Strategies to Teach New Vocabulary 2016

Best Ways To Enhance V~Power!

By Mr Chiak Chin Soon
English Excellent Teacher, SJK(C) Yuh Hua Rembau

This article reviews some useful ways to teach new vocabulary in the
classroom. New vocabulary is one of the basic building blocks in our
students' learning. But have we ever put much thought into how we
introduce new words? Learning long laundry lists of words can be very
tedious for students. On the other hand, introducing words in students' native
language and then translating them into English or vice versa is not very
effective, either. We have to start training them to think in English right
from the start. Needless to say, the language we are teaching should be
spoken at all times, even if students are absolute beginners. As the saying
goes, when theres a view, theres a way.

How to Teach New Words

1. POINTING
Pointing is probably the technique of choice when teaching real
beginners. The teacher shows students illustrations or flashcards and
points to the items they wish to teach. You can also
use posters, Power Point presentations, or different
types of computer software where illustrations are
presented in electronic format. Google Images is a real
life-saver! Pointing works best with nouns which include

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food, clothes, animals, professions, sports, classroom objects, office

supplies, etc but also colors, actions, and any adjective that can be
clearly illustrated (like facial expressions, for example to teach
feelings). The main advantage of pointing is that words may be
introduced in blocks, and you may easily and effectively introduce
several in one lesson. Works well with visual students.

2. SUBSTITUTION

This technique can be used with students of all

levels and works best with concepts and ideas that
can't be easily seen or touched, like abstracts, or
anything that is not a real object. There are
different ways to use substitution:
Synonyms We substitute one word students are familiar with for
another new one.
When we call someone, do we sometimes have to wait? We have
to hold. Do trains usually run on time? They are on schedule.
Antonyms We substitute one word they are familiar with for its
opposite.
Is a Ferrari a cheap car? (No) Its an expensive car.
Substitution works very well with phrasal verbs, which usually have
a one-word equivalent:
Do put put off going to the dentist?
You postpone seeing your dentist.

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However, we should be careful when using words that are not exact
synonyms or antonyms. Remember to imply that the connotation may
be different in some cases.

3. NAMING
This technique is similar to substitution, but in this
case, you set a scene or situation and then substitute it
with a new word or phrase, thus
effectively naming the scene.
Do you usually eat pancakes, eggs, and bacon for breakfast? (No)
So, you have a light breakfast.
The hotel accepted too many reservations. The hotel is overbooked.
The steak I ordered last night was not cooked enough. It was
undercooked / rare / bloody.

4. MIMING AND TOTAL PHYSICAL RESPONSE

This technique works great with kinesthetic
learners, namely those who learn best by
moving their bodies. Most teachers believe
that mining works best with children,
particularly when it comes to exaggerating emotions and facial
expressions, but adults may also enjoy miming.
Most teachers are also aware of the advantages of Total Physical
Response in the ESL classroom. TPR works well with parts of the
body (Im touching my nose! Touch your nose!), actions (Im walking

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to the door), and the imperative mood or commands (Sit down! Stand
up!)
The main advantage in miming and TPR is that you can get students
physically engaged in the lesson. It gets them out of their seats and
shakes things up. So make sure you maximize opportunities to get
them moving!

5. REALIA
The use of realia, or real-life objects in the ESL classroom can make
a huge difference in student learning. It engages them and motivates
them to learn. Its fun and sets a more natural learning environment.
Some realia you may use to introduce new
vocabulary includes:

Maps
Tea sets, dishes, and utensils
Clothes
Toy planes, trains, cars, animals, furniture, etc
Family photos
Holiday items (pumpkin, Easter eggs, Halloween or Christmas
decorations)
Plastic fruits and vegetables

6. READ, READ, AND READ

The more you read -- especially novels and literary works,
but also magazines and newspapers -- the more words you'll
be exposed to. As you read and uncover new words, use a

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combination of attempting to derive meaning from the context of the

sentence as well as from looking up the definition in a dictionary.

7. USE A DICTIONARY
Keep a dictionary and thesaurus handy. Use whatever versions you
prefer -- in print, software, or online. When you uncover a new word,
look it up in the dictionary to get both its pronunciation
and its meaning(s). Next, go to the thesaurus and find
similar words and phrases -- and their opposites
(synonyms and antonyms, respectively) -- and learn the
nuances among the words.

8. JOURNAL
It's a good idea to keep a running list of the new words you discover
so that you can refer back to the list and slowly build
them into your everyday vocabulary. Plus, keeping
a journal of all your new words can provide
positive reinforcement for learning even more
words -- especially when you can see how
many new words you've already learned.

9. LEARN A WORD A DAY

Using a word-a-day calendar or Website -- or developing your own
list of words to learn -- is a great technique many people use to learn
new words. This approach may be too rigid for some, so even if you

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do use this method, don't feel

you must learn a new word every day.
(Find some word-a-day Websites at the
end of this article.)

10. GO BACK TO THE ROOTS

One of the most powerful tools for learning new
words -- and for deciphering the meaning of other
new words -- is studying Latin and Greek roots.
Latin and Greek elements (prefixes, roots, and
suffixes) are a significant part of the English
language and a great tool for learning new words.
(Follow these links for the sections of this site
that provide English Vocabulary Derived from Latin and English
Vocabulary Derived from Greek.)

11. GAMES.
Word games that challenge you and help you discover new meanings
and new words are a great and fun tool in your quest for expanding
your vocabulary. Examples include crossword
puzzles, anagrams, word jumble,
Scrabble, and Boggle. (Find some word-
game Websites at the end of this article.)

12. ENGAGE IN CONVERSATIONS.

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Simply talking with other people can help you learn discover new
words. As with reading, once you hear a new word, remember to jot it
down so that you can study it later -- and then slowly add the new
word to your vocabulary.