Teacher! I Need More Words!Effective Vocabulary Instruction for All

Students

Casey M. BarnesProfessor, Kyung Hee UniversityEPIK/GEPIK Teacher TrainerKOTESOL Presenter

Objectives:Evaluate techniques and activities for

vocabulary delivery

State the role of form, meaning, and use in vocabulary teaching.

Choose strategies to incorporate into your classroom.

Effective Vocabulary InstructionWhy teach vocabulary?

Experience and Challenges

Ideas for a variety of levels

Talk to your neighbor…What are the benefits of teaching

vocabulary?

What are the challenges of teaching vocabulary?

What have you done that has been effective in the past? Why was it effective?

“Without grammar very little can be conveyed, without vocabulary nothing can be conveyed.” ~ D. Wilkins

Talk to a different colleague…What is the best way to teach vocabulary?

What do you want to improve about how you teach vocabulary?

What are the stages of vocabulary acquisition?

First, students notice a new word with help

Second, they recognize the word with help

Third, they recognize the word aloneFinally, they are able to produce the

word

What kinds of activities suit each of these stages?

Process Approach to Direct Instruction1) Provide target words with pictures and

annotations (definition/synonym/L1, when common)

2) Students complete a “Fill-in” task3) Students complete a “post-reading” production

activityExample: 1) Write a letter to a friend about how to save

water.2) Retell the reading in your words. You must use

the target words. 4) Additional/Follow-up – Crossword Puzzle, Taboo

Instruction of Vocabulary “in context” Significantly higher retention when meaning

is inferred from task based activities than from learning definitions/synonyms

Context cluesDifficult to teach to low level students.Students need to be comfortable guessingStudents use high levels of cognition as they

discuss how they came to conclusions. That is, what clues did they use from the text.

Retention and ProductionGreater retention from composition/production

than from reading comprehension tasks.

Using Word Walls1) High-utility Words (Language used daily)2) Topical Words (Content Specific)3) Classroom Words/ Expressions4) Mobile Word Wall (Vocabulary Journal)

Word Wall ExamplesGood for:

•High Utility Vocabulary

•Topical Vocabulary

•Classroom Vocabulary

Personal Word Wall

New Words Old Words with New Meanings

Science Words

Environmental Words

Greeting Words Making Plans Words

Past Experience Words

Slang Words I like

Word webs and word banksCooperativeProvide a wider range of accessible wordsGenerate higher order thinking.Students can choose what they learn

Word Web for Clothing

Clothing

Fashion

Changes

Gender

Season

Fabric

Style

Word Webs allow students to choose which words they learn.

Studies show retention rates are higher when students have input into what vocabulary they learn.

Word Webs can be used for a:List – Group – Label ActivityStudents think about, discuss, and categorize

Students try to group the words into 3-4 categories

Students tlabel the categories

Concept Circles

trail

difficult

travelling

settlers

wagon

Travelling west was very difficult for settlers. The trail was very difficult. They had to live in a wagon for a long time. It was very difficult.

Create your own! Choose a topic, choose four – seven words.

Vocabulary JournalsProduction activityProvides more than one kind of definition

= High retention

Vocabulary Journal StylesWord Is like Is not Illustrati

on

Word Definition Example Artifact

Word Definition Form Use

Vocab-o-gram 2 birds, 1 stone approach –

Pre-teaches vocabulary (front loading)Acts as a pre-reading prediction making

activity

Highly motivating Try not to make it a spoiler.

“Vocab-o-gram”

Setting

Plot

Characters

Conflict

ResolutionMystery Words

Word Bank

appointment

threatening

death astonish horse

city trembling market Baghdad jostle

master flanks spurs crowd merchant

Appointment in SamarraThere was a merchant in Baghdad who sent his servant to

market to buy provisions and in a little while the servant came back, white and trembling, and said, Master, just now when I was in the marketplace I was jostled by a woman in the crowd and when I turned I saw it was Death that jostled me.  She looked at me and made a threatening gesture,  now, lend me your horse, and I will ride away from this city and avoid my fate.  I will go to Samarra and there Death will not find me.  The merchant lent him his horse, and the servant mounted it, and he dug his spurs in its flanks and as fast as the horse could gallop he went.  Then the merchant went down to the marketplace and he saw me standing in the crowd and he came to me and said, “Why did you make a threatening gesture to my servant when you saw him this morning? ” “That was not a threatening gesture,” he said, “it was only a start of surprise.  I was astonished to see him in Baghdad, for I had an appointment with him tonight in Samarra.”

Mini-presentationsWord websVocab-o-gramsVocabulary Journals

Pretty much anything can be followed up with a mini-presentation of the work.

Create your own…Can you think of additional ideas that would

suit your students and school environment?

Differentiating Vocabulary Instruction:Consider your students’ learning profilesProvide a variety of receptive and productive

activites

Process Approach to Vocabulary Instruction1) Establish a Daily Routine2) Establish Word Walls – decide if students

can write on them.3) Vary activities4) Use production/task based activities5) Reinforce with games, crosswords, etc.

Great Reinforcement Game:Pictionary meets Charades meets Taboo

Instead of doing just one, do them all!

Use a point system so the more difficult task is worth more points.

Give students choice, differentiates, and it is fun!

Questions?

Casey M. BarnesFB: Casey Barnes Email: caseyengteacher@yahoo.comWeb: caseyengteacher.wordpress.com