Algirdas Makarevicius. Teaching English Vocabulary
Vocabulary and its Importance in Language Teaching
Vocabulary is the essential means of effective communication and understanding among people. It allows us to transmit information to others, to understand and evaluate data, opinions, ideas, viewpoints, and feelings, and to express ourselves coherently and accurately. There are many ways of teaching unfamiliar English vocabulary and concepts in a classroom environment.
In most cases, practicing in a particular context and describing multiple meanings is very important. I always think of a stylish setting where the words can be explained, understood, and later used by my students, and I regularly provide examples to clarify the meanings. Then, I ask the students to think of their own examples. We repeat the acquired vocabulary a few days later.
I also practice illustration. This method is beneficial when I need to teach concrete nouns like a flag, arm, hand, snail, hedgehog, padlock, pliers, scissors, clamps, etc. It becomes a powerful teaching method when I teach visual learners. Showing all things is impossible. Therefore, this method has its limitations.
Presenting synonyms, analogs, and antonyms can be very productive at an intermediate and advanced level. Also, I noticed that imitation or mime lends itself especially great when I want to introduce action verbs. This method delivers excellent outcomes, can be entertaining and engaging, and students can acquire new words easily and quickly.
Providing students with definitions of new concepts can be very productive, especially at an advanced level of English. I introduce new concepts by displaying them on the PowerPoint slides. I ask my students to read them aloud and construct their own sentences, thus giving them a chance to practice pronunciation and learn how to use new words correctly in a sentence.
I always remember that not every word has a direct translation into the native tongue. However, allowing students to use an online translator on their smartphones, iPads, or laptops is sometimes very beneficial. It enhances students' learning confidence.
When I teach, I always consider that there are four types of vocabulary usage - listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Listening means understanding sounds and their meanings in the process of listening; speaking - using words in oral communication; reading - recognizing the meanings of words while reading; and writing - using words in composing sentences or drafting essays, reports, and other documents.
I usually present to my students two basic categories of words in a language classroom: incidental and intentional. Incidental words are unfamiliar words or concepts. Students grasp their meanings from the context. Intentional words are carefully pre-selected.
There are three foreign language vocabulary levels of acquisition., i.e., three types of words that the students acquire.
Level 1: The new words, i.e., the words that learners never saw. Neither in the written nor the spoken form.
Level 2. Passive words. Passive words can be classified into the following groups:
A. The learner heard or saw the word before, but he or she is unsure about its meaning now.
B. The learner can recognize the word's meaning only when it is written.
C. The learner cannot spell the word but can pronounce it.
D. The learner can write or spell the word correctly but needs help pronouncing it correctly.
E. The learner heard the word before or saw it written. However, the learner cannot use the word in conversation.
F. The student can only recognize the word when it is pronounced by someone; however, the student cannot spell it correctly.
Level 3: Active word, i.e., the word that the student can use fluently and correctly in most situations, in all forms.
In deciding on the number of words to be taught, I consider the student level, the degree of difficulty, and the frequency of usage.
I encourage my students to use language-learning software. I found Grammarly very valuable. It offers several ways to help students build their vocabulary:
(1) Students can double-click for synonyms and definitions. When the students are looking at a word that is almost correct and accurate, Grammarly assists in finding an excellent one.
(2) Grammarly enhances a student's vocabulary, i.e., often suggesting unique words that fit particular contexts perfectly well. For example, compare two sentences and see how Grammarly helped to select better words:
She has a very strange story about getting locked inside a cellar.
She has a bizarre tale about getting locked inside a basement.
(3) Grammarly automatically detects the words that have been overused. Using the same words repeatedly makes our writing sound verbose, boring, old-fashioned, and monotonous. Grammarly detects words if they are used repeatedly in the same paragraph and leads the students to similar but different words.
I use various activities to encourage my students to learn and practice new words. These activities make vocabulary learning motivating and exciting. As we all know, memorizing new words is a tedious and tiresome process. Therefore, I apply some exciting vocabulary acquisition games such as spelling bee competitions, different word matching games, sight word learning games, and flashcards. Also, I often use FreeRice in the classroom. It is a non-profit vocabulary learning website administered by the United Nations in partnership with the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University.
Learning new vocabulary can help learners express their thoughts, write good-quality essays and letters, talk more accurately and efficiently, understand more of what they read, and earn excellent grades. It is essential to know how to teach vocabulary effectively in the classroom as there is a close correlation between vocabulary and intelligence, and the ability to expand one's vocabulary throughout life reflects a person's intellectual progress.
Algirdas Makarevicius. Which is the Best English Writing and Editing Tool?
Vocabulary and its Importance in Language Teaching
Vocabulary is the essential means of effective communication and understanding among people. It allows us to transmit information to others, to understand and evaluate data, opinions, ideas, viewpoints, and feelings, and to express ourselves coherently and accurately. There are many ways of teaching unfamiliar English vocabulary and concepts in a classroom environment.
In most cases, practicing in a particular context and describing multiple meanings is very important. I always think of a stylish setting where the words can be explained, understood, and later used by my students, and I regularly provide examples to clarify the meanings. Then, I ask the students to think of their own examples. We repeat the acquired vocabulary a few days later.
I also practice illustration. This method is beneficial when I need to teach concrete nouns like a flag, arm, hand, snail, hedgehog, padlock, pliers, scissors, clamps, etc. It becomes a powerful teaching method when I teach visual learners. Showing all things is impossible. Therefore, this method has its limitations.
Presenting synonyms, analogs, and antonyms can be very productive at an intermediate and advanced level. Also, I noticed that imitation or mime lends itself especially great when I want to introduce action verbs. This method delivers excellent outcomes, can be entertaining and engaging, and students can acquire new words easily and quickly.
Providing students with definitions of new concepts can be very productive, especially at an advanced level of English. I introduce new concepts by displaying them on the PowerPoint slides. I ask my students to read them aloud and construct their own sentences, thus giving them a chance to practice pronunciation and learn how to use new words correctly in a sentence.
I always remember that not every word has a direct translation into the native tongue. However, allowing students to use an online translator on their smartphones, iPads, or laptops is sometimes very beneficial. It enhances students' learning confidence.
When I teach, I always consider that there are four types of vocabulary usage - listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Listening means understanding sounds and their meanings in the process of listening; speaking - using words in oral communication; reading - recognizing the meanings of words while reading; and writing - using words in composing sentences or drafting essays, reports, and other documents.
I usually present to my students two basic categories of words in a language classroom: incidental and intentional. Incidental words are unfamiliar words or concepts. Students grasp their meanings from the context. Intentional words are carefully pre-selected.
There are three foreign language vocabulary levels of acquisition., i.e., three types of words that the students acquire.
Level 1: The new words, i.e., the words that learners never saw. Neither in the written nor the spoken form.
Level 2. Passive words. Passive words can be classified into the following groups:
A. The learner heard or saw the word before, but he or she is unsure about its meaning now.
B. The learner can recognize the word's meaning only when it is written.
C. The learner cannot spell the word but can pronounce it.
D. The learner can write or spell the word correctly but needs help pronouncing it correctly.
E. The learner heard the word before or saw it written. However, the learner cannot use the word in conversation.
F. The student can only recognize the word when it is pronounced by someone; however, the student cannot spell it correctly.
Level 3: Active word, i.e., the word that the student can use fluently and correctly in most situations, in all forms.
In deciding on the number of words to be taught, I consider the student level, the degree of difficulty, and the frequency of usage.
I encourage my students to use language-learning software. I found Grammarly very valuable. It offers several ways to help students build their vocabulary:
(1) Students can double-click for synonyms and definitions. When the students are looking at a word that is almost correct and accurate, Grammarly assists in finding an excellent one.
(2) Grammarly enhances a student's vocabulary, i.e., often suggesting unique words that fit particular contexts perfectly well. For example, compare two sentences and see how Grammarly helped to select better words:
She has a very strange story about getting locked inside a cellar.
She has a bizarre tale about getting locked inside a basement.
(3) Grammarly automatically detects the words that have been overused. Using the same words repeatedly makes our writing sound verbose, boring, old-fashioned, and monotonous. Grammarly detects words if they are used repeatedly in the same paragraph and leads the students to similar but different words.
I use various activities to encourage my students to learn and practice new words. These activities make vocabulary learning motivating and exciting. As we all know, memorizing new words is a tedious and tiresome process. Therefore, I apply some exciting vocabulary acquisition games such as spelling bee competitions, different word matching games, sight word learning games, and flashcards. Also, I often use FreeRice in the classroom. It is a non-profit vocabulary learning website administered by the United Nations in partnership with the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University.
Learning new vocabulary can help learners express their thoughts, write good-quality essays and letters, talk more accurately and efficiently, understand more of what they read, and earn excellent grades. It is essential to know how to teach vocabulary effectively in the classroom as there is a close correlation between vocabulary and intelligence, and the ability to expand one's vocabulary throughout life reflects a person's intellectual progress.
Algirdas Makarevicius. Which is the Best English Writing and Editing Tool?
