Teaching Vocabulary:

A language lesson

Structure of a language
lesson
INPUT: language learners are learning I + 1
Ts job is to provide input
UNDERSTANDING : T provides an explanation,
demonstrate the meaning with pictures or mime, help the
learners work out the meaning for themselves.
Practice: give learners practice using the new language so
that they become confident and develop the ability to use it
correctly.

Stages in a lesson

Before the lesson

assumed knowledge
target language: focus of the

lesson
INPUT:
LEAD-IN get learners attention, stimulate interest and
curiosity
set the scene, make sure they understand the CONTEXT

INTRODUCE TARGET LANGUAGE- presentation of target

language
Good idea: a question or an activity to help sts focus
UNDERSTANDING
Checking comprehension
Languae focus/ focus on form
PRACTICE THE LANGUAGE
Practice the language: drilling, choral drill, substitution drill.
Controlled practice: activity with a narrow language focus
Feedback to learners
Use of new language
PRODUCTION (free practice)
e.g. information gap activity.

VOCABULARY
Lexical tem:

a) a single Word,
b) two or more words that can go together to make one meaning,
c) A multi-Word phrase or chunk of language.
Productive language: words sts are able to produce
Receptive language: words sts are able to understand but may
never produce.
Learners need to know:
) Spelling and pronunciation
) Meaning of a Word
) What part of speech it is
) Collocation ( which words it is often used with)
) Contexts and situations: how a word is used

English Plus 3- Preintermediate

Helping learners with vocabulary:

Introducing and explaining: synonym, antonym, example, related
word
Recording and organizing new words
Helping learners to remember new words
Helping learners use new words
Recycling vocabulary

Tools for vocabulary

Mindmaps
What they do ... Mindmapping tools enable you to create visual mindmaps or graphic
organisers.
What

you do ... Go to the mindmapping tool site of your choice. In some cases, you need
to download and install the mindmapping program, but others are web-based so require
no downloading. Enter the words you want to include in your mindmap and the groups you
want them to be in, and the program will convert them into a mindmap. Many of these
programs allow you to copy and download the completed mindmap.

Search

term ... mindmapping software

Lovely Charts
http://www.lovelycharts.com
Text2Mindmap http://www.text2mindmap.com
Xmind
http://www.xmind.net
Mindmeinster
https://www.mindmeister.com/es
Coggle
https://coggle.it

Word clouds
What they do ... Word cloud sites create word clouds - visual depictions of key

words in an attractive format. The most frequent words from a text are often
represented in bigger type.
W hat you do ... Just enter the words you want to use in your chosen word

cloud site and the tool will create the word cloud. Most word cloud sites dont
require you to register. You can type in a list of words, or copy in a short text
and the site will choose the key words from the text. The results are then
presented in a cloud. You can usually change the colours and fonts of the
words. You can save your cloud as a web page, and/or print it out.
Search term ... word cloud generator

Tagxedo
http://www.tagxedo.com
TagCrowd http://tagcrowd.com
Wordle
http://www.wordle.net
Wordcloud http://www.wordclouds.com/

Web sites

http://www.proprofs.com/games/ to crate games and exercises

http://www.armoredpenguin.com/

http://trackstar.4teachers.org/

Bibliography

Hadfield, J. and Hadfield, C. (2011)Introduction to teaching English

Chapter 2.Oxford.

Hockly, Nicky. ( 2010) Teaching Online. Tools and techniques, options and
opportunities. Delta Teaching Development Series

Dalton, B. and Grisham, D. L. (2011), eVoc Strategies: 10 Ways to

Use Technology to Build Vocabulary. The Reading Teacher
http://www.readingrockets.org/article/10-ways-use-technology-build-vocabu
lary