As an ESL teacher, vocabulary was frequently the driving force behind my instruction. Whether it was previewing vocabulary before introducing a new science unit, defining unknown words from a guided reading text, or thematic vocabulary lessons, vocabulary has always been a part of my teaching. Teaching vocabulary is not easy. Today I want to share some strategies with you to help your English Language Learners master their vocabulary lessons.
Before we get to the strategies there is something important to keep in mind: do not try to teach too much vocabulary at once. When it comes to curating a list of vocabulary words - LESS is more. Try to choose the most important words from a unit. If, for example, you are working on a science unit on weather. You might focus on the words 'hot', and 'cold' when talking about temperature. You would not want to use all the words to describe the temperature, such as 'warm', 'cool', 'freezing', or 'frigid'. Those subsequent words will most likely come up in your conversations. By focusing on a smaller group of words you can allow students deeper understanding. Before any new unit, preview your vocabulary list and cull out the most significant words for your English Language Learners.
Use Images
Once you have your vocabulary list, there are a few ways to help those vocabulary words stick. One way is to be sure to use images whenever you are introducing new vocabulary. A great place to find images is on Pixabay. Since Pixabay is a collection of images with a creative commons license you will not have to worry about watermarks over the image. You can also use clipart or drawings to depict your vocabulary. However images are easier for children to connect with.
Use Realia
Another trick is to use "realia", or props, to assist with your vocabulary instruction. When I was working with my primary ELLs on the difference between coat and jacket - I brought in my coat, and a lighter weight jacket. I had students try on my coat and jacket so that they could experience the difference. If you are working through a topic that does not allow you to bring in actual items you could bring in toys to represent the vocabulary. For example, during a unit on nutrition you can bring in play food (to avoid allergies). If you are working on the parts of a house you could bring in a doll house.
Total Physical Response
My favorite way to engage students with their vocabulary is through Total Physical Response. TPR is basically 'acting out' or associating hand motions with your vocabulary. One that I used frequently with my elementary level students was when learning the past, present, and future tenses. I would always have students point behind them while saying "past", point at their feet and say "present", then point out in front of them and say "future". For younger learners a favorite was always teaching the difference between gloves and mittens. Students would hold their four fingers together with their thumb sticking out for mitten, then all five fingers spread out for glove. TPR is also very useful when teaching verbs. Students can act out raking leaves or shoveling snow.
Vocabulary in Context
Probably the most important thing to do when teaching new vocabulary is to use the words in context. For English Language Learners it is especially important to practice vocabulary words in all four language modalities - Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing. For listening this may look like a follow the instructions activity or a game of telephone. To practice speaking you can use a poem, or have students describe a picture related to the vocabulary. When you are choosing read-alouds or guided reading books, try to find books with your target vocabulary so students can experience the words in new ways. Take vocabulary writing beyond simple definitions by asking students to craft writing pieces like narratives or poems using their words. The Vocabulary Units in my Teachers Pay Teachers Store were all designed with this goal in mind.
Don't 'Use it and Lose it'
Last, but not least, make sure students have the chance to continuing using the vocabulary after the unit is over. Vocabulary is not something you want students to learn for the test, then promptly forget. This may mean putting up a word wall in your classroom. Or providing students with personal dictionaries to keep track of their new vocabulary.
I hope these vocabulary strategies help you and your English Language Learners. Be sure to give one or more of them a try during your next vocabulary lesson. If you do try one out I'd love to hear about it! You can e-mail me at TeachingEternity@gmail.com or find me on Instagram @TeachingEternity. Want to save this post? Click the image below to save it to your Pinterest.
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