learning. We end the chapter with some suggestions about how you can use
games, role plays and that most commonly available resource in the developed
world, ‘the news’, to help your learners to develop their command of English,
and their confidence in using English.
13 Teaching vocabulary
A great deal of the meaning of language resides in the meanings associated with
individual words and phrases. By learning a few basic words and set phrases, a
beginner can get some meanings across. Language learning syllabuses almost
always specify vocabulary items or areas for learners to concentrate on. The
following suggestions should enable you to help your learners to work
effectively with the vocabulary of their target language.
1 Distinguish receptive and productive vocabulary needs. Some learners,
who intend to read extensively in English, may need to recognize a lot of
words that they may never have to use themselves. Others, for example,
general English beginners, are probably hoping that the words they learn
will be available for both recognition and use. Try and tailor your teaching
to these different needs.
2 Consider teaching new vocabulary in related sets. You could choose sets
of hyponyms (eg, names of family relations), or sets that are linked to the
same context (eg, subjects studied at school). Most people find it easier to
learn lots of new words if they are presented in a related set. If you are
teaching a set of nouns, you can include some verbs which are typically used
with them (eg, study English/maths/geography at school, take an exam).
3 Vary your explanation techniques. There are many possibilities for
clarifying the meaning of words that your learners don’t know: definitions,
examples, visuals, mimes—to name but a few. If you use varied techniques,
you show your learners that there are many ways of understanding and
remembering a word.
4 Teach the grammar of vocabulary items. This idea refers to the word
itself, or to the word in a phrase. For example, in the case of a verb, does it
have an irregular past? In the case of an adjective, is it usually followed by a
certain preposition? Some of this information may be available in the text
where your learners meet the word, and you can give extra information
yourself. Understanding how a word ‘works’ is an important part of
knowing that word.
5 Encourage awareness of collocations. Even when teaching basic
vocabulary, you can show how words often combine in certain ways. For
example, Spanish learners studying colours would be interested to note that
English says ‘black and white’, whereas Spanish says ‘blanco y negro’. Set
phrases, such as ‘hard work’, can also be particularly useful to point out.LANGUAGE WORK IN THE CLASSROOM 27