Teaching Vocabulary

A shift toward communicative methodology that emphasises the use of language rather than the formal study of it has caused a reassessment of the role that vocabulary can play in second language learning. This shift has led to a view of language teaching as empowering students to communicate, and the way to improve students’ facility in communicating is to increase their vocabularies.

Mastering vocabulary is crucial in FLT and largely depends on learners’ memory. The learners get acquainted with the semantic aspect of words in unity with their graphic forms. There are several ways of semantization:

1. in the target language;

2. by means of translation into the mother tongue.

Semantization may be accompanied by ostensive means that exclude translation and serves as reinforcement for establishing syntagmatic relations because words, objects and events are perceived against the background of reality they express (cf. 59, p. 91).

Thus, lexicology and semantics have a role to play in FLT and the knowledge of these branches of linguistic study makes it possible to distinguish the following groups of words: concrete, abstract, and structural.

Words denoting concrete things (a book, a desk, a school), actions (to go, to run, to sleep), and qualities (good, bad, sad) are easier to learn than words denoting abstract notions (a world, a home, a promise, absent-minded) (cf. 57, p. 133). Structural words (words that we talk with or use to make structures), their function and syntactical relationship are difficult for foreign language learners.

Translation as a type of semantization is usually used in teaching abstract words, lexical units with a constant equivalent in the mother tongue class, temperature, word-combinations have a walk, take a bus, cliches, idioms to sit on a fence, a bee in the bonnet, etc. Cliches and word-combinations are subject to literary translation.

Explanation as a form of semantization is also realised with the help of synonyms and antonyms. This type of semantization is not characterised by a high degree of precision, it presupposes a certain reservoir of lexical items, otherwise it will be difficult for learners to choose the appropriate synonyms and antonyms (cf. 38,c.112).

Explanation may be carried out in different ways. Firstly, a suggested definition may give some indication of meaning, for example: labour - work, especially hard physical work; to march - to walk like a soldier, etc.

Secondly, the meaning of a word is made clear by specifying it, for example: a vest - a garment worn under a shirt; to recite - to say a piece of literature aloud from memory, etc.

Thirdly, the meaning of a word can be established through its logical relationship with its denotation.

The choice of the way for conveying the meaning of a word depends on the following factors [57, p. 143 ].

1. Psychological factors:

1) pupils’ age; the younger the pupils are the better is the chance for the use of DM, A-LM, CM.

2) pupils’ intelligence: the brighter the child the better results.

2. Pedagogical factors:

1) the stage of teaching (junior, intermediate, senior);

2) the complement of the group; in overcrowded classes the Translation Method is preferable because it is economical from the point of time budget required for presentation, consolidation and practice; so more time is allotted to do exercises in learning new words;

3) the qualifications of the teacher; the use of DM, A-LM, CM is demanding on the teacher.

3. Linguistic factors:

1) abstract and concrete notions; for conveying the meaning of abstract notions translation is preferable;

2) words that we talk about or content words. In teaching vocabulary for practical purposes both structural and content words are of great importance. That is why they are included in the vocabulary minimum;

3) range of meaning in comparison with that of the Ukrainian language; in cases where the range of meaning does not coincide in the mother tongue and in the target language translation-interpretation should be recommended.

Whatever the way of presenting new words is used, pupils should be able to pronounce the words correctly, listen to sentences with these words, repeat the words after the teacher individually or in chorus both in phrases and in sentences. However, this is only the first step in approaching the word. The assimilation is gained through performing various exercises which allow the pupils to acquire lexical habits and skills [57, p. 144].

Charles Fries, a proponent of audio-lingualism, says that it is not the meaning of the words themselves but an intricate systems of formal features which makes possible the grasp of what is generally called “meaning”. The words train, boy, house, take convey no meaning. “The boy takes a train to his house” is full of meaning. He concludes, “The meaning is not in the words themselves but in the words as a pattern” [57, p. 134].

Teacher’s Role

1. While teaching pupils vocabulary, introduce words in sentence patterns in different situations of communication. Present the words in contextual use.

2. Present the word as an element. Then fix it in the pupils’ memory through different exercises in phrase and sentence patterns.

3. While introducing a word pronounce it yourself in a context, have pupils pronounce it both individually and in chorus.

4. In teaching words it is necessary to establish a memory link between a new word and those already assimilated.

Teaching Strategies

1. Repeat the word you want to teach several times, showing the picture so that everyone can see it. You can say it in a sentence such as, “This is a table.” Do not ask the student to repeat the word, although some may do so on their own.

2. Now give a flashcard to a student. You can repeat the word again in a sentence such as, “Jane has a birthday present.” Repeat these steps several times with different students until three or four are holding cards.

3. Begin asking questions such as, “Who has a birthday present?” Students reply by saying the name of the student who is holding the picture. This is enough to demonstrate that they understand the meaning of the new word.

4. Continue distributing pictures of new vocabulary items while regularly going back to earlier items and asking the class to say who is holding each picture. Repeat this procedure until the students are able to answer correctly most of the time, or until they begin to lose interest.

5. Do not expect the students to say the words immediately. When they are ready to use the vocabulary they will begin to do so. Give them the opportunity to respond with single words and short phrases before expecting them to use complete sentences.

Note: It is preferable to teach only a few items at a time and have the students learn them well, rather than try to introduce too much at one time.

Reinforcement and Review

Objectives: Teaching Vocabulary.

Materials Required: flash cards or game cards. Showing vocabulary already introduced.

Teaching Strategies: A number of techniques can be used to provide variety and keep the interest of the students while they get the repetition and practice they need to learn the vocabulary well.

1. Spread the pictures out where they can be seen by all the students, then ask individuals to point out particular items. For instance: Show me the chair, John.

2. Give the students simply directions. They respond by carrying out the action. For example: John, give the lamp to Peter. For older or more advanced students, directions can be more complex. For example: John, put the lamp on the desk next to the books.

3. Gradually begin introducing questions which require a simple yes or no answer. For example: Does Isabella have the book? These can be varied by making statements, some of which are incorrect. The students respond by saying “true” or “false”.

4. As the students become more and more confident in their responses, begin asking questions which require a simple one or two word answer. For example: Is it a stove or a stool? Does Pete have the book or the dictionary?

5. As soon as the students begin to feel comfortably in saying the new words, you can begin to play a variety of guessing games with them (see guessing games).

1. Spread out a number of pictures so that they can be seen by everyone, and give the students a few minutes to study them. Tell everyone to close their eyes. Take away one or two pictures and rearrange the others so that their spaces are not obvious. Tell the students to open their eyes and say which pictures are missing. Alternatively, instead of taking pictures away, add one or two to the ones already there.

2. Tell the students you are going to do an experiment about mental telepathy. Select four pictures and ask for a student volunteer. Tell the volunteer he should concentrate very hard on one of the pictures without saying which one he is thinking about. Then ask the other students, one by one, to say which of the four items they think the volunteer is concentrating on. Keep score as the game proceeds, them ask the volunteer to reveal which picture he was really thinking about.

Building Your Vocabulary

1. Read as much material as you can: fiction, non-fiction, magazines, newspapers.

2. Look up an unfamiliar word in a good dictionary, not only a bilingual one but an explanatory dictionary.

3. Develop a system of learning vocabulary. You may write the words with their definitions on cards and test yourself by regularly reviewing them, or you may keep a notebook of words that are unfamiliar to you.

Thus, teaching vocabulary the teacher should select the words that are worth explaining and learning in the most efficient way through a wide range of possibilities:

1. ostensive means;

2. mimicry, memorization and analogy;

3. affixation;

4. synonyms and antonyms;

5. contextualization;

6. translation.

One of the crucial factors affecting the learners’ ability to enrich their vocabulary is extensive reading at an appropriate level of difficulty. Using monolingual dictionaries (MDs) containing simplified definitions can provide a clue, a starting point in finding things for themselves, and prove helpful at teaching new words and increasing students’ knowledge.