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There are several reasons for which the vocabulary component needs to be carefully
planned. Firstly, it is important to ensure that learners master the high frequency
words of the L2 before moving on to the less frequent words. Therefore, the level of
the vocabulary as well as the methods of teaching it should suit the learners.
Secondly, grouping opposites together (for example) can cause interference that
results in confusion for the learners. This can be avoided.
Thirdly, vocabulary learning opportunities and the quality of vocabulary learning can
be significantly increased through the careful design of both vocabulary and other
skill activities.
The book is divided into five sections to reflect the major components of a language
learning course:
1. Meeting new vocabulary for the first time
2. Establishing previously met vocabulary
3. Enriching previously met vocabulary
4. Developing vocabulary strategies
5. Developing fluency with known vocabulary
Since section 1 is elementary and more geared towards beginners I chose to start with
section 2, survey it very briefly and mainly elaborate on section 3. Section 4 focuses
on guessing words in context, dictionary use and word building. The latter topic will
be shortly presented. As for sections 2 & 5 I connected between the two as it is not
enough that learners have a large vocabulary. Assuming high school students need to
reach a proficiency level (based on the NEC) they must be able to access and use this
knowledge fluently. Fluency comes from having a well organized system of
knowledge that has been practiced in meaningful activities.
When the language, ideas and discourse in an activity are already familiar to a learner,
s/he are able to use the vocabulary in the activity with a higher than normal level of
fluency.
Sections 2 & 5-Establishing Previously Met Vocabulary and Developing Fluency with
Known Vocabulary
After acquiring new words, students must learn to recognize them in another context
and use them on proper occasions. This depends on frequent practice.
Sample exercises:
1. Recognition of the right word
Read as fast as you can and underline the word which is the same as the "test
word".
quiet: quite quilt quill quiet
2. Word –pair recognition
Read quickly, write S if the two phrases are the same, and D if they are not.
Poor man poor men (D)
Next stop Next stop
Good book Good book
3. Word matches
Link the words that are the same.
Either whether
Neither whither
Whether either
Weather wither
Wither neither
Wither weather
4. Recognition of the meaning of words
Underline the word that is nearest in meaning to the test word.
Easy: busy lazy simple ready
5. Recognition of words according to their prefixes and suffixes
Mark the parts of speech of the following pairs of words:
(v) (n)
Sing – singer
Translate – translation
Care – careful
6. Filling the blanks with the appropriate words / structures- When they are
finished ask students to compare their suggestions. Are they all acceptable?
Would they reject any? Why? Use this stage of the activity to develop the
students' awareness of lexical choice, vocabulary restrictions, and collocation
(a good enrichment activity as well).
7. Matching L1 and L2 equivalents or L1 words and L2 definitions or halves of
simple conversational exchanges.
8. Listening and writing- have students step outside the classroom, sit down,
close their eyes, listen very carefully and later write what they heard. Time it
and then have them write a list of at least five items. Then have them walk
around and write what they saw. Finally, have them describe the atmosphere. It
is also possible to review parts of speech through such an activity.
What they hear: List five nouns and adjectives.
What they see: List five nouns and five verbs/ adverbs.
How they or others feel: List five adjectives or adverbs.
9. EFL Scrabble-
Students must use the seven tiles they have to add a word connected to the
words already on the board.
They have only one minute to place their word on the board.
They score points only for words that they can successfully define and use
in a sentence.
10. Vocabulary Bingo- The winner will have to make up sentences with the words
in the winning row.
11. Guessing the word-
Have learners sit in pairs, one partner facing the front of the room and
one facing the back.
Present five of the items to be reviewed on the board. The students
facing the board begins to define a chosen item or suggest it in some
other way (by describing a situation, giving a context, miming), so that
the partner can guess it.
Then have the partners switch roles, and offer five new items for
review.
12. Matching Synonyms using cards
13. Listening / speaking Crosswords for Vocabulary Practice
Preteach the following types of phrases:
What's 6 across?; What's 3 down?; I'm sorry. I don't understand, could you
say that again?; How do you spell that?; Pass.
Have the students sit facing each other. Give the grid to one students
and one set of clues to the other. While one students reads the clue, the
other tries to guess the answer and write it down.
Then hand out second set of clues and have them switch their roles.
Towards the end they should be working together to puzzle out the ones
they do not know.
After conducting a round the class check, give one students in each pair
the clue sheet to test the other students and encourage them to read and
answer quickly.
A different version would be to supply the categories as well as the words when
there are a number of plausible sortings for learners to discuss afterwards. New
categories introduce a new perspective and, at the same time, clearly indicate that
sortings will depend on opinion and not fact. The following discussion is an
opportunity to review the known meanings and connotations of the lexical items.
2. Odd man out and nonverbal communication- Students are often confused by
semantically similar words for gestures, facial expressions and other forms of
nonverbal communication.
Prepare a handout with sets of three or four words referring to a gesture, facial
expression, sound or body movement.
Ask the students to select the odd word. It is also possible to ask students to
indicate whether a word carries a positive, negative or neutral connotation in their
culture.
At the end of the time allowed ask students to compare and discuss the reasons for
their choices.
Hopefully, a sample list will be attached.