vocab

Teaching Vocabulary

Explanation of Meaning

  • Contextual Learning: Vocabulary should be taught in context, utilizing reading texts or listening to audio tracks. This approach allows students to see and understand how words are used effectively.

  • How to Teach: Utilize written or spoken texts to teach or practice vocabulary. Encourage students to research words using reference or production dictionaries.

Introducing Vocabulary

Importance of Elicitation

  • Elicitation is crucial during vocabulary introduction as some students may already be familiar with the words.

Example Activities

  1. Verbs of Movement:

    • Use pictures or miming for demonstration.

    • Engage in cue-response drills and fill-in-the-gap exercises while emphasizing pronunciation.

    • Conduct a class robot activity as a Total Physical Response (TPR) exercise.

    • Create new fitness instructions as a production activity.

  2. Functional Language (Lexical Phrases/Chunks):

    • Use visuals of lakes or rivers and dialogues to guess missing phrases.

    • Answer checking through audio tracks followed by dialogue practice focusing on intonation and invitations.

    • Engage students in writing and acting out dialogues.

  3. Types of Items:

    • Read descriptions to enhance guessing skills concerning usage of expressions.

    • Discuss the applicability of terms like "thing" and "stuff" and provide practice in describing items to peers.

  4. Prefixes and Suffixes:

    • Analyze sentences for prefixes first, followed by focusing on suffixes.

    • Engage in word formation exercises by creating new words and writing sentences using them.

Practicing Vocabulary

Objectives

  • Aim to facilitate students' use of known words and enhance their understanding of word meaning.

Example Activities

  1. Compound Nouns:

    • Create a wheel of words to form compound nouns and use them in sentences.

  2. House-Related Vocabulary:

    • Develop word maps in groups (particularly for rooms in houses) and focus on pronunciation.

    • Encourage students to describe their favorite rooms and decide on items for an empty room.

  3. Physical Description:

    • Students engage in practicing descriptive language through information-gap activities involving different pictures.

Vocabulary Games

Engagement Through Play

  • Utilizing language games can enhance student engagement.

Examples of Games

  1. Got It!:

    • A word recognition game played in groups using cards with vocabulary words.

  2. Backs to the Board:

    • One team member describes a word for others to guess.

  3. Snap!:

    • Students in pairs or groups utilize packs of cards featuring words or pictures in a fast-paced game.

Using Dictionaries

Essential Resource

  • Dictionaries come in various forms and provide invaluable resources for language learners but are often underutilized.

Types and Training

  • Explore different kinds of dictionaries and how to effectively train students to use them.

Reference and Production Dictionaries

Definitions

  • Reference Dictionary: Used for looking up words to understand their meanings, usages, spelling, and pronunciation.

    • Additional Features: Include usage differences in British and American English, similar words, frequency in various contexts, formality levels, and connotations.

  • Production Dictionary: Aids in finding the correct word when the meaning is known but the specific term is not.

Dictionary Activities

Aim

  • Train students in dictionary usage, encouraging integration into regular classroom work.

Strategies for Success

  • Show students the empowering potential of dictionaries, demonstrate their use, and include dictionary exercises in lesson plans.

When Students Use Dictionaries

Managing Usage

  • Address the balance of encouraging dictionary use versus overreliance.

Resolution Strategies

  • Guide students on when dictionary use is appropriate versus when it may be counterproductive, potentially negotiating their use during lessons.