, phrases, and structures are suitable for your class. As you gain experience using coursebooks specifically written for different levels, you’ll become familiar with what words are appropriate for what level. 
  Try to choose words at and slightly above students’ level in order to help them progress and gain greater language proficiency.

• Your Unique Class

  Think about your specific class—their interests, their ages, and their culture—when choosing a vocabulary topic.
  Do they have any special needs that should be fulfilled? Is there anything, in particular, they need to work on? For example, they may have gaps in their knowledge, or they may be learning English for a special reason.

• How Many Target Vocabulary Words to Teach

  This depends on the level you’re teaching. Lower level, or younger students, may need to spend more time going over fewer words compared to higher level students. However, it is best to teach around 10-12 words in a lesson; more than this and your students are likely to start to struggle to remember all the information they have been given.

Key takeaways:

• It is important to understand the spelling, definition, form and category of words.

• Lexis refers to all words and phrases in a language.

• A collocation is a natural combination of words.

• Word families are groups of words with a common feature, pattern or meaning.

• It is usually best for the teacher and students not to translate new vocabulary.

• It is a good idea to have tasks and lessons where students are practicing dictionary skills.

• Use different methods to present vocabulary, including: realia, pictures, mime, gestures and body language.

• Vocabulary is easier to understand with the clear context.

• Elicit vocabulary from students rather than telling them the word or phrase.

• Grading your language means using language which is appropriate for the level and age of your students.

• Use Concept Checking Questions (CCQs) to check understanding.

• You should aim to teach around 8-12 words or phrases in one lesson as students will find it difficult to recall more than this.

• Receptive vocabulary is vocabulary we recognise and understand, but do not usually use. Productive vocabulary is what we use in speaking and writing.