the lost art
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The Lost Art. by Myrtis Mixon. Words are Lost. Why do I say that words are lost? With the emphasis on communicative teaching, we sometimes forget “ words ”. Two Ways to Learn Vocabulary. Incidental Learning Explicit teaching What do you use to teach vocabulary?. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
The Lost Art
by Myrtis Mixon
Words are Lost
Why do I say that words are lost?
With the emphasis on communicative teaching, we sometimes forget “words”
Two Ways to Learn Vocabulary
Incidental Learning Explicit teaching
What do you use to teach vocabulary?
Myths about vocabulary teaching
In learning a language, vocabulary is not as important as grammar
Using word lists to learn 2nd language vocabulary is unproductive (But use variety)
The use of translations to learn new vocabulary should be discouraged
Myths
Guessing words from context is an excellent strategy for learning 2nd language vocabulary
(Incidental vocabulary learning through reading explains only a small % of word knowledge)
The best dictionary for 2nd language learners is a monolingual dictionary
(Teachers MUST STOP pushing learners toward using monolingual dictionaries)
(Keith Folse)
Handout
Current Research
Use frequency lists. 2000 high-frequency words: 80% of words
(GSL) General Service List - http://jbauman.com/gls.html
Use academic word list: http://www.vux.ac.nz/LALS/DIV1/AWL
Teach Explicitly
Vocabulary is the single, strongest predictor of academic success.
Explicit Steps: Pronounce, explain, give examples, elaborate
review/assess student learning Engage learners: activities with evidence-checks: Word charts, sentence starters, oral sharing.http://www.calstat.org/learningCenter/pdfs/narrowinglanguageGap.pdfKinsella (2005)
Actively Engage
Use a variety of methods Two 10 minute periods/day of explicit vocabulary
instruction can yield 95% improvement in reading comprehension.
1) Spell and say, word maps, word associations, word gestures;
2) Word analysis: semantic mapping, word classification & manipulation, cloze activities, word consciousness activities
Ventriglia (2005)
Explicit Teaching
Explicitly teach and test vocabulary Teach students how to keep vocabulary notebooks Teach phrasal verbs (take off/take over) Collocations or word groupings
(squander+money/commit+crime) Use exercises that require multiple retrievals of words Use repetition & multiple exposures (retrievals)Keith Folse (2004)
Incidental Learning
For incidental learning: Increase the reading assignments Use rich oral language and extensive reading;
reading has the greatest impact on students’ vocabulary knowledge
Vocabulary Notebook
Teach learners to use a neat and spacious vocabulary notebook!!
Include target word, translation, synonym or antonym or key connecting word, and a brief example; not a whole sentence, but a good collocation
Repetition/Retrieval
Repetition is not the same as retrieval
When learners hear or see a new word, they need an activity that forces them to retrieve the meaning (multiple times ideally)
Rules
For Vocabulary Learning
Rules
Work on vocabulary in every lesson Once you teach vocabulary, you must test
vocabulary Vocabulary practice in some way… the
number of forced retrievals makes the difference
Notebook Example
Word Synonym/Explanation Example/Sentence/Image
analyse, v.To separate into parts so as to understand; to examine methodically.
I analysed the situation and decided to quit.
Handout
End of the Lost Art
It Has Been Found
