PAGODA Uber Teacher
Module 2: Teaching Vocabulary
Teaching Vocabulary AIMS
To introduce vocabulary to the students through the topic.
To identify the most appropriate vocabulary needed to complete the lesson.
To vary the type of activity used to teach vocabulary.
To consider the most interesting and direct way to ensure students understand the chosen language.
The Importance of Vocabulary; a short explanation. Anyone who has studied the language, particularly the history of English will appreciate just what a vast language is really is. The grammatical structures of English are complicated enough but the sheer volume of vocabulary that English has absorbed over the centuries is incredible. The historical significance for this is clear, England was a country overrun, subjugated and generally slapped about for quite a long time by the Romans (who brought Latin), the Celts (whose languages still exist in the UK), the Germanic tribes (who brought various German tongues) the Vikings (who inbetween bouts of pillaging brought the Norse languages) and then the Norman French who settled down for a good long stay and brought French with them. English turned out to be a very robust little language and it thrived in the fields absorbing ideas and new expressions from many languages enriching it's own lexicon, as England grew in influence over the centuries the language expanded outward continuing to steal, borrow and appropriate hundreds of thousands of new terms from various cultures and corners of the world. What would English be today without words like sofa (Spanish) taboo (Tuvalu) son (Norse), fatigue (French) and Creek (Native American)? So remember how lucky you are to speak such a varied and fascinating language, and how difficult it must be to learn all these words the next time you walk into class.
PAGODA Uber Teacher
Module 2: Teaching Vocabulary
EXAMPLES: Read the examples of teachers presenting vocabulary to their SLE 2A classes. Number 1: OK class, today we are going to discuss going to the zoo! You know what a zoo is don't you? “ Erm....yes?” “ yes, exactly where you see lions, tigers, cages, seals etc and also you see lots of people there, can anyone tell me what we call people who visit a zoo? Do you like zoos? What is the most famous zoo in Seoul?”
Number 2:
“ Yesterday we were talking about feelings and emotions. So we're going to start with a review today, Namho, can you explain to the class what elation means?”
…....... errr............. “ Well can you think what it means to feel elated?” “ …....eeeek........errrr......” “ When have you felt elation?” “ ahhhh! When I passed my exams!”
Number 3:
“ Ok, everyone look at the picture. There is a lot happening but what is the first thing you see? Can you see a man?
Man......windsurf
Very good the man is windsurfing. Ok Hee-Jin, what else is happening? Boy eat an ice-cream.
Excellent! The boy is eating an ice cream.
PAGODA Uber Teacher
Module 2: Teaching Vocabulary
A woman crossing road Very good, a woman is crossing the road, OK class in pairs write 3 sentences like this about what is happening in the picture.
Number 4:
Ok today we are talking about natural disasters. I know in Korea you have had a few, jae-sun, give me an example of a recent disaster in Korea.
There was a typhoon in the south.
Excellent, Ok class I want you to brainstorm 6 different natural disasters in English. earthquake....erm...hurricane..... Typhoon, tsunami....I think the oil is man made not natural.
IN PRACTICE: All teachers have at some point used one or more of the above methods when teaching vocabulary and with varying levels of success. Let's critique them. PRESENTATION 1:
The teacher begins by giving the topic and making it clear that the class is going to 'discuss' the concepts. However she begins with a closed question that only requires the students to answer yes or no and does not concept check if they even know what a circus really is. She then goes on to list even more vocabulary assuming the students know that the words mean. This would result in repeated re-explaining of the terms. This could be avoided with use of visuals to ensure students recognize the item and can learn the English word for it. PRESENTATION 2: The teacher starts with a review of previously learned vocabulary which is a good way to test understanding and to aid retention of the target language. However the question that the teacher uses is very difficult for the students to attempt as it seems to be asking for a definition which would be extremely difficult even for native speakers. TEACHER TEST: What does overwhelmed mean? GO! DEFINE! RIGHT NOW!!! However, when the teacher asks for an example or context, the student is able to answer which is much easier than creating a definition.
PRESENTATION 3: The teacher is using a visual to try and elicit words/concepts from the students, this is very helpful because it means the students can connect image and words. When the student gives an incomplete answer the teacher corrects it and asks for more as examples, this is modeling the language for the
PAGODA Uber Teacher
Module 2: Teaching Vocabulary
students to practice full speech.
PRESENTATION 4:
The teacher introduces the topic and begins by asking a particular student to give a guided example of what he is looking for. After the student successfully does this he instigates a brainstorming activity to test the students prior knowledge of relevant vocabulary without assuming he will need to teach them every word. Very useful at intermediate and above.
Ways to Teach Vocabulary 1. Dictionary Type Definition - “To dazzle” - to impress someone deeply. If you are able to find a simple sentence that does not use vocabulary more complex or difficult than the original word. ( see common mistakes) 2. Detailed Description “Aubergine” a dark purple vegetable that looks like a large pear. Many things need details to make them recognizable more than simply defining that they are. 3. Synonyms - “Moron” an idiot, a stupid person, a fool, a half-wit. Teaching the meaning of a word using similar words or words with the same meaning that the student should or may already know. 4. Examples - “Furniture” - chairs, tables, desks, wardrobes. If the word itself is difficult or is a collective expression, give examples of what it entails. 5.Illustration “ Pictures, objects, props, video clips, audio files” When teaching adults we can usually assume that you are teaching them something they will already know about but simply don't know what to call it in English, a visual representation will be understood by everybody. You can even use the board for quick doodles, don't worry if you are not a great artist. 6.Demonstration – (acting, mime, gesture) A good teacher is never afraid to drop their inhibitions and show the student what they are trying to describe. This can be especially true of action verbs at all levels, at low levels it would be hard to accurately describe the verb “ to trip” in an easily understood sentence but very easy to demonstrate with a chair! 7. Context - story or sentence in which the item occurs – “ to be stressed out” Bob was working a 50 hour week, his wife spends all his money on Luis Vuitton handbags, his boss is always shouting at him to work harder and his computer just broke, He is stressed out. There are many terms, words and expressions which are difficult to define without a context in which they occur, as we want higher level students to use more context clues to decipher meaning, this can be a great method to introduce new vocabulary. As long as you are sure the class is advanced enough. 8. Opposites (antonyms) “ The man was lanky but his friend was really small Similar to synonyms but we rely on the students knowing the opposite meaning to the word in order to understand. 9. Collocation, associated ideas He was such a facetious child, rude, loud, annoying. These are not synonyms of facetious but they are others words we associate with it. 10. Translation – Students find the meaning in their own language and match it to the English word, however this requires you to know their language well and is not always the best method.
PAGODA Uber Teacher
Module 2: Teaching Vocabulary
Common Mistakes (and how to avoid them) Brainstorming – a wonderful activity for pairs/small groups but don't do it as a big class, only a few people will volunteer answers and you wrongly assume everybody understands all the terms. Write the topic on the board and have students work together to come up with some ideas and ask the groups for a few suggestions, if they are words you want to use put them on the board and check understanding. Over-explaining – One good example is better than 4 or 5 vague or confusing ones that leave the students unsure of the exact meaning, plan your words/examples if this is how you are going to explain and always consider do you need to explain it or can you show it in another way. e.g. a hedgehog is like a small pig, well more like a rat with spikes, but it's actually
quite cute and they write songs about it blah, blah, blah..... OR here's a picture of a hedgehog. Overuse of personal examples – It's great to use stories and context to help explain terms but try to be sparing with cultural references that could be completely alien to the students you are teaching who may not have an in depth knowledge of hotdog eating contests in Rockford, Illinois. Better where possible to have the students personalize the vocabulary themselves in topics they can relate to. Synonyms and Antonyms – It is essential that you use words that are easier than the word you are teaching or how can we expect the students to know them? Some words cannot get easier, think of the adjective “Big” what word could be easier? Guess what's on my mind...While David Copperfield and David Blaine have built careers out of mind reading, try not to subject your students to such tactics as it invariably leads to frustration. Instant translation – Can you define in a single sentence the word “set” go on then, Now look in the dictionary, how many different meanings can you see? As good as electronic dictionaries are they do not include context and can result in mistranslation. Much better then to find a way to teach it without resorting to electronic translation. “Let me know any words you don't know” - that would be around 375,000 then. You must always anticipate and choose a definitive list that you are planning on teaching otherwise you will simply be explaining, re-explaining, getting into knots and ultimately passing out a gibbering wreck on the floor. PLAN.
PAGODA Uber Teacher
Module 2: Teaching Vocabulary
Tips Pronunciation - Cannot be overlooked in vocabulary teaching and should be taught alongside meaning. Make sure the class hears the word pronounced in an acceptable fashion and drill any words you think will cause difficulty to avoid mispronunciation becoming fossilized.
Positive /neutral/ negative – English vocabulary does not always
follow logical patterns and so you should teach nuances to the students and also
irregularities. For example: Common mistakes can occur such as I work hardly instead of I
work hard. Let the students know that certain adjectives can be considered very negative ( old, fat, envious, cold) and sometimes it can be better to use more neutral terms ( senior, plump, jealous, unsocial) Part of Speech – When learning words it helps students to know how to apply it and should be highlighted both orally and on the board as a verb, noun, adjective etc.
Global English – While you of course teach the vocabulary native to your country be sensitive to the fact that there are over 400 million native English speakers out there and it's perfectly possible that your students have had a teacher from a different country to yours. If you are
not sure about a correct alternative spelling or word check it in a good dictionary which will list both major families.
It is better though to teach words that the majority of native speakers would understand. e.g.
flat / apartment
colour / color
chemist/pharmacy
centre / centre
spanner / wrench
got / gotten
PAGODA Uber Teacher
Module 2: Teaching Vocabulary
Examples games for testing Vocabulary
TIC TAC TOE - The teacher draws a grid on the board In each of the nine squares, the teacher has either written a word from the target vocab, or perhaps one of the WH- question words. The students have to form correct questions or sentences in order to claim a square. To increase the difficultly, the teacher can tell the students that they lose their turn if they make a mistake. Otherwise, they can keep trying until they get it right. The game finishes when one side gets three in a row, or all squares are filled. HOT SEAT / TABOO – The class is divided into teams, the teacher writes a vocab word on the board. One student sits in a chair facing away from the board so that he cannot see the word, his team mates have 1 minute to explain the word for him to guess to make points. CHARADES - The students must 'act out' the vocabulary words for his team mates to guess which it is. The team with the most points wins. CATEGORIES Each student must take a blank sheet of paper. Across the top, they write four general categories. Sample categories might include; Food, Animals, Countries / Capital Cities etc Then, the teacher selects a random letter from the alphabet. The students then have one minute exactly to try to write one word that begins with that letter in each category. At the end of the minute, the students read out their answers. If the student is unable to think of an example for the category they receive no points. If they get the same answer as any other student in the class, then they get five points. If they manage to think of an example that no one else in the class has, then they get ten points. This game is good for forcing students to use extended vocabulary words, as common vocab choices will result in a low score. All vocabulary teaching should be varied between classes to keep it interesting and relevant to the level and topic, we want to help out students build their lexical knowledge in the most practical way possible that does not include simply staring at lists and memorizing without every knowing how to use the words. So in the next round of observations we will be looking for the vocabulary teaching star!