VOCABULARY

In this entry I will take the opportunity to list some ways of introducing new vocabulary.  As I mentioned in a previous post on spellling, there are many ice breaking and vocabulary building activities that a teacher can implement from the very first lesson. 
I come back to the idea that younger teachers are more willing to experiment and engage in creative activities with their students, whereas more experienced teachers resort to more practical exercises.  They prefer to compile word lists, explain/translate word items and often ask students to memorize vocabulary.  Both approaches are necessary in a classroom, but you have to find a balance which works for you as a teacher and for the group.  Each group of students is unique, in a sense, and they respond to different methods of teaching.  What you should aim to do is provide enough context for each word, so that students can view it from different sides, and explore its meaning, its shape, its transcription, its spelling, and its collocations (how it combines with other words). 
Here are some things I do for each new list of vocabulary items:

• Brainstorming (elliciting topical vocabulary from students, intermediate to advanced)
• Pre-teaching (explaining new words before reading or listening, beginner to advanced)
• Compiling (making a list of key words, not too long; discussing meaning, transcription, drilling pronunciation; asking students to compile a personal dictionary, all levels)
• Practicing (providing a context for the vocabulary through reading/listening comprehension exercises)
• Recycling (involving students in a fun activity to re-discover the vocabulary we've learned)

For more activities view the entry on spelling.
That's all for today.




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