Vocabulary strategies

1. Vocabulary Building
Strategies

2. Practice makes perfect…
We need to see learning any particular
word as being a cumulative process
where knowledge is built up over a
series of varied meetings with the word.
At best, teaching can provide only one
or two of these meetings.
The others involve deliberate study,
meeting through meaning-focused input
and output, and fluency development
activities
(Paul Nation, “Teaching Vocabulary”, Asian EFL
Journal)

3. “Light”
With a partner, write down
the definition of the word
“light”
Please also include the part
of speech
Now, share with the group…

4. Difficult?
Explain what you found
difficult about the
assignment.
What are the problems
language learners have
when they learn new
vocabulary?

5. “Light” Definition

7. Still going…

8. Not done yet…

10. Just a little bit more…

11. And…DONE!

12. The 3 aspects of
vocabulary learning…
Meaning
Form
Use

13. Meaning
Definition
Concept
Associations

14. Form
Spoken Form (pronunciation)
Written Form (spelling)
Word parts

15. Use
Grammatical functions
Collocations
Constraints on use

16. “Save”
What is the meaning?
What is the form?
What is the use?

17. Meaning
What activities help Ss to learn a word’s
meaning?
In pairs, write down one or two activities that you
think help Ss learn a word’s meaning.

18. Meaning activities
Word and meaning matching
Labeling
Sentence completion
Crossword puzzles

19. Form
What activities help Ss to learn a word’s form?
In pairs, write down one or two activities that you
think help Ss learn a word’s form.

20. Form activities
Following spelling rules
Recognizing word parts
Building word family tables

21. Use
What activities help Ss to learn a word’s use?
In pairs, write down one or two activities that you
think help Ss learn a word’s use.

22. Use activities
Sentence completion
Collocation matching
Collocation tables
Interpreting dictionary entries

23. Content Bingo
Have Ss make their own definitions (advanced)
Give descriptions instead of words
(intermediate/advanced)

24. Word form charts

25. Word Form Fill-in-the-blank
Complete each sentence with the correct form of the
word.
1. Large rocks and meteorites crashed into the moon’s
surface_________________________ large holes
called craters.
create creation creator creating
2. One of the _______________________ of the space
program was to land a man on the moon.
goal goalkeepers goals goal-oriented

26. Flashcards

27. Flashcards
Flashcards can be either picture and English
definition or
L1 and L2 words
For example: Ekimi Doctor
Have Ss make their own set of flashcards for
new vocabulary.
Then, have pairs quiz each other using the
flashcards.

28. Student generated
Fill-in-the-blank
Give Ss a list of vocabulary words
Ask pairs to create their own fill-in-the blank
sentences for 2 words.
Have pairs exchange papers with another pair
and try to complete their sentences.
Have the small group discuss answers.

29. Fill-in-the-Blank
Words: sun, wind
The ________ was shining brightly yesterday.
The terrible _________ blew down a tree today.

30. Using 10 words in
a story
Give Ss a list of vocabulary words.
Tell them they must use at least 10 of the words
in a short story or paragraph.
(Note: this can be done in pairs or small groups)
Collect the story (it is a vocabulary assessment).
(pollution, environment, trash, smoke, plastic
bags, cans, recycle, community, laws, throw
away)

31. Categorization
1. Sort the word cards by category. (e.g., words
related to people, words related to things).
2. Find words that have certain connotations
such as positive and negative, good and bad,
desirable and undesirable.
3. Sort words by part of speech
(e.g., nouns, verbs, adverbs, adjectives).

32. Spelling Bee
Small class or small groups
Have Ss stand in a line in
front of the board.
Say the first vocabulary word
and ask the first student to spell the word.
If the student is correct, she/he stays at the
board.
If the student is incorrect, she/he must sit down.
Note: Emphasize that learning is a process and
mistakes are a normal and necessary part of that
process. Consider if this activity is appropriate for

33. Fly Swatter
Choose a vocabulary word from
your lesson.
Have two Ss come to the front of the
class.
Give each Ss a rolled up piece of paper.
Write the word on the board – (one word is spelled
correctly, the other word is not)
For example:
Truck Truk
The first student to “hit” the correct word wins a
point for their team.

34. Word Tiles
Have Ss make a set of alphabet cards
Ask Ss to make 2 or 3 cards for each
letter.
Ask Ss to work in pairs and spell as many words
as possible related to their lesson content.
When Ss complete one word, they must write it
on a piece of paper.
At the end of 10 minutes, collect the papers and
see which group has won!

35. Vocabulary charts
See handout provided…
When you teach new content words, give Ss a
list of the words as homework.
Ask Ss to fill out at least 4 of the chart boxes for
each word.
Have pairs work together in the next lesson to
share what information they wrote down.
Collect the charts at the end of the unit and test
Ss on their acquired word knowledge.

36. References
Nation, Paul. “Teaching Vocabulary” Asian EFL
Journal.
Nation, P. (2008). Teaching Vocabulary. Online
Course offered by Thomson ELT.
Nation, P. (2007). The Four Strands. Innovation
in Language Learning and Teaching, 1(1), 2-13.