BEYOND DEFINITIONS: METHODS FOR VOCABULARY BUILDING, RETENTION, AND APPLICATION

Rita McDermott

May 2011

Rate the Following Terms by Holding up the Number of Fingers that Correspond with your Rating

Sight words Incidental Learning

Explicit Instruction Lexical Phrases

Collocations Multimodal

Word Family Exposure

Cloze Passage Connotations

1 never

knew this word

existed

2 heard it before or looks like

another word from which I can guess its

meaning

3 know what it means when I read/hear it

4 use it often

WHY RATE THE TERMS?

Activates background knowledge and exposes students to words

Helps the students learn how to take control of their own learning and assessing.

Gives the teacher an idea of how to proceed/ where to focus.

Students can revisit the ratings frequently throughout the unit to assess progress.

Can be interactive – number each corner of the room 1, 2, 3, or 4 and have students walk/skip/shuffle/slide/crabwalk to the corresponding corner for each word.

QUESTIONS IN VOCABULARY INSTRUCTION

How important is vocabulary instruction

?

Are goals and strategies the same for al

l proficiency levels?

What does it mean to “know” a word?

Which words do learners need to know?

How many words do learners need to k

now?

What strategies will I use to teach them

?

HOW IMPORTANT IS VOCABULARY INSTRUCTION?

Reading Writing Listening/

Speaking Grammar

Vocabulary?

Previous schools of thought believed emphasis should first be on grammar and phonetics, and then vocabulary should be

learned later to ¨fill in the blanks.¨

Many current schools of thought believe ¨lexical competence is at the very heart of communicative

competence¨ (Coady and Huckin qtd. in Decarrico)

ARE GOALS AND STRATEGIES THE SAME FOR ALL PROFICIENCY LEVELS?

Beginners:Focus on vocabulary until students reach a

working base of 2,000 words, including sight words.

Justification: - Basic vocabulary accounts for about 80% of

words we regularly see or hear, thus opening up a reasonable range of workable texts.

- It is very difficult to use context clues without a two or three thousand word base.

- Beginners expect to have to learn vocabulary.

(Meara qtd. in Decarrico)

See Word Lists in Resources

SIGHT WORDS:

WORDS THAT ARE KNOWN BY A READER AUTOMATICALLY

ARE GOALS AND STRATEGIES THE SAME FOR ALL PROFICIENCY LEVELS?

Intermediate and Advanced:Move for more balance between

explicit strategies and implicit/incidental learning.

Teach strategies for self-study. Teach collocations and idioms.

Justification: - Students already have a base in vocabulary

and grammar to focus on atypical and varied uses.

(Decarrico)

See Word Lists in Resources

EXPLICIT VOCABULARY INSTRUCTION

ACTIVITIES THAT FOCUS ON THE SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE OF IMPROVING LEXICAL COMPETENCE (DECARRICO 286) IMPLICIT/INCIDENTAL

LEARNING

LEARNING WHEN THE MIND IS FOCUSED ON OTHER TASKS, SUCH AS IDENTIFYING MAIN IDEA OR COMMUNICATING. (DECARRICO 289)

¨Hypothesis of Transferability¨

Put attention/ Pay Attention

Take a decision/ Make a decision

Dream with/ Dream about

Count with/ Count on

PATTERNS OF PAIRS OR GROUPS OF WORDS THAT APPEAR TOGETHER IN HIGH FREQUENCY.

COLLOCATIONS

Lexical collocations: pay attention, laugh

loudly, heartfelt apologies, deeply

concerned.

Grammatical collocations:

rely on, afraid of, by accident, in retrospect

*Research shows words that are naturally associated in a text are more easily committed to memory. (Decarrico 293)

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO KNOW A WORD?For beginner to intermediate:

Definition

Part of speech noun, verb, adjective, adverb, preposition, conjunction * changes with context

Word family Additions of prefixes, suffixes

Typical Use

Illustrations

Examples

Nonexamples

Associated Words

Often opposites and pairs – short/tall, table/chair

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO KNOW A WORD?For Intermediate to Advanced

Connotations Emotions associated with word. Bossy is much more negative than assertive.

Collocations School of thought, school of fish, elementary school

Varied Use School is also a group of fish, a group of people with a unifying belief, and can be used as a verb.

DO THESE STUDENTS KNOW THESE WORDS?

I was thirsty because I didn´t breakfast.

A donut is not a fit breakfast.

When I am thirsty, I drink Gatorade quench my thirst.

I was thirsty for a challenge, so I signed up for a marathon.

I ate cereal and a banana for breakfast.

A healthy breakfast is often considered more important than lunch or dinner.

Definition and Part of speech

Lexical Collocation

Varied Use and Grammatical Collocation

Lexical collocation and Part of speech

Lexical collocation and associations

Typical Use, Example and Grammatical Collocation

Illustration

WHICH WORDS DO LEARNERS NEED TO KNOW?SELECTING VOCABULARY

GSWL, AWL, and BNL - Word Lists in Resources

Most common method for EFL – thematic groups Ex…Greetings, School vocabulary, Travel

vocabulary, Environment

Possible method for pronunciation – phonetically themed groups

(Incidental Learning)

WHICH WORDS DO LEARNERS NEED TO KNOW?SELECTING VOCABULARY FOR WRITING/SPEAKING

Task-based words Daily routines for simple present. Character and personality traits for describing a

person Medical vocabulary for a dialogue at a doctor´s office Synonyms for ¨say¨ for reported speech – to write

newspaper article or report an interview

Sample Writing Workshop for Newspaper Article - Advanced

THE BIG 2 (+1)FOR SELECTION FROM TEXTS

1.Usefulness to Students2.Frequency in Other

Situations+

3.Significance in Passage

WHICH WORDS DO LEARNERS NEED TO KNOW?SELECTING VOCABULARY FROM TEXTS

Which words are frequently used?

Which words will be useful to the students in the future? In future communicative situations? To decipher other words from common prefixes, suffixes, or roots?

Not frequently used or useful? Research suggests letting students learn them incidentally if

they are not critical to understand the text. .

Not frequently used or useful, BUT critical to the text? Provide students with the definition BEFORE or DURING

reading, but do not waste time with activities.

WHICH WORDS DO LEARNERS NEED TO KNOW?SELECTING VOCABULARY

How do you know the frequency of words in a text?

ONLINE ANALYSIS OF TEXTS ACCORDING TO WORD LISTS

Using GSL and AWL: http://conc.lextutor.ca/vp/eng/

Using BNL: http://conc.lextutor.ca/vp/bnl/

Analysis of ¨A May Day for Mom¨ from Time for Kids

+ + + - - + - - Useful/ Critical Useful/ Not

CriticalNot Useful /

CriticalNot Critical / Not

Useful

Celebrate dedicate suggestInclude honor Dedicate Deserve appreciate

Country names servant Sales definitely probably certainly

campaign

hymn springtime

HOW MANY WORDS DO LEARNERS NEED TO KNOW?

A base of 2,000 to 3,000 (Decarrico)

How many should I teach at a time?Depends on the goal…

Beginner? Experts range between up to 12 and up to 20 in a group.

And the relationship between the words…Choose thematic or associated words to teach more

at once

For deeper understanding…To really ¨know the word,¨ as is appropriate for

intermediate and advanced levels, choose smaller lists…depth over breadth - 8 suggested.

WHAT STRATEGIES WILL I USE TO TEACH THEM?BUILDING VOCABULARY

Student-led or Teacher-led? Begin with teacher led activities to teach

students how to control their own vocabulary learning.

In beginning classes, the teacher´s main role will be to expose students to words, repeat, and help students master the typical use of common words.

In intermediate, the teacher begins to emphasize correct use, varied uses, word building, and skills to be independent.

In advanced classes, the teacher´s primary role is to teach intricacies of words, such as collocations and connotations.

STUDENT LEDRate your own progressCircle any word you don´t know on quizzes/handoutsVocabulary Notebooks for all-levels What structure works for you and your students?

3 Column Charts? Definition/Sentence, Word parts/examples

Free Vocab Assignment

Define, then choose two -1. Context Clues2. Word parts3. Illustrate. 4. Original sentence. 5. Word Family6. Collocations and Connotations7. Google the word and copy three sentences in which it appears.

BUILDING VOCABULARY CONTEXT CLUES

Types: Synonyms (key words…this, that, such) Antonyms (contrast words…this, that, such) Pictures Gestures Facial expressions Word parts Experience in similar situations Cognates (beware false cognates) Location in sentence to figure out part of

speech

THE BLICKER GRUPED FRIZLY IN THE ROON.

1. What did the blicker do?2. How did it do it?3. Where did it do it?

4. Use blicker in a sentence. 5. What other things grupe?6. Show me how to walk frizly. 7. Draw a roon.

HAVE TROUBLE?

Blicker, grupe, frizly, and roon are made-up words.

Point…Students can’t use context clues if they don’t have the background level of vocabulary.

Context clues aren’t always in the sentence – sometimes you have to go to the paragraph or pictures.

Students can use grammar clues to help answer questions without a full understanding of the word.

Background knowledge and repetition are key.

Celebrate Celebrations, celebratory dedicate Dedications, dedicated, undedicated,

dedication suggest Suggestion, suggestedly Include Inclusion honor honorary, honored, dishonor, honest,

dishonest, honesty, dishonesty, dishonestly, honestly

Deserve Serve, service, disservice, servant, servile, servitude, undeserving

BUILDING VOCABULARYWORD FAMILIES

Animals

Mammals

cats

dogs

horse

Birds

parrot

eagle

Fish

Goldfish

Trout

Animals

Pets Wild

BUILDING VOCABULARYCONCEPT MAPS

Examples of Word Circle and Tree

THE BIG 3FOR RETENTION

1.Repetition2.Context3.Emotion

Flashcards are appropriate for sight words.

REPETITIONExposure to words before explicit instruction

How? As implicit words, directly defined, or through pre-tests.

Research states that it can take up to 40 encounters with a word before committing it to memory.

Post words in the room so students look at them

frequently too!

Make sure the activities aren´t

overly repeated, just the words.

CONTEXTWhen is the word used?

Is it formal or informal?

Is it mostly spoken or written?

What other words and situations are associated with the word? (Collocations and Connotations)

Show the word in context as often as possible.

For instance, instead of providing students with the word and definition, provide the students with a context rich sentence or a pre-reading question that uses the word.

EMOTIONWhat memories do you have from elementary or high

school?

Do you remember the exact moment you learned a specific word in English?

MULTIMODAL ACTIVITIES FOR RETENTION:CONTEXT AND EMOTION

Concept Maps Charades

Writing Stories What’s this word? (practice classroom questions)

Songs Cloze passages

Word Sorts Fortune Tellers

Posters Flashcard Games

Bingo Jeopardy

Word Scavenger Hunts Word Wall Games – Guess My Word, Word Call Out

Opinionaires Interviews

Skits/Role Plays Dialogues

Comics Find your Mate

Foldables Find Someone Who…

To Lexical Phrases

NOT YOUR GRANDMOTHER´S FLASHCARDS

Use cut paper if you don´t have index cards. Ask students to put more than definitions. Keep flashcards in an envelope.

Have students use their flashcards to arrange concept maps or categories on their desk.

Write a cloze passage on the board and have students tape their index cards in the blank.

Have students sit back to back, each with their index cards. One student draws two and has to explain the relationship between the two words. The other person guesses the two chosen words.

Each student randomly draws a card and has to use that word in a class created story. Pass paper(s) around the room, each person adding a sentence to the story with their word.

WORD WALLSMORE THAN JUST FOR LOOKING

Guess my word Teacher picks a word and used whatever types of

clues appropriate. Students race to guess her word.

Word Call Out Teacher calls out a word students race to either

use it in a sentence, give an example, act it out, or do whatever response the teacher finds appropriate.

Students can also lead these games.

Word Walls can be written on posters or on a designated section of your whiteboard. They can be just the words, or words with pictures, etc.

WHAT’S THE WORD? Have common questions posted in the classroom for “English classroom survival.” Spell a word out loud for the students,

repeating each letter 3 times for beginners. Students write down the word as you spell. When you are finished spelling, call on a

student and ask “What’s the word?” Then, choose the same or different students

to answer: How do you spell the word? What does the word mean?

Ask the class, Is that correct? For an added challenge, ask students to also

use the word in a sentence.

English Classroom Survival Questions:

1. What does ______ mean?2. How do you pronounce ______?3. How do you say _____ in English? 4. How do you spell _______?5. Is this correct?

FIND YOUR MATE Each student is given a slip of paper. The paper

either has a question on it, or an answer. Students get up out of their seat and walk

around looking for their match. Students with a question much find their answer. Students with an answer must find their corresponding question.

Once every one has found the correct mate, each pair reads their question and answer.

This can also be done with fill-in-the-blank sentences and vocabulary words. Use word forms to increase difficulty.

How old are you?

I’m from ______, Colombia.

I’m fine, thanks.

I’m ______ years old.

My name is ____.

How are you?

What is your name?

Where are you from?

OPINIONAIRES Present students with a list of opinion

questions on paper or the board. Students agree or disagree with the statements A discussion in pairs, groups, or whole class

follows.

Professions Unit Agree Disagree Why?

Teachers are paid too little.

Doctors can help patients commit suicide if they are dying already and in lots of pain.

There are more corrupt politicians than honest politicians.

It is better if men are doctors and women are nurses.

Lawyers deserve their bad reputation.

PARTS OF SPEECH WORD SORT

Nouns Verbs Adjectives Adverbs

HonorHonestyDishonesty

Honor (-s,-ed, -ing)Dishonor (-s,-ed, -ing)

HonestDishonestHonoraryHonoredHonorable

HonestlyDishonestly

¨Knowing one form of a word does not in any way indicate that students are likely to know all or even most of the forms of a word. In other words, even though forms may look very similar, it is important for learners to see the and practice different forms. ¨ (Folse)

WORD SCAVENGER HUNT

Give students a list of no more than 10 words.

Their goal, in the allotted amount of time (most will be homework), is to find a picture of the word or the word used in context.

Students will put their findings either on a poster or on the back of their flashcards.

Students may work with partners and/or this could be a competition. Students share results (more emotion and repetition!)

DIALOGUES Student Created or Teacher Created

Use the vocabulary in a dialogue to show context, work on reading comprehension, and audio/oral skills.

Example of Teacher Written Dialogue

FORTUNE TELLERS Students use paper to create a fortune teller. Video with instructions: http://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbA29zfEAZk

Students can write any words on the flaps, depending on your unit. Inside, you can use questions or statements.

Students using Fortune Tellers

FOLDABLES Foldables are basically graphic organizers

created from folding and/or cutting paper.

Click for Ideas for Foldables in the EFL Classroom

Click for

Foldables Website

CLOZE PASSAGES Basically cloze passages are fill in the blank

paragraphs. I find them more effective if they focus only

on one part of speech or on one word family. Teachers can write them, create them from

existing passages in books, or let students write and exchange them.

Cloze passage for adjectives:blue little annoying favorite mad

My _________ brother, Sam, is 5 years old. He has a lot of energy and can be very _____________. His __________ thing to do is draw. My brother always uses a __________ crayon because it is the color of the sky. But, he doesn’t draw on paper; he draws on my bedroom walls! I love him, but he makes me so _______ sometimes I could scream!

CONTEXT FOR ALL LEARNERSLEXICAL PHRASES

Lexical phrases are ¨chunks¨ of language. They are often fixed expressions and rather idiomatic. They fit well into dialogues and skits.

Examples: A _____ ago. Gotta run now. If you please. Thanks so much. How much is…? As _____ as….

Why teach lexical phrases?

For beginners, they can help promote fluency beyond what they can create alone and ease frustration.

The associations with social situations make them memorable.

After being learned as wholes, they can be broken down for more vocabulary study. (Decarrico 297-297)

CONTEXT FOR ADVANCED LEARNERS

COLLOCATION ACTIVITIES

From Decarrico

CONTEXT FOR ADVANCED LEARNERS

COLLOCATION ACTIVITIES

Looking at the Mother´s Day article again…

An advanced vocabulary quiz…

A beginner vocabulary quiz…

From Decarrico

RESEARCH ON THE MASTERY OF VOCABULARY

A conscious grasp of lexical concepts requires understanding not often gained through practice exercises alone

Traditional teaching of vocabulary often produces errors in writing situations

Concepts must be taught and re-taught in different ways

Students will continuously need guidance in applying what they have already learned

(Decarrico)

EFFECTIVE VOCABULARY INSTRUCTION

Work words casually into verbal or reading vocabulary in the weeks before assigning.

Assess and access background knowledge. Introduce in context. Introduce words in purposefully chosen groups. Use multimodal activities. Give many opportunities to work with the words –

speaking, writing, reading, hearing. Access students´ emotions. Post words in the room.

It takes time and planning, but the returns are worth it!

COLLOCATION DICTIONARIES:Free online dictionary and trial option to downloadhttp://www.collinslanguage.com/shop/CobuildESL-dictionary-landing.aspx

Most Famous – LTP Dictionary of Selected Collocations. There are also a variety of choices now available on Amazon.com.

BEGINNING AND INTERMEDIATE NONFICTION READING MATERIAL:Time Magazine for Kidshttp://www.timeforkids.com/TFK/kids/news

Scholastic News Onlinehttp://www2.scholastic.com – Student Activities – Scholastic News

BBC Learn English – podcasts, videos, grammar, vocabulary, quizzes, and more!http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/teachingenglish/howto/

RESOURCES

WORD LISTSGeneral Service List of English Words - 2,000 most common words http://jbauman.com/gsl.html

Academic Word List – http://simple.wiktionary.org/wiki/Wiktionary:Academic_word_list

BNL – updated word list with both common and academic wordshttp://lextutor.ca/vp/bnl/display_lists/

Transition Words http://www.somers.k12.ny.us/intranet/reading/signalwords.html

ONLINE ANALYSIS OF TEXTS ACCORDING TO WORD LISTSUsing GSL and AWL: http://conc.lextutor.ca/vp/eng/

Using BNL: http://conc.lextutor.ca/vp/bnl/

RESOURCES

Rerate the Following Terms

Sight words Incidental Learning

Explicit Instruction Lexical Phrases

Collocations Multimodal

Word Family Exposure

Cloze Passage Connotations

1 never

knew this word

existed

2 heard it before or looks like

another word from which I can guess its

meaning

3 know what it means when I read/hear it

4 use it often

THANK YOU!

Email me if you have any questions or need

materials!

ritajmcdermott@yahoo.com

WORKS CITEDDecarrico, Jeannette S. "Vocabulary Learning and Teaching." Teaching

English as a Second or Foreign Language. Ed. Marianne Celce-Murcia. 3rd ed. Boston: Heinle & Heinle, 2001. 285-99. Print.

Fisher, Douglas, William Brozo, Nancy Frey, and Gay Ivey. 50 Content Area Strategies for Adolescent Literacy. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill/Pearson, 2007. Print.

Folse, Keith S. Intermediate Reading Practices: Building Reading and Vocabulary Skills. 3rd ed. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan, 2004. Print.

O'Malley, J. Michael., and Lorraine Valdez Pierce. Authentic Assessment for English Language Learners: Practical Approaches for Teachers. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley Pub., 1996. Print.