Abstract:
To language acquisition, learner should take vocabulary as the first step. When the students do not find themselves comfortable with L2, language learning can be made interactive and interesting with the introduction of appropriate vocabulary exercises. The present approach to the teaching of vocabulary in schools and colleges is far from satisfactory. In teaching and learning process, there are many defects that show the learners do not bag many words. Of course some times it is the students’ mistake that they do not read papers and other books to obtain more words. Is it much uncomplicated to teach vocabulary to the students? Teaching words is not an easy task. An average teacher may spend a considerable time in teaching words alone, yet it remains doubtful whether the student has understood the vocabulary taught. This paper gives a detailed explanation of the various methodologies that can be incorporated in the teaching of vocabulary items in a language classroom.
To language acquisition, learner should take vocabulary as the first step. When the students do not find themselves comfortable with L2, language learning can be made interactive and interesting with the introduction of appropriate vocabulary exercises. This paper gives a detailed explanation of the various methodologies that can be incorporated in the teaching of vocabulary items in a language classroom.
Every speaker in English wants to acquire more words but we know that most of the learners including well-known speakers get frustration of not having the right and suitable word at the time of speaking and writing. Sometimes it’s a matter of not being able to recall the right word; sometimes we never knew it. How much vocabulary does a teacher have? The teacher must be aware of more vocabulary. In general, we can say that a man should know all the words that are frequently used in speech and writing. According to my opinion, a learner should know minimum 3000 to 4000 words to speak in a language. Fortunately, many well-known persons and linguists wrote some books on the necessity vocabulary for classroom teaching. Edward L. Thorndike published a Teacher’s Word Book in 1921 as a more extended guide to word frequency in the language.
When students travel, they don’t carry grammar books, they carry dictionaries. Whether we accept it or not but it is true. Acquiring more vocabulary will help the learners to learn a language. Building vocabulary that is adequate to the needs of one’s reading and self-expression has to be a personal goal for every writer and speaker. There are many hurdles in teaching vocabulary. Talking about patterns of difficulty in vocabulary teaching, Robert Lado (1955) highlighted key issues related to words, the native language factor and about patterns. He even analyzed Spanish, French and Mexican patterns of difficulty in their respective vocabulary items. He stated that while dealing with vocabulary one should take into account three important aspects of words – their form, their meaning and their distribution-and one should consider various kinds of classes of words in the function of the language. He said that the forms, meaning distribution and classification of words are different in different languages. He revealed that these differences might lead to vocabulary problems.
In the context of learning English as a foreign language, a learner is forced to be independent and make conscious effort to learn vocabulary outside the classroom. So teachers cannot rely on each step of the students but teaching vocabulary is essential. Visnja Pavicic (2003) dealt with a way to improve students’ abilities to explore, store and usage of vocabulary items. He determined the role of vocabulary teaching and how a teacher could help their learners. He laid emphasis on self initiated independent learning with strategies, in which formal practices, functional practices and memorizing could be included. He said that the teacher should create activities and tasks to help students to build their vocabulary and develop strategies to learn the vocabulary on their own.
We know that learning a language means learning the rules of the language system and its use. In other words, it is learning to use vocabulary and structures in meaningful situations. To know word means is not only getting its meaning. It is:
- Knowing a word is to know its spelling and meaning.
- Knowing a word means knowing the degree of probability of encountering that word in speech or print.
- Knowing a word implies knowing the limitations on the use of the word according to variations of function and situation.
- Knowing a word entails knowledge of the network of associations between that word and other in the language.
A careful selection of vocabulary and grading by the teacher will have a great effort on teaching the lessons and the revision work at a later stage. To teach vocabulary properly, we, as teachers, must have a foundation. The most basic foundation for vocabulary can be called a root. We will want to learn all the basic roots, and once we’ve done this, we can move on to more advanced concepts. It is necessary for the teacher to decide what vocabulary and structural items she intends to teach.
How do we select the words?
For selecting the vocabulary, the criterion is like this:
- The words have to be selected according to the communicative needs of the learner.
- The words that come most frequency in communication have to be taught first.
- The words have to be selected according to the range or scope of the word being used widely.
The Present Method by the Teachers:
The present approach to the teaching of vocabulary in schools and colleges is far from satisfactory. In teaching and learning process, there are many defects that show the learners are not bagging many words. Of course some times it is the students’ mistake that they are not putting effort on learning new jargons. But what is the main reason for the lack of vocabulary in the students mind though they have done many courses. Is it much uncomplicated to teach vocabulary to the students? Teaching words is not an easy task. An average teacher may spend a considerable time in teaching words alone, yet it remains doubtful whether the student has understood the vocabulary taught.
Sometimes grade level materials are out-of-the-way to readers because there are too many unfamiliar words in them. Adults can restructure the materials in several different ways to help readers comprehend them more easily. Words that are included in the guide should be highlighted or printed in bold text to direct the reader to check the vocabulary guide if the word or its meaning is unfamiliar. Does the material unquestionably help the students in learning words? Tests, workbooks, and reviews are common teaching methods that allow students to learn words for a short period of time. A number of teachers have said that they are not impressed with the efficiency of textbooks and workbooks. The best way for someone to improve their vocabulary is by reading words and using them daily on a regular basis. The student has to be exposed to these words multiple times. There is not guarantee that textbooks and workbooks can guarantee retention. A teacher does not depend on only the textbooks and has to teach that improving reading books will bring many new words to the learners.
Most of the students in these days do not have much vocabulary because, I think, they are concentrating on their other subjects, not on vocabulary. In TOFEL and other examinations, the students are getting very less marks in vocabulary and reading comprehension. They are not paying attention to learning new jargons. The reading plays a vital role in acquiring more lexicons. Vocabulary knowledge is critical to reading comprehension, it is important that those working with young readers help foster their development of a large “word bank” and effective vocabulary learning strategies. You will want to be selective in the books you choose to read. While many people enjoy reading fiction books, non-fiction books are much more effective when it comes to enhancing your vocabulary.
How to motivate Students to Learn New Words in the ESL Classroom:
Nobody can learn vocabulary in one or two days. It is a life long learning. Learners usually start by noticing then recognizing a word before they are able to produce it. There are four stages in the acquisition of new vocabulary:
- The learner notices the new word (with help)
- The learner learns to recognize it (with help)
- The learner recognizes it on his/her own.
- The learner can both recognize and produce it.
Students need to be motivated to learn vocabulary constantly. Therefore, it is important that the review is as interesting as possible in terms of the types of exercises, strategies and activities. The visual element is equally important.
Criteria:
Criteria for the selection of vocabulary should be like this:
- Word frequency
- Environment Applicability
- Structural Considerations
- Material Association
- Universality
- Range of Applicability
- Words Productivity
Word frequency means how many times a word is used in normal reading material. We know that some words will repeat many times and some words are rarely used. The teacher should remember the points when she wants to prepare the words for the students.
Teaching Vocabulary in English Language: Effective Methodologies
There are many methods in teaching grammar, literature, poetry and prose. Do we have any methods in teaching vocabulary? The important thing is that vocabulary items are imparted mostly by translation: either a list of words with their translation at the beginning of the lesson or the translation of the content having new words or glossaries at the very end. This is a wrong practice as it leads to a state of confusion for the learners. On the teaching skills of vocabulary items, Frisby (1957: 98 ) commented that “While the teacher is not, himself, concerned with the actual selection of vocabulary for text book purposes since practically all the books we use are based on limited vocabularies, it is important that he/she (the teacher) should know the principles, which underlie vocabulary selection”. Thus it signifies that a language teacher should be innovative and proficient in the application of methodologies pertaining to teaching vocabulary items in a classroom situation. Here I am going to give some points in teaching vocabulary that I tend to use in my ELT class. Following are the main methodologies for teaching vocabulary items in an English language classroom. They are, by no means exhaustive.
1. Vocabulary Items:
First of all, we should decide which vocabulary items we wish to teach.
2. Pictures:
Prepare interesting pre-reading activities using vocabulary. Provide many new opportunities for students to encounter the word. This can be done by showing the word using a picture or a flashcard. This is incredibly efficient for the reason that it facilitates the process of learning for children. We can teach them animals merely throughout showing them pictures of animals and things from photos.
3. Use the Real Objects:
Bring the real objects to classroom such as postcard with book, pen, schoolbag, vegetables etc… and show it to the students and ask them what the thing is. The teacher can also use the objects that are already lying in the classroom and should use them as models.
4. Language Games:
Vasundhara and Katyayani (2008: 288) put a note about the games in language learning: “language games bring a lot of life and interest into the classroom.” I indubitably accept the statement because by conducting language games in the classroom, we can give some tasks to the students. For example, a good elementary level game is “I am an optimist,” where you describe a word like and students have to guess the word. This game can be played in groups, individually or with the entire class. Activities need not be too challenging and should motivate and interest them to learn the language.
5. Mime and Pantomime:
It may be done with the help of gestures and facial expressions and also through actions sometimes.
6. Start with Irregular Verbs:
Make your students memorize much needed words, starting with irregular verbs then nouns, adjectives and so on. Everyday learnt with them 3 to 5 words. When they had memorized enough words made a test. Remind and test them at every chance.
7. Dictate the Words:
James F. Baumann and Edward J. Kameenui (2004: 7) have pointed that “spelling knowledge provides the basis for explicit awareness and understanding of morphology, which, in turn may guide the systematic growth of vocabulary knowledge.” To bag some words in the mind, dictation is also a good activity. Dictate some words to the students and ask them their meaning. For your audio type learners, use more dictation practice activities, while your visual learners could benefit from more picture use, especially when learning the word for the first time.
8. Words in Real Context:
Use words in a real environment or context. Do not forget to help the students and find helpful strategies to memorize the words. Give them some appropriate exercises according to their capability of consolidating what they learn. At the same time, try to motivate them and stimulate their interest and after that give one more exercise with using the same words.
9. Use the Words in Sentences:
A word may mean differently in different contexts, so the teacher should teach the words by using them in suitable sentences. Sentences should be such that meaning of the word is quite clear.
10. Teach the Words from the Glossary of the Text book:
Suggest that they use the last pages of their notebooks to create their own glossary, using just the words that are interesting for them or the ones that they actually want to include in their everyday vocabulary. It gives them autonomy to choose and to be more active in the process of learning.
11. Listening Carefully:
Careful listening to the words may be a good option in teaching vocabulary items in a heterogenic classroom. “Let the students hear the word in isolation and in a sentence. If the sounds of the word have been mastered, the students will hear it correctly with two or three repetitions.” (Robert Lado, 1964: 121)
12. Pronouncing the Word:
Pronouncing the word enables the students to memorize it longer and identify it more readily when they hear or see it. Slow, clear and correct pronunciation without twists will help the students more and more. Breaking the word into parts and building up to the whole word will also be helpful.
13. Assessment:
Prepare assessments that combine both recognition and production-based tasks. Try to give some hand outs to the students. By providing assessment, we drag student’s attention and concentration.
When the students gain control over the basis vocabulary, they need to expand their knowledge. I am giving some of the key strategies that are to unfold the information and meanings of a new word to a class.
1. Definitions:
Definitions in the target language may be very helpful if they are expressed in terms that are better known or more easily guessed than the word that is defined. In this direction teachers and students can refer to authentic and trustworthy dictionaries.
2. Self-defining Context:
The context makes the situation clear, and this in turn illuminates the meaning of the new word. This practice saves time and develops an intensive reading habit and better understanding.
3. Expanding through Word list:
The students are asked to prepare a word list by grouping words around a key-word.
4. Word Exercises:
A useful device for expanding students’ vocabulary is to prepare a variety of word-exercises in which different ideas can be used. A few specimen exercises are given below.
A) Matching the words with opposite meanings.
B) Matching the words with similar meanings.
C) Filling the blanks with words choosing them from the given list of words.
D) Changing verbs into noun forms.
E) Changing noun into verb forms.
F) Changing nouns into adjective forms.
G) Changing verbs into adverbs.
5. Antonyms:
When one member of a pair of opposites is understood, the meaning of the other can be easily comprehended. This helps the student to understand the different shades of meanings of a word.
6. Synonyms:
A synonym may be used to help the student to understand the different shades of meaning if the synonym is better known than the word being taught. Synonyms help to enrich a student’s vocabulary bank and provide alternative words instantly.
7. Homophones:
Words which are similar in sound but different in spelling are called Homophones. For example, right-write; son-sun; no-know; meet-meat; hole-whole; week-weak;
8. Words Endings: Suggest the words ending in…
A) ‘ar’ (grammar, circular…)
B) ‘er’ (latter, father , mother…)
C) ‘or’ (collector, director..)
D) ‘tion’ (examination, investigation..)
9. Anagrams: Rearrangement of letters in words.
For example: ERTSIGRAR, SOSPNRIFE
10. Palindromes: Words or sentences which can be read either way.
Ex: madam, noon, redivider, dad….
11. Root Analysis:
While root analysis is taught clearly, the ultimate goal is for readers to use this strategy independently. Many of the words in the English language are derived from Latin or Greek roots. They either contain a “core” root (the primary component of the word) or use prefixes or suffixes that hold meaning. The teachers should focus on teaching students the most commonly occurring roots, prefixes and suffixes. As each is taught examples of its use in common word should be shared and examined. The learner should see how the root helps him understand the word’s definition and he should try to prepare some words with the prefixes and suffixes.
12. Dramatization:
This method can be practiced at ease. It can win the favor of the students as learners like dramatizations and can easily learn through them. Many situations can be dramatized or demonstrated.
Examples:
Stand [Stand on the bench]
Act [Act like your favorite hero or heroine]
Close [Close the book]
13. Series, Scales, Systems:
The meaning of words such as the months of the year, the days of the week, the parts of the day, seasons of the year, ordinal numbers, cardinal numbers, etc. that form part of well-known series can be made clear by placing them in their natural order in the series.
14. Descriptive Sentences:
Most words have a variety of restrictions on their use. Systematic descriptions of these restrictions and idiomatic uses would be laborious and not very effective in teaching. It is better to give appropriate examples that elucidate the range and variation of usage.
15. Practice from Meaning to Expression:
This is controlled practice in which the class does not create new uses or new contexts but simply recalls the ones presented. There are many types of practices for this purpose. Pictures, context, and dramatization can be used. Series and systems can also be used.
Though I discuss many things here, at last I would like to say one point that we should use the selected vocabulary for teaching. Not all time, but most of the times, it is learners onus to get every thing. All this depends upon ability and level of understanding and interest of the learners. There is no sure fire remedy or method to enhance vocabulary in a day or two. But we should insist the students towards learning more vocabulary that will help them to understand English easily and it will help them to get more marks in competitive examinations. A student’s vocabulary bank can be enriched on a gradual basis and one should always show keen interest and enthusiasm in finding, learning and understanding new words.
Notes:
A.W. Frisby. Teaching English. The English Language Book Society and Longmans Green and Co., (1957): 98.
D. Vasundhara and R. K. Katyayani. Methodology of Teaching English. (Ed) Sarma V.B.B. and Kanakadurga D. Telugu Akademi: Hyderabad (2008): 259-288.
Edward L. Thorndike. Teacher’s Word Book. Kessinger Publishing: United States, 1921.
James F. Baumann and Edward J.Kameenui. Vocabulary Instruction: Research to Practice. The Guilford Press: New York, (2004): 7.
Robert Lado “Patterns of Difficulty in Vocabulary” International Journal Language Learning, 6 (1955): 23-41.
Robert Lado. Language Teaching: A Scientific Approach, McGraw Hill: New York, (1964): 121.
Visnja Pavicic (2003), “Vocabulary and Autonomy” http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/think/articles/vocabulary-autonomy