Vocabulary Instruction for Basic ESL Life Skills

Courses at Howard Community College

Strategy Guide

Margaret M. O’Neill
5/5/2019
 Table of Contents
I. Introduction: .......................................................................................................................................................2
II. Overview of strategies:.......................................................................................................................................3
III. How to use this guide: ....................................................................................................................................4
IV. How to select vocabulary items for study ......................................................................................................4
1. High frequency word list ................................................................................................................................5
2. CASAS Competencies......................................................................................................................................6
3. Maryland Content Standards for Adult ESL/ESOL ..........................................................................................7
4. Compleat Lexical Tutor ...................................................................................................................................8
V. Explicit Vocabulary Instruction Strategies ..........................................................................................................9
1. Activate prior knowledge ...............................................................................................................................9
a. Pre-teaching vocabulary .......................................................................................................................... 10
b. Semantic mapping ................................................................................................................................... 12
2. Repetition and spaced retrieval .................................................................................................................. 13
3. Handwritten flash cards and vocabulary boxes .......................................................................................... 14
4. Educational games/puzzles ......................................................................................................................... 15
5. Total Physical Response............................................................................................................................... 19
6. Dictionaries .................................................................................................................................................. 20
7. Incorporating realia .................................................................................................................................... 21
8. KIM chart (Key Term – Information – Memory Cue) ................................................................................... 22
9. Incorporating Technology............................................................................................................................ 25
10. Cloze exercises......................................................................................................................................... 26
VI. Assessment .................................................................................................................................................. 27

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Strategy Guide: Explicit Vocabulary Instruction for Basic ESL Life Skills Courses

I. Introduction:

For many years, TESOL researchers and instructors have debated the value of explicit

vocabulary instruction in the classroom. Some researchers have stated that explicit (direct) vocabulary

instruction is unnecessary, and that students will expand their lexicon through implicit (indirect)

instruction. Teaching methods have frequently underemphasized the importance of explicit vocabulary

instruction. Subon (2015) explains that, “Often, vocabulary instruction in the classroom is believed to

be unplanned, driven primarily by student questions and teacher intuitions” (p. 286). Some instructors

encourage activities such as independent reading to build vocabulary, but do not provide explicit

instruction to help students understand and retain new words (Subon, 2015).

In recent years, however, there has been a shift in researchers’ views of explicit vocabulary

instruction. One reason for this is that students regularly find that lack of vocabulary knowledge is a

serious impediment to their ability to communicate clearly in English. This is evident in classes at the

Howard Community College English Language Center (ELC), particularly at the pre-beginning level.

Even when students are exposed to new vocabulary words in class, they often have difficulty retaining

them. Schmitt states that “L2 students need approximately 2,000 words to hold conversations in

English, 3,000 word families to read authentic texts, and as many as 10,000 words to comprehend

academic texts (as cited in Folse, 2006, p. 285). Yet, in general, a classroom focus on vocabulary skills

has often been sidelined in favor of grammar instruction. This is detrimental to student progress; as

Folse (2004) points out, “Learners can express themselves with poor grammar; in fact, much to the

chagrin of ESL teachers, they do this quite frequently. However, with poor vocabulary, communication

is constrained considerably. You can get by without grammar; you cannot get by without vocabulary”

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(p. 2). Research now shows that explicit vocabulary instruction can help English learners learn and

retain new words long-term (Subon, 2015). Therefore, this strategy guide will focus on explicit/direct

vocabulary instruction strategies for Basic ESL students at the Howard Community College English

Language Center (ELC). The primary focus will be on Life Skills English Pre-Beginning A/B classes,

but the strategies/examples can be adapted to apply to other classes as well.

II. Overview of strategies:

The strategies in this guide emphasis will primarily target the 2000 high-frequency word list, as

well as vocabulary directly related to life skills content. There is also a considerable amount of overlap

between these two sets (life skills vocabulary and high frequency 2000 word list). Whenever possible,

this guide will discuss how to address the overlap and use it to your advantage in the classroom. Note:

The content “life skills” vocabulary will be based on the textbook Stand Out Basic that is currently used

in the pre-beginning Life Skills A/B classes, as well as the CASAS Competencies guide, which will be

explained in more detail in Section IV.

It is also helpful for ESOL instructors to integrate technology into their classes whenever

possible. Ideally, students should be taught how to utilize technology outside of class as well. For

example, they can use various apps and computer programs to help them increase their vocabulary

knowledge, as well as strengthen other language skills. Many students enjoy using tools such as

electronic flash card apps, and can benefit greatly from learning about new apps they have not tried yet.

Finally, it is important to note that there is a difference between “receptive retrieval” and

“productive retrieval” of vocabulary items (Radwan & Rikala-Boyer, 2011, p. 7). A matching exercise,

for example, would be an example of a receptive retrieval activity. Students must simply be able to

recognize the correct answers when they see them. On the other hand, requiring students to write their

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own responses or construct their own sentence is an example of productive retrieval. Some of the

strategies in this guide will focus more on receptive retrieval, while others will focus on productive

retrieval.

III. How to use this guide:

As you read through each strategy, note the relevant research findings and think about how they

relate to your own experience. As you read, consider the following questions: Which strategies have

you used before? Which are brand new to you? Which strategies would you feel most confident in

applying in the classroom, and which ones do you feel you need more training in? It is helpful to

consider which strategies might be the best fit for your particular students, and why. Consider whether

you want to focus on receptive retrieval or productive retrieval skills. You might also think about any

modifications you could make to address the needs of your class more effectively. Finally, pay close

attention to the examples provided and links to supplemental resources such as websites, videos, etc.

Note that all links to outside resources can also be found in Google Classroom.

IV. How to select vocabulary items for study

There are multiple sources that Basic ESL instructors can refer to when selecting vocabulary

items to focus on in class. These resources will be referred to throughout the strategy guide, but the

main ones include the Stand Out Basic textbook and supplemental resources such as the New General

Service List (high-frequency words), CASAS Competencies, Maryland Content Standards for Adult

ESL/ESOL, and the Compleat Lexical Tutor (or other similar online lexical analysis tools). Before

discussing the supplemental resources, it is important to note the content of the units in the Stand Out

Basic textbook:
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 Stand Out Basic (Jenkins & Johnson, 2016) – Overview of Units

 Pre-Unit: Welcome - greet people, say/write phone numbers, follow instructions

 Unit 1: Personal Information – identify people, express marital status, say and write addresses,
say and write dates
 Unit 2: Our Class – introduce yourself and others, describe your surroundings, plan for weather
 Unit 3: Food – identify common foods, make a shopping list
 Unit 4: Clothing - identify types of clothing, make purchases
 Unit 5: Our Community – identify and ask about locations, describe housing, identify types of
transportation
 Unit 6: Healthy Living – identify body parts, describe symptoms and illnesses, describe healthy
habits
 Unit 7: Work – identify occupations, job duties, read evaluations
 Unit 8: Lifelong Learning and Review – organize study materials, make purchases, make goals,
develop a study schedule

1. High frequency word list

According to Nation (2001), “In general, high frequency words are so important that anything

teachers and learners can do to make sure they are learned is worth doing” (p. 24). The most commonly

used high frequency word list contains the first 2000 (most frequently used) words in the English

language. The first 1,000 words cover about 77% of academic texts, while the second covers

approximately 5%, for a total of 82%. In terms of daily conversation, the first 1000 words cover about

84%, while the second 1000 cover roughly 6% (Nation, 2001). There are different versions of this list

available, but the original list, the General Service List (GSL), was developed by Michael West in 1953.

One group of researchers (Browne, Culligan and Phillips) updated and revised the original GSL in 2013,

and the link to their version (New General Service List) is provided below:

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http://www.newgeneralservicelist.org/

The New General Service List (NGSL) is extremely useful, especially in lower level classes in

the Basic ESL program. For example, when instructors come across “life skills content words” in the

textbook, they can cross-reference them with the high frequency word list to see which ones are used

most often.

2. CASAS Competencies

The acronym “CASAS” stands for Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment System. The

CASAS standards and assessments are used in adult education programs throughout the United States.

According to the CASAS Competencies product overview, “The CASAS Competencies: Essential Life

Skills for Youth and Adults identify more than 360 essential life skills that youth and adults need to be

functionally competent members of their community, their family, and the workforce. The competencies

are relevant across the full range of instructional levels, from beginning literacy through high school

completion including transition to postsecondary education and training” (Comprehensive Adult Student

Assessment System, 2019).

The CASAS Competencies address nine core content areas: basic communication, community

resources, consumer economics, health, employment, government and law, math, learning and thinking

skills, and independent living. The following is an excerpt from the CASAS Competencies, which shows

some of the skills from the Health domain. It is particularly relevant to the Life Skills English Pre-

Beginning B curriculum because Unit 6 of the Stand Out textbook addresses standards 3.6.1, 3.6.3, and

3.6.4.

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Figure 1

Excerpt from CASAS Competencies

http://www.casas.org/docs/pagecontents/competencies.pdf?Status=Master

3. Maryland Content Standards for Adult ESL/ESOL

The Maryland Content Standards for Adult ESL/ESOL are especially pertinent for Basic ESL

instructors, who are given a list for their class each semester, and are expected to teach at least 80% of

the standards list. The Content Standards focus on the core skills needed at each proficiency level for

English language learners. For example, while an instructor is teaching a high beginning ESOL class,

he/she can refer to the Content Standards and see which skills students are expected to know at that

level. The Content Standards are categorized under the following proficiency levels:

• Beginning ESL/ESOL Literacy

• Low Beginning ESL/ESOL
• High Beginning ESL/ESOL
• Low Intermediate ESL/ESOL

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 • High Intermediate ESL/ESOL
• Advanced ESL/ESOL

They also contain information about expected learner competencies (“life skills”), as well as

information about cultural, technological, workplace, and metacognitive skills. The general idea is for

instructors to teach these content standards within the context of the CASAS Competencies. Although

these standards do not suggest specific vocabulary items to study, they do provide a general overview of

the skills expected at each proficiency level in listening, reading, speaking, and writing. The CASAS

Competencies can then be applied at the appropriate skill level; this will be discussed in further depth at

the in-service workshop and in Google Classroom.

4. Compleat Lexical Tutor

The Compleat Lexical Tutor website is an extremely useful tool for determining which words to

focus on in a reading passage. It enables instructors to reading passages in text or files for analysis of

which words are high-frequency (and their rankings), which appear on the academic word list, etc. An

example can be seen below in Figures 2 and 3: the text submitted was “Cindy is a nurse. She helps sick

people. She works in a hospital from Monday to Friday.” The “K1 Words” represent the first 1-1000

words of the New General Service List; K2 Words represent the second 1000 words; AWL Words

represent words from the academic word list; and Off-List Words do not appear on any of the previous

three lists.

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Figure 2: Sample of lexical analysis from https://www.lextutor.ca/

Figure 3: Sample of lexical analysis from https://www.lextutor.ca/

V. Explicit Vocabulary Instruction Strategies

1. Activate prior knowledge

In language instruction, this is often referred to as activating schema/schemata. This can be

accomplished in many different ways, but teaching the pre-beginning/beginning levels of ESL students

presents unique challenges. For example, prior to reading a text, instructors cannot simply ask them to

preview/skim the passage or discuss their past experiences that relate to the topic. This is because most

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students at this level do not have the ability to preview and comprehend all of the headings or express

their experiences/knowledge orally. Therefore, it is ideal if visual representations of the text (pictures,

diagrams, etc.) are included whenever possible. When selecting supplemental materials, instructors

should take care to choose brief passages that are accompanied by pictures, headings, bolded words, etc.

Two specific strategies for activating schema (pre-teaching vocabulary and semantic mapping) are

described in detail below:

a. Pre-teaching vocabulary

According to McClymont (2019), “Pre-teaching vocabulary is when a teacher selects and teaches

her students key words from a reading text – vocabulary that is essential to understanding the text –

before her students read the text.” There has been much debate in the ESOL field about whether or not

instructors should pre-teach vocabulary. However, if instructors plan carefully, pre-teaching can be still

be a useful strategy. Again, this is where it is critically important for instructors to understand which

words to focus on, and plan accordingly

Roberts (2012) further explains that when pre-teaching vocabulary, it is more important that

instructors select words that students need to understand to complete a specific task, rather than just the

words they think students will struggle with while reading the passage. It is also important to

contextualize as much as possible and activate schema. Show students how words relate to one another,

and discuss how they might apply to their own lives. Roberts (2012) also recommends matching

vocabulary words with pictures as part of a pre-teaching activity. This is something that the project

developer has done on numerous occasions while teaching Life Skills English Pre-Beginning B. It can

be as simple as looking up the pictures on the internet together while saying the words out loud. Another

strategy the project developer has used is to create word/picture cards as seen below (Figure 4), cut them

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into separate squares, and then ask students if they can match them up before reading about them in the

textbook or a supplemental passage.

fruit

vegetables

eggs

Figure 4 – Matching words with images (Microsoft Word clip art)

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 b. Semantic mapping

Semantic mapping is a method that can be used to activate prior knowledge and build knowledge

of new vocabulary items. It uses diagrams to show the relationships between similar words in a specific

category. For example, an instructor may ask the class to think of all of the words related to the key

word “healthy.” An example of a resulting semantic map might look like the following:

Figure 5 – Example of semantic mapping

In Life Skills English classes, semantic maps could demonstrate significant overlap between

high-frequency words and life skills content words. For example, if students do a semantic map for

“healthy” – they may have content words branching off, such as “food,” “sleep,” “exercise”, and

“doctor” that also appear on the New General Service List (high frequency words). Instructors should

take note of these words and emphasize them in class and on assessments.

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 As previously mentioned, semantic maps are also useful for activating prior knowledge. When

discussing the term “healthy,” instructors can ask students how they stayed healthy in their home

countries. How do they stay healthy in the U.S.? How do they help their children stay healthy? “In

sum, semantic mapping enables learners to understand the relationships among words by helping them

use their prior knowledge since the right interpretation of new information hinges on its congruency

with the schemata currently activated” (p. 5) “The ability to make new connections between new and

known information has been suggested to facilitate deep processing” (p. 5)

Also, it should be noted that according to Radwan and Rikala-Boyer (2011), discussion is a vital

component of semantic mapping activities. Ideally, students should first be asked to construct a

semantic map together, then read a brief passage with related vocabulary, discuss the passage, and

reconstruct the map (create the final version). Active discussion has been shown to increase the gains

made by students, particularly in receptive retrieval.

2. Repetition and spaced retrieval

In order to retain new vocabulary, it is generally agreed that learners must be exposed to the

words multiple times, and these exposures should be “spaced” throughout the early stages of learning.

This concept is known as spaced retrieval (Coxhead, 2006). In terms of the number of repetitions, there

is no consensus, but according to Nisbet and Tindall (2015), “rich, extended instruction involving 12

encounters per word did result in significant gains in comprehension” (p. 77). Nisbet and Tindall

recommend the following method as an effective way to introduce new vocabulary words. It is known

as the “See/hear/say/write” method: Instructor should first write the new word on the board, then point

to the word and say it, and finally ask students to repeat the word together (choral repetition). Students

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will then say the word to their partners, and finally will write the word on a reference card. This method

only takes about five minutes, and during that time, students gain six exposures to the new word (p. 77).

This concept should be applied to all types of vocabulary words, for all levels of English

language learners “Lots of repetitions in the early stages of learning are important so that the chances of

learners remembering the words will be higher. That is, there is not enough time to forget. This is the

‘spaced’ part of spaced retrieval.” (Coxhead, 2006). One effective strategy that incorporates the

principles of repetition and spaced retrieval is the use of vocabulary boxes (see Strategy #3 for

additional details). Other strategies that could incorporate spaced retrieval include, but are not limited

to, Total Physical Response (TPR), using games and puzzles, cloze exercises, and cloze exercises.

3. Handwritten flash cards and vocabulary boxes

Handwritten flash cards are still used by a number of students, and can be effective because they

incorporate the concepts of repetition/spaced retrieval. Students can continuously use their flash card

sets to quiz themselves. Additionally, using vocabulary boxes can be a strong motivator because

students are then sharing their flash cards with the rest of the class. A vocabulary box is a physical box

that students place their flashcards into after creating them in class. They can then continuously return to

the vocabulary box and retrieve flashcards to quiz each other with. According to Coxhead (2006),

vocabulary boxes also motivate students because they are shared resources: “Learners are responsible

for the information on the cards, so they are highly aware that others are basing their learning on the

accuracy of their flash cards” (p. 42).

There are a number of other ways in which flash cards can be utilized in the classroom for

vocabulary instruction (Coxhead, 2006, p. 43). For example, during a short dictation, students can

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arrange the words (flash cards) in the order that they hear them. They can also categorize them by parts

of speech; at the pre-beginning level, instruction on parts of speech can be challenging, but students can

(and should) learn about nouns, verbs, and adjectives. Students can also quiz one another in pairs or

small groups, then form new groups and swap cards to ensure that they are exposed to as many words as

possible.

4. Educational games/puzzles

Educational games and puzzles can be used in the ESOL classroom to increase vocabulary

knowledge. It is important for instructors to note that some adult students might think that games are

childish and/or not an effective way to learn. However, as Alemi (2010) explains, “Adolescents and

adults may enjoy games as much as children do, and if the purpose of a game is explained to them, they

will not feel that it is childish” (p. 428). At the pre-beginning level, word searches might be the most

practical type of game; first, students could be asked to simply circle the words (passive retrieval). They

could then be asked to create flash cards for 2-3 words, and later exchange the cards with classmates

who defined other words.

Crossword puzzles also have been shown to help students increase their vocabulary. According

to Merkel (2016), these types of puzzles have a number of direct cognitive benefits; they can help

students become better spellers, memorize the definitions of words, make inferences, and draw

conclusions. Instructors can create word searches and crossword puzzles, but of course, it is important

to carefully consider which words to use. At the pre-beginning level, it is best to choose words that

students have already learned, and then use the puzzles as a method for incorporating repetition/spaced

retrieval. The definitions provided should be brief and identical (or very similar) to the definitions they

have encountered before. Examples of a crossword puzzle and word search can be seen in Figures 6

and 7, respectively. The crossword puzzle was based on Unit 7 of the Stand Out Basic textbook, as well

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as the CASAS Competencies. The word search was based on Unit 6 of the Stand Out Basic textbook and

the CASAS Competencies.

It is important to note that many other types of games can be used in the ESOL classroom; they

are certainly not limited to crossword puzzles and word searches. Alemi (2010) listed an extensive

number of games including “crossword puzzles, acrostics and double acrostics, vocabulary expansion

quizzes, word wheels, maze of vocabularies, charades, definition games, passwords, recipes, map

games, paper hunts, drawing games, and debates” (p. 429). Obviously not all of these options can be

utilized at the lower proficiency levels, but some can be modified and incorporated. There are, of

course, many other options available, and links to websites with other ideas for games are included

below:

https://ngl.cengage.com/infocus/index.php/2017/08/08/vocabulary-games/

https://bogglesworldesl.com/crosswords.htm

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 Occupations

Across

1. prepares meals in a restaurant

3. helps patients in a hospital
4. works in a laboratory
7. helps patients with toothaches
8. answers phones in an office
9. cleans the school
10. paints and draws pictures
Down
2. fights fires
5. works with animals
6. repairs cars
9. makes change

Figure 6 – Crossword Puzzle - Created by Puzzlem aker at DiscoveryEducation.com

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 Transportation

P H S F T S R L E K A M H B Y

E E U A M R N Y G L O D Y O A

S L X C T Y U Q T T C R D A W

F I T R A I N C O R R Y W T B

G C E J P J Z R K E A B C R U

B O K S U B C H F O E C E I S

Z P X Y O Y E N A L P R I A B

V T J X C D E I Z A K J A V J

L E H L W D U K F D U N O I G

S R E T Q R N F X F Z Y V L P

AIRPLANE BICYCLE BOAT

BUS CAR FERRY

HELICOPTER MOTORCYCLE SUBWAY

TAXI TRAIN TRUCK

Figure 7 - Created by P uzzlem aker at DiscoveryEducation.com

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 5. Total Physical Response

Total Physical Response was a foreign language instruction method developed by psychologist

John Asher in 1966. According to the U.S. Department of State (2011), “Total Physical Response

(TPR) is a classic language teaching methodology that emphasizes language learning by having students

respond physically to language cues. TPR is effective for reinforcing and practicing active language and

vocabulary. Common games used in language classrooms such as Simon Says and Charades are often

versions or modifications of TPR.”

Many ESOL instructors are already familiar with TPR, but it should be noted that it can

particularly useful for pre-beginning/low beginning levels. It is an interactive listening activity that

keeps them actively engaged. Instructors can easily combine high frequency words with “life skills”

words and vocabulary from the textbook, CASAS Competencies, etc. This strategy is especially useful

for vocabulary words encountered in Life Skills Pre-Beginning A/B classes, such as body parts,

prepositions, and many more. Examples of TPR commands that utilize these types of words are shown

below; if a word appears on the high-frequency word list (Browne, Culligan and Phillips, 2013), its

number is listed in parentheses.

Command: “Touch your left leg twice.”(touch = 871; your = 49 left = 1295; leg =1104; twice =
1433)

Command: “Put your book on top of your desk.”(put = 153; your = 49; of = 3; book = 192; on =14;
top = 404; desk =1551)

Command: “Raise your right arm.” (raise = 536; your = 49; right =94; arm = 608)

Command: “Put your book under your desk.” (book = 192; under = 201; desk = 1551)

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 Overall, TPR is an ideal activity for keeping beginner students actively engaged in the

classroom. As students advance, they can make up their own TPR commands and give them to other

students, which will also help them build confidence in their speaking skills. Additionally, instructors

may consider writing out the commands and putting them under the projector or on the white board after

giving them orally (this helps students connect what they hear to how the words look). The project

developer has utilized this strategy with Life Skills pre-beginning students, and found it to be helpful.

Additional resources: https://www.fluentu.com/blog/educator/total-physical-response/

http://www.theteachertoolkit.com/index.php/tool/total-physical-response-tpr

YouTube demonstration of TPR: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BR37oAnUVvE

6. Dictionaries

There are different types of dictionaries that can be used in the ESOL classroom. At the pre-

beginning level, students may benefit greatly from picture dictionaries, such as the Oxford Picture

Dictionary (OPD). It is quite common for instructors to read/hear that they should not allow their

students to use bilingual dictionaries. However, according to Folse (2004), “In contrast to teacher

preferences and textbook recommendations, research shows that learners who use a dictionary learn

more vocabulary than those who rely on guessing from context, and that learners who use a bilingual

dictionary actually remember vocabulary better than those using a monolingual dictionary” (p. 8). This

is particularly relevant for Life Skills Pre-Beginning classes because students at this level do not have

enough of a vocabulary base to use context clues yet. In addition, a number of studies indicate that using

bilingual dictionaries result in improvement in vocabulary knowledge (Folse, 2004), and a separate

study by Shamshirian (2015) demonstrated that using bilingual dictionaries led to larger improvements

than using monolingual dictionaries.

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 For teachers and students who prefer not to use bilingual dictionaries dictionaries, Folse (2004)

suggests an alternative known as a semi bilingual dictionary: “The L2 entry is followed by an L2

definition, an L1 translation, and an L2 example sentence or phrase” (p. 9). Finally, monolingual

dictionaries are of course an option, but at lower proficiency levels, it is preferable to select dictionaries

designed for English language learners. One such example is the Oxford American Dictionary for

Learners of English, published by Oxford University Press. This dictionary is ideal for ESOL

classrooms because it includes a guide for how to use the dictionary, which gives examples for how to

understand pronunciation, parts of speech, whether a noun is countable or non-countable, and much

more. In in any case, students should be specifically taught how to use their dictionaries (“dictionary

training”). The resources below provide specific tips for dictionary training that instructors can use in

the classroom (note: all links will also be provided in Google Classroom):

https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/using-dictionaries

https://eltexperiences.com/using-dictionaries-during-classes-lesson-ideas/

7. Incorporating realia
Another method that many ESOL teachers are familiar with is the use of realia to teach

vocabulary, grammatical structures, and much more. Richards and Schmidt define realia as “(in

language teaching) actual objects and items which are brought into a classroom as examples or as aids to

be talked or written about and used in teaching” (as cited in Bably and Nusrat, 2017). While it can be

time-consuming for instructors to plan lessons with realia, it is frequently well worth it, especially at the

beginning proficiency levels. When realia is incorporated on an occasional basis and vocabulary words

are carefully pre-selected, students can get a great deal out of the lessons. Also note that realia can

easily be combined with other vocabulary learning strategies, such as role plays. For example, in a life

skills class, students could work in pairs where one acts as a waiter/waitress in a restaurant, and the other

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is the customer. One could work as a store clerk and the other could purchase items such as food or

office supplies. Some specific items that instructors can use as realia include:

• Empty over-the-counter medicine bottles/labels and thermometers for healthcare lessons

(Jenkins and Johnson, 2016, Unit 7 of the Stand Out textbook, CASAS Competencies 3.3)

• Items that can be found in a grocery store, e.g. fruits and canned goods; students can then

create shopping lists and “shop” for the items they want (Jenkins and Johnson, Unit 3;

CASAS Competencies 1.2.8)

• Restaurant menus to review vocabulary and practice ordering food (Jenkins and Johnson,

Unit 3; CASAS Competencies 1.2.8)

• Money (can be real money or something very similar – high quality fake coins or paper bills)

– this can be used for many situations, from simply counting the money and saying the

numbers, to exchanging it in role plays (customer/cashier role plays) – Jenkins and Johnson,

Unit 4, CASAS Competencies 1.1)

• Transportation schedules, e.g. bus and train schedules (Jenkins and Johnson, Unit 5; CASAS

Competencies 2.2)

8. KIM chart (Key Term – Information – Memory Cue)

The KIM strategy utilizes graphic organizers to help students to learn and retain new vocabulary

words. ESOL students can use print or online dictionaries to look up the definitions of vocabulary

items. In a chart, they list the Key term (K), Information (I, or definition) and memory cue (M), which is

often a picture. Bilingual dictionaries can be utilized, especially at lower proficiency levels, and

students are encouraged to add the L1 translation for the key term and information. For this exercise,

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students should focus on writing down the definition and part of speech (noun, verb, etc.). They can

also write the word in their native language; research demonstrates that this helps students better retain

the words. According to Jiang (2004), “Adult L2 learners could draw on the mature conceptual and

lexical systems of their native languages (L1s), in part because target vocabulary items usually have

corresponding words in L1s” (as cited in Nam, 2010, p. 130).

An example of a KIM chart is provided in Figure 8. It is based on health-related vocabulary

presented in Unit 6 of the Stand Out textbook. If students are working on their KIM charts online, they

can use images from clip art of the Internet and paste them in the “Memory Cue” (M) column.

Alternatively, they can also draw images or write in other memory cues (perhaps a related word or

phrase them helps them remember the meaning of the new vocabulary word).

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 Key Term Information Memory Cue
Fever High body temperature, usually

noun above 100 degrees Fahrenheit

[students can write the [students can also write notes in L1]
word in L1]

Stomachache Pain in the stomach

[students can also write notes in L1]
noun
[students can write the
word in L1]

Headache Pain in the head

[students can write notes in L1]
noun
[students can write the
word in L1]

Figure 8 – KIM Chart

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 9. Incorporating Technology
While utilizing the previously mentioned strategies, it is often possible and desirable to

incorporate technology as well. Various websites and apps can be used to create electronic flash cards,

such as Quizlet, Tiny Cards (by DuoLingo), and Chegg. Chegg is useful because it allows users to listen

to pronunciations in up to 20 languages and dialects; for example, they can listen to the new word in

American English, and then listen to it in their native language as well. Quizlet enables users to create

quizzes and play games with the vocabulary words. Users can also add images to the flashcards, which

is particularly helpful to pre-beginning students. Finally, instructors can create virtual classrooms on

Quizlet, and can even grant editing purposes to students if they want to create their own flash cards.

Ultimately, there are four options for creating flashcards online:

a. Instructors can create the cards

b. Students can create the cards

c. Instructors and students can create the cards together

d. Instructors/students can select cards that were created by other users

No matter which option the instructor selects, he/she should verify that the flashcards are

accurate for study purposes (e.g. proper spelling of target words, correct definitions, etc.). It is

important not to assume that flashcard sets created by others are error-free.

Another popular and useful website/app for ESOL instructors is Kahoot! The Kahoot! website

demonstrates ways in which the program can be used in the classroom, particularly with beginning

ELLs. It is an ideal way to help ELLs who are still in the “silent period” because it uses interactive

games, and students can respond to multiple choice questions using their cell phones or tablets. The

Kahoot! app will be demonstrated at the in-service workshop, but a helpful video can be found here:

https://kahoot.com/blog/2017/04/04/language-learning-kahoot-part-3-tips-tricks/

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 Of course, there are countless other ways to incorporate technology in the classroom, whether it

is through the use of Google Classroom, Google forms, watching videos, blogging, etc. Again, it is

important for instructors to consider what kind of technology they have access to, their students’ comfort

levels with using technology, etc. All of these topics will be discussed in further depth at the in-service

workshop and in Google Classroom.

10. Cloze exercises

Gap fill, or cloze exercises, can be very useful in both teaching and assessing vocabulary. They

can be used in a wide variety of ways in the ESOL classroom and adapted for lower proficiency levels.

Nam (2010) also explained that research by Folse demonstrated that “students could improve their

retention of new target words more while engaging in multiple fill-in-the blank exercises than while

writing one original sentence with each target word.” (p. 129). This is likely counterintuitive to many

instructors; it seems that asking students to produce their own original sentences might be a better way

for them to learn and retain vocabulary, but the research suggests that cloze exercises are actually a more

effective strategy.

There are a number of websites that are useful for creating cloze exercises. One example of a

useful site for this purpose is http://www.analyzemywriting.com/. Another user-friendly site for

creating cloze activities is http://l.georges.online.fr/tools/cloze.html Users can copy and paste text into

a text box, or write your own, then select the words they want to remove to create a cloze passage (e.g.

prepositions, articles, every 5th word, or specific words selected by the user). For the pre-beginning

levels, the cloze exercise stems must obviously be kept brief and provide a great deal of context. Word

banks can also be included to provide guidance with word recognition and proper spelling.

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 VI. Assessment

The primary purpose of this guide is to present strategies for teaching vocabulary to Basic ESL

students. However, in order to understand if these strategies are truly effective for their students,

instructors should also know how to assess vocabulary knowledge. According to Coombe (2015), there

are a number of ways to assess vocabulary knowledge in the ESOL classroom, and instructors much

select the best methods for their particular classrooms.

First, Coombe (2015) notes that it is important for instructors to decide whether they will utilize

“discrete vocabulary testing” or “embedded vocabulary testing” (p. 113). Discrete vocabulary tests

focus on vocabulary knowledge at the word level, while embedded tests look at vocabulary within a

larger context, such as a sample of writing the student has produced. In the case of pre-beginning Life

Skills students and other Basic ESL students, the tests will most likely be discrete. It is also likely that

they will be tests of passive (receptive) vocabulary instead of productive vocabulary, although both

types can be used. A passive vocabulary test would include items such as multiple choice questions

(MCQs), fill in the blank exercises, and matching questions. According to Nation (2001), a vocabulary

test should have at least 30 items in order to be reliable.

Additionally, Coombe (2015) states that multiple choice question (MCQ) stems must be written

carefully. Ideally, the stem should be 10-20 words in length and consist of one or two sentences. It

should also provide a clear context that provides students with a sufficient number of clues. It is also

critical to pay attention to the words in the stem, which are known as “distractors.” Coombe (2015)

explains that all distractors in a question stem should be the same part of speech as the item being tested.

Ideally, they should also be selected from the same frequency level; for example, if the item being tested

is from the first 1000 word list, then the distractors should be as well (p. 117). Sample test questions for

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the pre-beginning level will be provided at the in-service workshop and in Google Classroom. The topic

of constructing vocabulary assessments is complex, and will therefore be expanded upon during the in-

service workshop and in the Google Classroom.

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