Presentation on teaching Vocabulary

8/13/2019 Presentation on teaching Vocabulary

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HOW SHOULD VOCABULARY BE TAUGHTAND LEARNED?

We first learn the lexis and then the grammatical structures It involves memorizing and understanding the meanings

AVOID mechanical memorizations

Combine the vocabulary with real life situations and encouragestudents to do the same

The meaning is not in the words themselves but in the words

as a pattern (Fries 1957 )HOWEVER, there are students who enjoy and succeed in learning throughmemorization


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Set your vocabulary goalsTry to achieve unassisted reading

Prepare a list of words and phrases that students must learn at aspecific period of time and at different stages. Make sure that the wordsare: Frequently used in the language Easily combined Included in the topics of discussion

REMEMBER: it takes AT LEAST a year to increase vocabulary size by athousand words

The word is considered to be learned when it is spontaneouslyrecognized while hearing and reading and it is correctly used inspeech ( Pavliy 2008)

NO MORE THAN ONE unknownword in every 50 words


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Vocabulary levels

High-frequency words: 80-90% of the words ina text Academic words: for those who do academicstudy. 4% of the words in an academic text Technical words: for a very specific study Low-frequency words: the remaining words of

the language


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HOW SHOULD VOCABULARY BE TAUGHTAND LEARNED?

Meaning focused input: learning via comprehensibleinput through listening and reading Meaning focused output: learning through speaking andwriting. The vocabulary is used in creative ways. Then the

memory for these words is strengthened. Make use ofretelling, rewriting, role plays, group and pair workinvolving negotiation. Language focused learning: involves the deliberatelearning and study of vocabulary. Make use of flashcards,word parts etc. encourage dictionary use.


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Vocabulary learning

Receptive Passiveassimilation:

Reproductive Activeassimilation:

Students understand the words while reading orlistening

Students use the words to express their thoughtseither in oral or written communication

Usually receptive lexical units become reproductive BUT when thenew vocabulary is infrequently used in speaking it becomesreceptive

Receptive assimilation involves:

Analysis of phonetic structure and spelling of wordsPhonetic reproduction of the assimilated lexical unitsReading texts containing the lexisListening to texts containing the lexis


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Work with words in a sentence

Withdraw the word from context

Analyze its phonetic structureCompare it with analogous phonations of other wordsAnalyze its meaningEncourage students to use it in different contexts

How?Reproducing sentences with the given wordFilling the blanks

Translating sentences which include the given word


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Explicit work with discrete words1. Translation of words from English to the native language

The teacher says a word and the student translates it orallyThe teacher gives out word cards and they translate it orallyThe teacher dictates some words and they translate it in written

formThe teacher gives a Greek word and they translate it in English

2. Grouping wordsAssign the students to group the words into categories of their own

preferenceGroup similar looking wordsGroup similar sounding wordsFind Synonyms and Antonyms and group themGroup the words according to topics


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The incidental teaching approach

A naturalistic procedure which involves timing of

occasions of instruction based on the childs spontaneousinterests (Valdez-Menchaca and Whitehurst 1988)

The learner initiates the interactions

enhances vocabulary acquisitionEspecially effective for disadvantaged and developmentally

disabled children as well as for children with specificexpressive language delay

May happen at home as wellResearch shows increase in spontaneous language use


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Good VS poor readersWHY?

good readers derive meaning from context more easilyPoor readers read less

WHAT WE CAN DO

Read stories to them

Encourage them to read texts with varied vocabularyThe texts chosen must provide contexts that help students get

the word meanings

Use direct instruction of vocabulary

Do not focus on particular words. Make sure that teaching oneword leads to the learning of other words.

Teach how to get the word meaning from context


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Getting word meanings from contextSCANR technique (Jenkins, Matlock, & Slocum, 1989)

substitute a synonym for an unknown wordCheck for clues that support our choice

Then accept or revise

Look inside -look out technique (Herman & Weaver, 1988)

Look inside an unknown word examine its parts

look out for clues and examine the general mood

talk -through technique

The teacher uses directed question prompts like What part ofspeech is the word? What words around it tell us something aboutthis word?


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HOW SHOULD VOCABULARY BE ASSESSED? Diagnostic testing: the Vocabulary Levels Test looks at high-

frequency, academic and low frequency vocabulary. Available online:www.lextutor.ca . Proficiency testing: measures vocabulary size and how well it isknown Achievement testing

Active recall : turn into water m_______

Passive recall: when something melts it turns into ______

Active recognition: Turn into water: a. elect b. melt c. blame

Passive recognition: Melt: a. choose b. turn into water c.accuse
http://www.lextutor.ca/http://www.lextutor.ca/


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www.pac6.org/images/upload/ Assessing _vocabulary _v2.ppt

I know whatthis wordmeans andcan use it in asentence.

I pretty muchknow whatthis wordmeans.

I have heardof this word.

I have notheard of thisword.

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Sample of vocabulary checking activities1. Clap if you agree:

Soccer is a gentle sport.

Ice cream is usually bitter. Riding a bike can be exhausting.

2. Tell about some time when something was a coincidence .

3. Which would you do if you wanted to look quickly at someone orsomething? Glance or gape?

4. Evasive people like to say exactly what they mean. True? False?

5. Would you be more dubious if your mother baked a cake or ifyour grandmother ran a marathon?

(adapted from Isabel Beck, Bringing Words to Life, 2002


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WORKS CITEDAssessing Vocabulary retrieved November 3, 2012, fromwww.pac6.org/images/upload/ Assessing _vocabulary _v2.ppt

Nation, P. and Chung, T. (2009). Teaching and Assessing Vocabulary. Long, M.and Doughty, C. (eds.), The Handbook of Language Teaching (pp. 543- 559).UK: Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Pavliy, B. (2009). Teaching English Vocabulary. Center for Student Education

Resource , 17,97-104.Stahl, S. & and Shiel, B. (1992): Teaching Meaning Vocabulary: ProductiveApproaches for Poor Readers, Reading & Writing Quarterly: OvercomingLearning Difficulties , 8(2), 223-241.

Valdez-Menchaca and Whitehurst (1988). The Effects of Incidental Teachingon Vocabulary Acquisition by Young Children. Child Development, 59,1451-1459.
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THANK YOU!!!

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Presentation on teaching Vocabulary