Vocabulary + Activities
Aspects of knowing vocabulary
There are many aspects about a word that we need to learn. Aspects include:
How to teach a word
When we teach a new word, there are many ways to express the meaning. Different words can be expressed in different ways, for example we would teach verbs and nouns differently.
Here are some ideas of how to express meaning:
There are many aspects about a word that we need to learn. Aspects include:
- Receptive knowledge - listen and understand
- Memory - to recall when needed
- Conceptual knowledge - use with correct meaning
- Spoken form - to pronounce and use the word correctly in expressions
- Grammatical knowledge - to use it grammatically accurately and know the grammar connections with other words
- Collocation knowledge - to know which other words it can be used with
- Orthographic knowledge - to spell it correctly
- Pragmatic knowledge - to use it in the right situation and context
- Connotational knowledge - to know its positive and negative associations
- Metalinguistic knowledge - to know explicitly about the word and its grammatical properties
How to teach a word
When we teach a new word, there are many ways to express the meaning. Different words can be expressed in different ways, for example we would teach verbs and nouns differently.
Here are some ideas of how to express meaning:
- use an object
- use mime and gestures
- photographs
- flashcards
- drawings or diagrams on the board
- pictures in a storybook
- a short video
- a moving GIF file within a PPT
- an explicit grammatical definition
- give a sentence which provides the definition
- translate
- provide similar or opposite words
- categorize (superordinate, hyponym)
Vocabulary activities
All of these activities should be demonstrated and modelled in the classroom to help students understand, perhaps with a trial run.
All of these activities should be demonstrated and modelled in the classroom to help students understand, perhaps with a trial run.
Listen and Clap with Topics
Teacher gives a topic that students know, such as animals.
Students must listen and clap when they hear an animal word.
The teacher can say a mix of words from other categories.
For example: table, chair, banana, cat, orange, pencil, giraffe...
Teacher gives a topic that students know, such as animals.
Students must listen and clap when they hear an animal word.
The teacher can say a mix of words from other categories.
For example: table, chair, banana, cat, orange, pencil, giraffe...
Draw and Guess
Teacher starts to draw something and asks "What is it?". Teacher adds a little more and asks again.
Students should shout guesses until they guess the drawing.
This is good for textbook review and students can also draw pictures for other students to guess.
Teacher starts to draw something and asks "What is it?". Teacher adds a little more and asks again.
Students should shout guesses until they guess the drawing.
This is good for textbook review and students can also draw pictures for other students to guess.
Word Association
Two students come to the front of the class. Teacher starts with a word. The first student has to say a word related to that word. The second students has to say a word related to the last word. Then the first student has to say a word related to the second student's word. The students have to say every next word quickly. The game continues until a student pauses for too long and they are out of the game.
For example: black, white, sheep, cow, milk, cereal, breakfast, morning, toothbrush...
For low level students, they can continue saying new words all on the same topic until they can't think of any new words.
For example: black, white, yellow, orange, pink, brown, green, red...
Two students come to the front of the class. Teacher starts with a word. The first student has to say a word related to that word. The second students has to say a word related to the last word. Then the first student has to say a word related to the second student's word. The students have to say every next word quickly. The game continues until a student pauses for too long and they are out of the game.
For example: black, white, sheep, cow, milk, cereal, breakfast, morning, toothbrush...
For low level students, they can continue saying new words all on the same topic until they can't think of any new words.
For example: black, white, yellow, orange, pink, brown, green, red...
Act the Word and Guess
Teacher prepares a list of words that the students know.
Students get into pairs or groups.
One student has the list and must act the words. The other students guess the correct word.
This is good for reviewing words from the textbook.
Teacher prepares a list of words that the students know.
Students get into pairs or groups.
One student has the list and must act the words. The other students guess the correct word.
This is good for reviewing words from the textbook.
Slap the Board
This is an active team game. The teacher writes about 10-15 words that students know on the board. A member of each team comes to the board and has to slap the correct word. The teacher can say the word if the students are low level. If the students are higher level the teacher can give a definition, synonym, antonym, hint, or so on. This activity can be done with teams running to the board and each team sending a new member for each word.
This is an active team game. The teacher writes about 10-15 words that students know on the board. A member of each team comes to the board and has to slap the correct word. The teacher can say the word if the students are low level. If the students are higher level the teacher can give a definition, synonym, antonym, hint, or so on. This activity can be done with teams running to the board and each team sending a new member for each word.
New Words from Old Words
This game is good for writing and spelling practice. Usually this game needs a lot of demonstrating for students to understand.
The teacher writes two words on the board and explains that we are going to make new words using these letters. Letters can be reused for each new word.
For example: Happy Birthday
Words we can make: bat, bad, day, bath, pay, pray...
It's a good idea to draw students attention to letter patterns such as pr, br, ba, th, because using these will help to make more words.
This game can have two winners- the student or team that makes the most words and also the longest word.
This game is good for writing and spelling practice. Usually this game needs a lot of demonstrating for students to understand.
The teacher writes two words on the board and explains that we are going to make new words using these letters. Letters can be reused for each new word.
For example: Happy Birthday
Words we can make: bat, bad, day, bath, pay, pray...
It's a good idea to draw students attention to letter patterns such as pr, br, ba, th, because using these will help to make more words.
This game can have two winners- the student or team that makes the most words and also the longest word.
Hangman Plus
This is an improved version of the common hangman game. The rules are similar, except for students to guess a letter they have to say a word that has the same starting letter. For example, if the students want to guess "m" they have to say "monkey" and the teacher will accept that as a guess for "m".
It's also a good idea to push students to spell the whole word even if they guess the word correctly. Don't just finish the game when they guess, they must complete the correct spelling of the word to finish the game.
This is an improved version of the common hangman game. The rules are similar, except for students to guess a letter they have to say a word that has the same starting letter. For example, if the students want to guess "m" they have to say "monkey" and the teacher will accept that as a guess for "m".
It's also a good idea to push students to spell the whole word even if they guess the word correctly. Don't just finish the game when they guess, they must complete the correct spelling of the word to finish the game.
Eye Spy
This is a common game in English for children, but many Koreans don't know this game.
The teacher chooses an object in the room that everybody can see and gives the first letter using this expression:
"Eye spy, something beginning with ...p"
Students should guess what the object is from all the objects beginning with "p" and visible in the room.
The answer here could be "projector" or "paper"
Once students understand the game, they can give a first letter hint and other students guess the object.
This is a common game in English for children, but many Koreans don't know this game.
The teacher chooses an object in the room that everybody can see and gives the first letter using this expression:
"Eye spy, something beginning with ...p"
Students should guess what the object is from all the objects beginning with "p" and visible in the room.
The answer here could be "projector" or "paper"
Once students understand the game, they can give a first letter hint and other students guess the object.
Word Stress
Make a list of new words from the textbook. Students can work in teams to guess how many syllables in each word. The teacher may need to demonstrate syllables with known words and clapping.
For example: happy (2 syllables), cat (1 syllable), banana (3 syllables)
Hint: Be careful. Some words have more syllables in Korean because of the added vowel after the last consonant. For example: "house" has one syllable in English. A syllable in English has a vowel sound in the middle (that can morph, such as house) and a consonant at the start, end, or both sides.
Once students understand syllables, introduce the idea of stress. Words with more than one syllable have a stronger syllable and a weaker syllable.
Syllable stress can be demonstrated with:
There is a numeric system that can be used for syllables and stress. The first number is the amount of syllables and the second number is the syllable with the most stress.
For example:
syllable (3-1)
determine (3-2)
banana (3-2)
apple (2-1)
vocabulary (5-2)
For advanced students you can also acknowledge secondary stress, where some words have two syllables with stress.
For example:
VOCAbulary (5-2-1) - the main stress is on syllable 2, but there is secondary stress on syllable 1.
PREPpaRAtion (4-3-1) - the main stress is on syllable 3, but there is secondary stress on syllable 1.
Make a list of new words from the textbook. Students can work in teams to guess how many syllables in each word. The teacher may need to demonstrate syllables with known words and clapping.
For example: happy (2 syllables), cat (1 syllable), banana (3 syllables)
Hint: Be careful. Some words have more syllables in Korean because of the added vowel after the last consonant. For example: "house" has one syllable in English. A syllable in English has a vowel sound in the middle (that can morph, such as house) and a consonant at the start, end, or both sides.
Once students understand syllables, introduce the idea of stress. Words with more than one syllable have a stronger syllable and a weaker syllable.
Syllable stress can be demonstrated with:
- tapping crayons lightly and hard on a desk
- shrugging shoulders or raising eyebrows
- stamping feet
- clapping with hands
There is a numeric system that can be used for syllables and stress. The first number is the amount of syllables and the second number is the syllable with the most stress.
For example:
syllable (3-1)
determine (3-2)
banana (3-2)
apple (2-1)
vocabulary (5-2)
For advanced students you can also acknowledge secondary stress, where some words have two syllables with stress.
For example:
VOCAbulary (5-2-1) - the main stress is on syllable 2, but there is secondary stress on syllable 1.
PREPpaRAtion (4-3-1) - the main stress is on syllable 3, but there is secondary stress on syllable 1.
Environmental Print
Environmental print is text that we see around us in our everyday life. Students are exposed to many English words on signs, products, toys, clothes, etc. This is good for teaching reading, as students should already recognise many words and letters.
Environmental print is text that we see around us in our everyday life. Students are exposed to many English words on signs, products, toys, clothes, etc. This is good for teaching reading, as students should already recognise many words and letters.
|
|
|
|
|
The teacher can introduce some examples of environmental print, especially focusing on some letters and sounds to help students link the pronunciation of the word to the letters.
This can then become a class project where every week students must take a photo of some environmental print and send it to the teacher. Parents will need to help. Photos can be displayed on a word wall and referred to when discussing similar words (such as same starting letter).
This can then become a class project where every week students must take a photo of some environmental print and send it to the teacher. Parents will need to help. Photos can be displayed on a word wall and referred to when discussing similar words (such as same starting letter).
Collocations in Text
This activity helps students to notice which words go together. Using an example text such as a story, find examples of verbs and write the phrase or sentence on the board. For example:
Once students understand the sentences, work together to change the object/noun in the expression.
For example:
This activity can also be used with adjective and adverb phrases. This activity works well with advanced language.
Here are some online collocation lists:
https://www.englishclub.com/vocabulary/collocations-common.htm
This activity helps students to notice which words go together. Using an example text such as a story, find examples of verbs and write the phrase or sentence on the board. For example:
- I hit the ball.
- She called the teacher.
- Hank loves peanut butter.
- Zoe took out the sandwich.
Once students understand the sentences, work together to change the object/noun in the expression.
For example:
- I hit the ball/tree/table/wall...
- She called the teacher/doctor/dentist/students...
- Hank loves peanut butter/toys/trains/cake/candy...
- Zoe took out the sandwich/pencil/apple/money..
This activity can also be used with adjective and adverb phrases. This activity works well with advanced language.
Here are some online collocation lists:
https://www.englishclub.com/vocabulary/collocations-common.htm
Vocabulary activities using websites and online resources
Gap Fill Karaoke
This is a fun listening vocabulary activity to use occasionally as a treat.
Using the site https://lyricstraining.com you can listen to pop songs and complete an online gap fill with missing words from the lyrics as the song plays. The site has many popular songs and difficulty level can be adjusted. If the word is not completed in time, the song will rewind and play that part again until you complete the word. This game could be played with teams writing the word on a white board or paper for the teacher to copy into the computer.
This is a fun listening vocabulary activity to use occasionally as a treat.
Using the site https://lyricstraining.com you can listen to pop songs and complete an online gap fill with missing words from the lyrics as the song plays. The site has many popular songs and difficulty level can be adjusted. If the word is not completed in time, the song will rewind and play that part again until you complete the word. This game could be played with teams writing the word on a white board or paper for the teacher to copy into the computer.
Crossword Puzzle
A crossword is a type of puzzle that has hints and one word answers.
You can make a crossword puzzle worksheet here: https://crosswordlabs.com
Let's make a crossword using the webpage link above.
Write a title in the first box: Colors
In the next box, the first word on each line is the answer word for the puzzle. After the first word write the hint, question or definition.
Copy this text into the 2nd text box:
Yellow What color is a banana?
Blue What color is the sea?
Green What color is a leaf on a tree?
White What color is a snowman?
Purple What color is a blueberry?
Black What color is the night sky?
Red What color is a strawberry?
Add 1-2 more examples if you can. Click "Save & Finish" at the bottom of the page. You should see the crossword puzzle now.
Next to "Print" you have the option to save print this page, save a PDF file for later, and view the answer key.
Well done, you made a crossword!
A crossword is a type of puzzle that has hints and one word answers.
You can make a crossword puzzle worksheet here: https://crosswordlabs.com
Let's make a crossword using the webpage link above.
Write a title in the first box: Colors
In the next box, the first word on each line is the answer word for the puzzle. After the first word write the hint, question or definition.
Copy this text into the 2nd text box:
Yellow What color is a banana?
Blue What color is the sea?
Green What color is a leaf on a tree?
White What color is a snowman?
Purple What color is a blueberry?
Black What color is the night sky?
Red What color is a strawberry?
Add 1-2 more examples if you can. Click "Save & Finish" at the bottom of the page. You should see the crossword puzzle now.
Next to "Print" you have the option to save print this page, save a PDF file for later, and view the answer key.
Well done, you made a crossword!
Unscramble the Letters + Find the Hidden Message
Puzzlemaker is another site where you can make puzzle worksheets.
Now let's make a "Double Puzzle". Go to puzzlemaker.discoveryeducation.com and click "Double Puzzles" under "Make a puzzle now!"
Copy this information into the text boxes.
Step 1 title: Zoo Animals
Step 2 enter your words:
Giraffe
Tiger
Elephant
Hippo
Lion
Zebra
Step 3 final word: Hello
Now click "Create My Puzzle!" at the bottom of the page. The puzzle is an image that you can save or copy+paste onto a worksheet.
Students have to unscramble the words and then find the final hidden word by writing the correct letters for each number.
Puzzlemaker is another site where you can make puzzle worksheets.
Now let's make a "Double Puzzle". Go to puzzlemaker.discoveryeducation.com and click "Double Puzzles" under "Make a puzzle now!"
Copy this information into the text boxes.
Step 1 title: Zoo Animals
Step 2 enter your words:
Giraffe
Tiger
Elephant
Hippo
Lion
Zebra
Step 3 final word: Hello
Now click "Create My Puzzle!" at the bottom of the page. The puzzle is an image that you can save or copy+paste onto a worksheet.
Students have to unscramble the words and then find the final hidden word by writing the correct letters for each number.
Cryptogram
A cryptogram is a type of puzzle where students have to use an alphabet code to complete a sentence.
Many sites can make cryptograms. My favourite is Kidzone: https://www.kidzone.ws/puzzles/cryptogram/
Go to the link above and look at the page. You can build your own cryptogram by writing a sentence into the text box or use the sentence provided.
Click "Create" next to the text box.
On the next page you have some options. I think the best option to select is "Solution included in code table but blanks are not filled in"
Click "Build Cryptogram" and a new page will open with your cryptogram puzzle.
If students have never done a cryptogram before, you could do one together until students understand the puzzle.
A cryptogram is a type of puzzle where students have to use an alphabet code to complete a sentence.
Many sites can make cryptograms. My favourite is Kidzone: https://www.kidzone.ws/puzzles/cryptogram/
Go to the link above and look at the page. You can build your own cryptogram by writing a sentence into the text box or use the sentence provided.
Click "Create" next to the text box.
On the next page you have some options. I think the best option to select is "Solution included in code table but blanks are not filled in"
Click "Build Cryptogram" and a new page will open with your cryptogram puzzle.
If students have never done a cryptogram before, you could do one together until students understand the puzzle.
Vocabulary Worksheets (tracing, matching, board game, dice, and more!)
Another site for creating worksheets is ESL-Kids: https://esl-kids.com/worksheets/worksheets.html
In the box on the right, choose a theme from the drop down menu. There are many common topics for young learners.
Click "New Random List". If you are not happy with the six words, you can change individual words and click "Use these words!"
When the page is updated with your six words, scroll down to view the many types of worksheets. There are many types, such as tracking, matching, spelling, dice, board game, word search, and so on.
ESL Kids also provides flashcards for all these word lists: https://esl-kids.com/flashcards/flashcards.html
Another site for creating worksheets is ESL-Kids: https://esl-kids.com/worksheets/worksheets.html
In the box on the right, choose a theme from the drop down menu. There are many common topics for young learners.
Click "New Random List". If you are not happy with the six words, you can change individual words and click "Use these words!"
When the page is updated with your six words, scroll down to view the many types of worksheets. There are many types, such as tracking, matching, spelling, dice, board game, word search, and so on.
ESL Kids also provides flashcards for all these word lists: https://esl-kids.com/flashcards/flashcards.html
Activity Analysis Task
Now we are going to analyse activity worksheets. Download the book below and find 1-2 activities that you like. Read the activity instructions on the page before the worksheet. Make a note of the page numbers. Think about why you like the activity, how you would use it in the classroom, whether it needs adapting, and how it fits into a lesson. You will share your activity and opinions about it with your group and the class.
Now we are going to analyse activity worksheets. Download the book below and find 1-2 activities that you like. Read the activity instructions on the page before the worksheet. Make a note of the page numbers. Think about why you like the activity, how you would use it in the classroom, whether it needs adapting, and how it fits into a lesson. You will share your activity and opinions about it with your group and the class.
| primary_vocabulary_box.pdf |