Teaching Vocabulary

         

Teaching Vocabulary is something that we start to learn since the beginning of learning a new language. Since we were kids our teachers would have us copy the list of new words and make a copy of 3 lines with the new words. Also, for home work we would have written sentences with the new words.

Copying definitions from the dictionary we would probably all agree is not an effective way to learn vocabulary. Passive learning hardly ever is. The students need multiple research  and various exposures to a word before they fully understand that word and can apply it.

            They need also to learn words in context and by doing this they have t read a lot! What can we do to help students learn new words and help students to pick their own words?

·         We can ask each child to create a chart where he/she writes down words of choice, and rates each one as "know it," "sort of know it," or "don't know it at all."

·         Then, on the same paper, have them write a definition or "my guess on meaning" for the words they know and kind of know. They are not allowed to use dictionaries.

Another way, is Word Pairs, so we can give students words in pairs and have them evaluate if the words are the same, opposite, go together, or are unrelated. This strategy is terrific for building critical thinking skills along with the vocabulary.

 

Coming to the end, dictionary is also the right choice. Books are always a great way of learning new thing, the same for new words.