Teaching New Vocabulary Items-What is Vocabulary?

-Vocabulary are words used to convey meanings.-A language teacher has to find systematic ways of helping learners with memorizing vocabulary items.

-Teachers should help the learners to :1-Meet the new words and understand their meaning & the way they are used.

2-Practise using the words.

3-Find ways that help memorize these words.

4-Recall and use the new words appropriately.

-Techniques of presenting new vocabulary items : 1-Putting words in context.

2-Using definitions ( the dictionary meaning )

3-Pictures and drawings.

4-Translation ( for abstract words )

5-Guessing meanings of words from context.

6-Acting or miming situations.

7-Real objects.

8-Synonyms and Antonyms.

-Some Ideas for Vocabulary Practice Activities :1-Matching pictures to words.

2-Matching words to other words ( synonyms, opposites, sets of related words)

3-Using prefixes and suffixes to build new vocabulary from given words.

4-Classifying items into lists.

5-Using given words to complete a given task.

6-Filling in crosswords, grids or diagrams.

7-Filling in gaps in sentences.

8-Memory games.

( A Simple Guide for Teaching Vocabulary )

-The are several ways to introduce new vocabulary items. The most appropriate techniques are …..

I-Presentation: - ( Introducing phonic form, lexical meaning and grammatical or structural position)

(a)-Pronounce the word two or three times (students repeat in chorus and individually several times)

(b)-Use the word in a context or a situation to show how it is normally used. Give examples.

(c)-Clarify the meaning of the unknown words using ( a real object, pictures, visual aids , synonyms and antonyms or translation for words of abstract meaning )

(d)-Show the visual form of the new word and its collection. (on board or on cards, then the pupils write it down in their vocabulary copybooks)

II-Practice: -(a)-Provide the learners(pupils) with exercises stressing reception rather than production.

(b)-Ask questions to check understanding the meaning.

III-Production: -(a)-Concentrate on how to use the newly learned word productively.

(b)-Provide your class with exercises that develop the ability to use the target word correctly in sentences, situations or contexts.

E.L.T Supervisor: Fatma Ameen