Unit 8Unit 8Teaching VocaTeaching Voca

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Teaching objectives ：1. know the meaning of knowing a word 2. grasp ways of presenting vocabulary 3. grasp ways of consolidating vocabulary4. know how to develop vocabulary learning strategies

Contents:

1. Understanding vocabulary and vocabulary learning

2. The meaning of knowing a word 3. Ways of presenting vocabulary 4. Ways of consolidating vocabulary5. Developing vocabulary learning

strategies

1. Understanding vocabulary and vocabulary learningTask 1Ask students to discuss the following questions: What are the most common ways for Chinese

students to learn vocabulary regarding English? What are the most common ways for Chinese

teachers to teach English vocabulary, in Primary school, secondary school and university?

What are some of the vocabulary learning strategies you have used and found (not) useful or effective?

Task 2People have different understanding of what

a vocabulary item is, how an item can be learned and consolidated, which items should be learned, and to what extent the items should be learned and practiced. It is very important for the students themselves to develop vocabulary awareness and vocabulary building strategies.

2. What does knowing a word involve?knowing a word involves knowing its

pronunciation, spelling, meaning and usage. According to Hedge (2000), vocabulary learning involves at least two aspects of meaning. The first aspect involves the understanding of its denotative and connotative meaning. The second aspect involves understanding the sense relations among words.

2. What does knowing a word involve? 2.1 Denotative meaningDenotative meaning of a word or a lexical

item refers to those words that we use to label things as regards real objects, such as a name or a sign, etc. in the physical world.

2.2 Connotative meaningA connotative meaning of a word refers to

‘the attitudes or emotions’ of a language user in choosing a word and the influence of these on the listener or reader’s interpretation of the word

2. What does knowing a word involve? 2.3 Collocations

Collocations refer to words that co-occur with high frequency and have been accepted as ways for the use of words.

2.4 Synonym, antonym and hyponym

Synonyms refer to items that mean the same, or nearly the same.

Antonyms refer to items that mean the opposites of a word.

Hyponyms refer to words which can be grouped together under the same super-ordinate concepts.

2. What does knowing a word involve? Receptive vocabulary

It refers to words that one is able to recognize and comprehend in reading or listening but unable to use automatically in speaking or writing.

Productive vocabulary

Those words that one is not only able to recognize but also able to use in speech and writing are considered as one’s productive\active vocabulary.

3. Ways of presenting vocabulary a. visual or physical demonstration( pictures,

cards, real objects, video clips , mimes and gestures to show the meaning)

b. verbal context (e.g. grumble) c. synonyms or antonyms (e.g. sad) d. hyponyms (fruit: apple, pear etc.) e. Translate, definition and exemplify (boxer:

someone who fights with his fists for sport) f. word formation ( reader) g. chunks h. the context in real life

4. Ways of consolidating vocabulary

Labeling Spotting the differences Describing and drawing Playing a game Using word thermometers Using word series Word bingo Word association Odd man out Synonyms and antonyms Using word category Using word net-work

5. Developing vocabulary learning strategies Review regularly

Guessing meaning from context

Organize vocabulary effectively

The end!