Teaching Vocabulary Midterm Task

 

VOCABULARY LEARNING

According to Wilga Rivers, vocabulary is not something that can be taught but can be expressed, offered, and experienced via activities in the class or extensive resources. As language teachers, we use tricks to advertise words so that learners sense enthusiasm towards content and this accelerates the word acquisition by learners.  But, at the end, the learners, themselves, acquire the vocabulary with certain ways. Here, I share some techniques so as to shed some light on vocabulary learning.

 

Guessing words out of context

Once two or three thousand most used words are learned by the reader, these words are  used in dictionaries to make description, the reader, himself, can make guesses about unknown words from the context, itself. One of the reasons why it smooths away for the reader is that common two thousand words constitutes about eighty to ninety percent of each English sentence. This is not a skill that needs to be taught and almost everybody with the knowledge of most common two thousand words can predict the meaning of other words. To give an example, “I couldn’t solve the test, because it was so gawkun.” As it is obvious, anyone knowing other words can easily predict the meaning of made-up word as “hard” or “difficult” like solving an equation problem with unknowns in mathematics.

We can say that the reader experiences a few steps. First, the reader looks under the hood and anticipates the class (verb, adverb, noun, or adjective) of the unknown vocabulary. Then, he finds its role in the sentence and its collocation. And then he investigates the usage of the relation of sentence with unknown vocabulary with other sentences (if there are any). Punctuation and conjunctions play an important role on discovering these relations.  And in the end, the reader with this knowledge predicts the meaning of the vocabulary. If words guessed can be used interchangeably in place of unknown vocabulary without deformation in the meaning, then most probably it is correct. They can use breaking word into prefix, root, and suffix and check root word meaning as a verification method.

The problem we face while teaching is that learners are less confident about guessing L2 words. So, we should implement more guesswork in our activities so that students can embrace this strategy. It should not be reduced to reading. Listening is also favorable for guessing.

Mnemonics

Known as keyword technique also, mnemonics can be described as getting help from an L1 vocabulary with similar sound. L2 (English) word and with auditorily similar word from L1 are put into an unusual association together in learner’s imagination. When this association is remembered, so is it the meaning. Although this technique seems to be bizarre at first, it is effective thanks to using imagination. Moreover, it even can be used for remembering words from L1. (Here is an example[1]) By this aspect, this technique is thought to be superior to the other techniques. It is easier to remember and can be used for any parts of speech.

To have learners activate this technique, we should give a few minutes to think with their inner sound and advise them to generate their own mnemonics with a visual element -not just by sound. However, it can be still borrowed from someone or somewhere else (Here is an example[2]) and it can strengthen connections and help the learner understand this technique.

Word Cards

This is a beneficial activity for the students who have problems with imagining words (using mnemonics or reflection). In this activity words are learned or memorized by intermittent repetition as a result of retrieval practice effect. Students’ vocabularies are testes by “student to students” or “teacher to students” interaction. One side of the cards are written with L1 words while the other ones with target language (L2) counterparts. Cards can be prepared by the teacher or students, or it can be provided from somewhere else. There is no specific rule that person preparing should consider such as choosing the words from same context. Any word can be written down regardless of context. Important parts are that cards should be around 20 to 50 and words with difficulties should be put the top of the pile. Another thing is, words already learned I should be put aside for focusing on unknown ones. Students or teachers can benefit from online resources for creating word cards for testing themselves by which they can add and omit words from their virtual card pile. (Example for Android | IOS)

When looked at the big picture, it can be seen that this strategy is based on guessing. To implement this strategy, we, teachers, can create pairs in the class and get students to test each other. They can get clues from each other asking whether the word is an adjective, noun, verb, or adverb, or by asking syllable count. Other clues that can be shared are giving the word without syllables and using ghost writing technique, which is writing in the air or on pair’s back. The more it turns into a game, the more they like the strategy.

Reflection

Users of this technique mainly aims to fortify the words in mind by focusing on important and effective usage and reflecting on how they are used in context.  They know learning cannot occur in a minute and are aware of the fact that they are not able to use some words while speaking and writing although they understand them easily when they read or listen. Moreover, they are fully aware that they avoid using some words because they know that they do not have a grasp of collocation, punctuation, or pronunciation of these words.

Leaners make stride in vocabulary learning in six stages: from “I have never seen the word before.” to “I use the word with confidence, both and speaking and writing.” To overcome these stages, they endeavor to notice and learn polysemes (multiple meanings of a word)[3]. For example, the word reinforce is used in the meaning of giving more support to something in “This evidence reinforces my view that he is a spy.”[4] and used for increasing the military strength in this example “Our defense is must be reinforced against attack.”.  

It is important for us to students to experience authentic material and notice how people respond to the use of their words. When people respond unexpectedly, they can think that they have said something wrong or there are other meanings for word they used. We can also suggest our students to watch movies and series because equivocal words or phrases are used much in series to make expression more quizzical.

Using Dictionaries

Using dictionary is useful for studying vocabulary in terms of reaching them quickly and learning accurately when getting from context does not work (So the learner is familiar with parts of speech). It is also favorable for self-studying even after years following education completion.

To integrate dictionary using in vocabulary learning, the learner needs to get familiar with dictionary layout. Reading dictionary guide, which is in the first pages in a dictionary, would be helpful to embrace explanation and abbreviation style of the dictionary.  On the other hand, phonetic transcription may variate between dictionaries although it is believed that there is an international standard. Cross checking (checking backwards) is also important for bilingual dictionary users in order to use suitable and fully covering vocabulary.

Learners should be careful about polysemes (the fact of having more than one meaning) such as “digest” in “digesting the food” and “digesting the words”, and homonyms (a word that is spelled the same as another word but that does not have the same meaning). For example, marine /məˈriːn/ meaning “found in or produced by sea” and marine meaning “member of a body of soldiers trained to fight on land or sea.” are completely different words but spelled and pronounced the same. We can put homographs [or heteronyms (they are almost the same)[5]] in this category. They are like homonyms but pronounced differently. Then you can see the trick here: “Why would you desert /dɪˈzɜrt/ your dessert /dɪˈzɜrt/ on the desert /ˈdez·ərt/?”

We, teachers, can set tasks or give examples [MU1] in which learners have distinguish polysemes. We can create groups from students sharing same L1 to prevent or diagnose interference problems. To prevent this, learners should be encouraged to crosscheck the words from bilingual dictionaries. On the other hand, we can integrate vocabulary learning into writing activities. Students check each other’s assignments and correct their spellings by using dictionaries.

Sub-strategies for Vocabulary Learning

Alphabetical index

In this strategy, learner creates a personal dictionary to recall words from their long-term memory.

Labeling objects

In this strategy, learner prepares adhesive labels on which he writes L2 equivalent of the vocabulary. Every time he interacts with objects turn into a repeat rehearsal and he procedures retrieval practice effect.

Motivation

Motivations for vocabulary learning cannot be distinguished from language learning itself because approximately half of the words in a sentence are content words (words from dictionary not grammar). By this sense, I decided to regard motivations for language learning in this category.  From cognitive aspect, we can regard exploration, knowledge, ego enhancement as motivation drives for language learning. From constructivist view, we can put belonging, social status in this category.  To give tangible examples, some learners learn to read Harry Potter in English, watch movies without subtitles or just because they love English culture.  Some learns for studying abroad, getting better job opportunities, or because their parents told them to do so. It can even be a parent living abroad who wants attend meetings in school.[6] So, learners should have a purpose and try to reach it.

 

 

REFERENCES

Printed References

·       Akar, N. (2010). Teaching Vocabulary. Özel Eğitim Hizmetleri Yayıncılık ve Danışmanlık Tic. Ltd. Lti.

·       Harmer, J., & Thornbury, S. (2002). How to Teach Vocabulary (1st ed.). Pearson Education ESL.

·       Zimmerman, B. C. (2008). Word Knowledge: A Vocabulary Teacher’s Handbook (1st ed.). Oxford University Press.

·       Nation, I. (1990). Teaching & Learning Vocabulary (Teaching Methods) (1st ed.). Heinle ELT.

·       Hornby, A. S. (1994). Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Oxford Univ Pr (Sd).

·       Brown, D. H. (2014). Principles of Language Learning and Teaching (6th Edition) (6th ed.). Pearson Education ESL.

 

Online References

·       Elini Kaldır! | Karsu Dönmez | TEDxIstanbul. (2016, January 4). YouTube. https://youtu.be/D7LxuEODkys?t=443

·       Dünyanın En Hızlı İngilizce Öğrenme Metodu! (2017, July 1). YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qa4Eac5bpUQ

·       https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/polysemy

·       https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/homonym

·       https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homonym

·       https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polysemy

·       https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ef-mentor-words/id928429152

·       https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ef.mentorapp

·       https://www.udemy.com/course/tefl-essentials-learners-and-learning/

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[1] Elini Kaldır! | Karsu Dönmez | TEDxIstanbul. (2016, January 4). YouTube. https://youtu.be/D7LxuEODkys?t=443

[2] Dünyanın En Hızlı İngilizce Öğrenme Metodu! (2017, July 1). YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qa4Eac5bpUQ

 

[3] Polysemy. (n.d.). Https://En.Wikipedia.Org/. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polysemy

[4] Hornby, A. S. (1994). Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Oxford Univ Pr (Sd)

[5] Wikipedia contributors. (2020, December 3). Homonym. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homonym

[6] Brown, D. H. (2014). Principles of Language Learning and Teaching (6th Edition) (6th ed.). Pearson Education ESL.

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