Does your current way of teaching vocabulary consist of working your way through a textbook? Are you bored by teaching vocabulary this way? And last question: are you wondering how exactly you should be teaching vocabulary? I’ve got you! I want to make vocabulary teaching fun and engaging for students while also upping the levels of retention! This checklist helps you do this, but here is a full explanation:
Where do we begin with teaching vocabulary? Brainstorm what words students already know. Activating prior knowledge helps students make connections between words they wouldn’t make without being prompted. Making a word web is a great way to do this.
Then show the words in context. It’s hard for students to remember words when there is no context to link them to. This goes for the context of the word, but also the prior knowledge they already have about other words in the same category. Get them to read a text or listen to a video or recording that features the words. This will give them a link to the words and real-life situations.
Next, show students the words and pronounce them. Getting students to understand the spelling and pronunciation will help with word recognition. Get students to practice writing and saying the words a couple of times in the correct way for extra retention.
After that, have students work with the word. Provide various exercises in which they must use the words in sentences or in matching situations, for example. Fill in exercises are great in the beginning. Later on, add exercises in which they must write a piece of text from scratch, like a story or a report, in which they use the words.
Once you’ve done all that, review newly acquired vocabulary a few times. Games provide an excellent way of reviewing vocabulary in a fun and active way.
Do you want an easy checklist to remember all this? Sign up and receive The Phenomenal Vocab Teaching Checklist to have on hand whenever you’re planning your vocabulary lessons!
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