Approaches to Teaching Vocabulary

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Approaches to Teaching Vocabulary

• E. Lylak

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Definitions Starting Point

• The organizational key is that techniques carry
  out a method which is consistent with an
  approach
• (Richards Rodgers, 1986)

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Approach

• An approach is a set of correlative assumptions
  dealing with the nature of language teaching and
  learning.
• An approach is axiomatic. It is the level at
  which assumptions and beliefs about language and
  language learning are specified
• It describes the nature of the subject matter to
  be taught

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Approach

• Early approaches were based on the study of Latin
• Views on the nature of language inform
  approaches.
• Different views on the nature of language
  provided the basis for the changes in the methods
  used to teach language

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Three Views

• Structural View
• Language is seen as a system of structurally
  related elements for the coding of meaning.
• Functional View
• Language is seen as a vehicle for the
  expression of functional meaning.
• Interactional View
• Language is seen as a vehicle for the
  realization of interpersonal relations and for
  the performance of social transactions between
  individuals.

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Method

• A method is an overall plan for the orderly
  presentation of language material, no part of
  which contradicts, and all of which is based
  upon, the selected approach.
• A method is procedural. It is the level at which
  theory is put into practice and at which choices
  are made about
• The particular skills to be taught.
• The content to be taught.
• The order in which the content will be presented.
  (Richards, 1986)

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Methods

• The Reform Movement as a reaction to the Latin
  based approach led to the following methods
• Direct MethodgtReading MethodgtAudio-lingual Method

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Techniques

• ...A technique is implementationalthat which
  actually takes place in a classroom. A technique
  is a particular trick, stratagem, or contrivance
  used to accomplish an immediate objective.
  Techniques must be consistent with a method, and
  therefore in harmony with an approach as well.
• (Anthony 1963 63-7)

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Techniques

• Natural Language Learning Principles
• L. Sauveur and F. Franke
• Based on psychological principles of association
  in the target language
• Led to Direct or Berlitz method
• Audiolingualism and Oral/Aural Method
• Evolved from natural order of language
  acquisition listening, speaking, reading,
  writing
• (Sweet, 1899)
• Drill/practice of target structures is essential

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Techniques for the Deaf from Three Approaches

• The Audio-lingual (Aural/Oral) approach
• The Natural Approach
• The Lexical Approach

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Techniques based on the Audio-lingual Approach

• Extension of Aural/Oral methods when applied to
  teaching the deaf begins with knowledge that
  input of listening channels and production of
  speech is compromised.
• Task begins with reading, then writing.

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Technique for the Deaf

• Extension to use of computerized instruction
• Recognition and production practice
• Definition practice
• Synonym practice
• Contextual practice (Testing)

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Computer Assisted Vocabulary Practice

• Exercise One
• Target word is shown
• Target word definition is given
• Target word synonyms are given
• Student types in target word

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Computer Assisted Vocabulary Practice

• Exercise Two
• Target word definition is shown
• Target word and three foils are displayed
• Student matches target word to definition

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Computer Assisted Vocabulary Practice

• Exercise Three
• Target word is displayed
• Target word synonym and three foils are displayed
• Student matches synonym to target word

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Computer Assisted Vocabulary Practice

• Exercise Four (Test mode)
• Target word context sentence is displayed with
  blank space in target word position
• Student types in target word
• Error in target word prompts synonym clue
• Student types in target word after clue prompt
  (target word synonym)

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Natural Approach Method

• Evolved from tradition of language teaching
  methods
• Based on observation and interpretation of how
  first and second languages are learned in
  informal settings
• Focus on comprehension and meaningful
  communication by providing copious amounts of the
  right kind of language/vocabulary input
• Emphasis on exposure, or input, rather than
  practice

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Techniques based on the Natural Approach

• Learning Vocabulary
• Always give a preview of vocabulary items
• Categorization
• Definition
• Anaphora
• Secondary/Tertiary Meanings
• Words Roots
• Vocabulary Extension to Parts of Speech

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Vocabulary items presented as parts of speech
(e.g. nouns, verbs, adjectives)

• Vocabulary items given in a longer reading/essay
  as context
• Practice writing in the target vocabulary word
  for a given definition that appears in the
  context
• (see Ex. 5 P. 137 in Kirn and Hartmann, 2002)
• e.g. A place where ants live (anthill)
  _

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Categorization

• Write the category that the items are examples
  of. The letters in parentheses refer to the
  paragraph where the category appears. (from Ex. 6
  P. 138 in Kirn and Hartmann, 2002)
• Human, dog, coyote (E) __________(creatures)____
  __
• Chimpanzees (G) __________(primates)___________

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Definition

• Often context can be used to supply definition
  of unfamiliar words.(see Ex. 7 P. 138 in Kirn and
  Hartmann, 2002)
• Read the following paragraph and then write the
  word that word that is defined by the phrase.
• Like humans, many animals vocalize, but we are
  only beginning to understand the meaning of these
  sounds. As they move through the ocean, some
  whales make use of echolocation-the ability to
  make clicking noises in order to locate and
  identify objects (such as boats) or prey (such as
  fish) even in cloudy water, where its difficult
  to see. Some whales also produce mysterious
  songs. These are probably calls to communicate
  with other members of their pod, or group, and to
  know where each member is.
• a) Animal that another animal hunts for food
  ______ (prey) ______
• b) group of whales _________ (pod)
  __________
• c) method of locating objects or prey by
  producing noise ___(echolocation)_

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Anaphora

• (see Ex. 8 P. 138 in Kirn and Hartmann, 2002
• Like humans, many animals vocalize, but we are
  only beginning to understand the meaning of these
  sounds.
• Some whales also produce mysterious
  songs. These are probably calls to communicate
  with other members of their pod, or group, and to
  know where each member is.
• Use information from the above sentences or
  sentence part to find a word that means
• make sounds 1. ______________
• 2. ______________
• 3.
  ______________

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Secondary/Tertiary Meanings

• (see Ex. 9 P. 138 in Kirn and Hartmann, 2002)
• Gives food to puts (information) into (E)
  ________feeds____________
• Part of the body director or leader (F)
  _________head________
• Topic person or animal in an experiment(G)
  _____subject_____
• Lift from a lower place learn (G) _______picked
  up___________
• Piece of metal money crate (a word or term)
  ________coin________

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Word Roots

• Use one of the word roots or stems with prefixes
  and suffixes to make words (from Kirn and
  Hartmann,2002)
• psych sent ist fine nat dict
• Noun Verb Adjective Adverb
• _________ition de__________ de__________ite de___
  _______ly
• _____ure __________uralize __________ural ______
  __urally
• ex________ence ex___________ ex__________ent
• pre________ion pre___________ pre_____________able
  pre______ably

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Vocabulary extensionParts of Speech

• Another beneficial technique is to use prefix and
  suffix study to deepen vocabulary knowledge by
  checking for Part of Speech knowledge.
• (see Ex. 2 p. 149/150 in Kirn and Hartmann,
  2002)
• Converse(v), conversation(n), conversational(adj)
  (Students supply words)
• Recent studies show that there is more
  ___________________ between parents and their
  daughters than with their sons. This begins at
  birth, when parents ____________ more with baby
  girls, who tend to have more eye contact and make
  more noises than baby boys do. It continues in
  childhood, when girls play is more
  _____________________ than boys is.

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Example 2

• Linguist( ), linguistic( ), linguistics(
  ) (Students supply category and words)
• The field of _____________________________ has
  several branches. In one of these,
  ________________________s study how children
  acquire language. In another branch, they work
  to discover if some animals have
  __________________ ability.

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Example 3

• Reassurance( ), reassure( ), reassuringly(
  ) (Students supply category and words)
• The mother chimp hugged her frightened baby to
  _____________ him. Then she kissed him to give
  him further __________________. These actions
  are similar to those of a human, who in addition,
  speaks _______________ to a fearful child.

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The Lexical Approach

• Developed by Michael Lewis (1992) argues language
  is more than grammar and structure
• Language consists of chunks which, when combined,
  produce continuous coherent text.
• Four basic types of chunks
• Single words
• Collocations
• Fixed Expressions
• Semi-fixed Expressions

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Single words

• Words which can stand alone
• e.g. Open!
• Certainly!
• Polywords (mini-idioms)
• e.g. by the way
• nevertheless

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Collocation

• - Phenomenon whereby certain words co-occur in
  natural text with greater than random frequency
• Three Types
• Fully fixed
• A broken home, to catch a cold
• Relatively fixed not only possible but highly
  likely
• We had a __________ time.
• Great
• Wonderful
• Lousy
• Totally novel

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Fixed Expressions

• Expressions that have a special status in the
  language, Often verb-less expressions, many are
  short, comparatively rare in the spoken language,
  and they are used for managing everyday
  situations.
• Social greetings, Politeness phrases, Phrase Book
  language,Idioms
• Must be acquired as wholes in exactly the same
  way as individual words or very strong
  collocations.
• Good morning!
• No, thank you!
• Can you tell me the way to __________ please?
• Hang on, youre putting the cart before the horse
  there.

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Semi-fixed Expressions

• Occur widely in both spoken and written language
• Comprised of many different types
• Almost fixed expressions
• Its/Thats not my fault.
• Spoken sentences with a simple slot
• Could you pass _____, please?
• Expressions with a slot which must be filled with
  a particular kind of slot filler
• Hello, Nice to se you. I havent seen you time
  expression with for or since.
• Sentence which can be completed in many ways
• What was really interesting/surprising/annoying
  was.
• More extended frames like formal letter openings
  
• There are broadly speaking two views

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Techniques based on the Lexical Approach

• Development of various exercise types performing
  the following tasks(see Lewis (1997),
  Implementing the Lexical Approach)
• Identifying chunks
• Matching
• Completing
• Categorizing
• Deleting
• Sequencing

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Identifying chunks

• Break students away from the L1 wordL2 word
  assumption.
• Introduce the idea of equivalents early and
  often. Dont discuss structure of lexical items,
  e.g. Im afraid not! - If you like.
• There is one word wrong in each of these
  expressions. Correct it and then be ready to
  sign/give/write its meaning to the class/for
  homework.
• Its up with you.
• Look at it form my line of view.
• It never touched my mind.
• Could you hold in a moment , please.
• Have your time theres no hurry.
• Sorry, I didnt take that. Could you repeat it
  please?

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Matching

• Collocation focus (fill col.2 with an adjective
  opposite in meaning then sign each group to your
  class partner/be ready to share with class)
• Column 1 Column 2 Column 3
• helpful _________ suggestion
• Efficient _________ system
• Careful _________ piece of work
• Safe _________ choice
• Light _________ green
• Light _________ suitcase
• Light _________ rain
• Light _________ work

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Completing

• First make two-word phrases joined by and using
  these words and then complete the expressions
  below using each of the phrases once.
• hither fro wide low now now
• thither here then to high far
• Ive searched _________ but I cant find my
  wallet anywhere.
• Ive been very busy recently because weve had to
  go_______ to the hospital everyday to see my
  grandmother.
• Sit down for a moment. Theres no point in
  running ________, thats not getting you
  anywhere. Stop and think for a moment.
• I do go to the cinema ___________, but not very
  often.
• Im not waiting any longer. I want the matter
  sorted out ________.
• People came from __________ to help.

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Categorizing

• Which word in each group means something
  different from all the others?
• 1. You look a bit ___________
• Worried under pressure stressed
  anxious off color
• 2. Ive just had a bit of very ___________
  news.
• exciting disappointing good encouraging
  welcome
• 3. Ive _____ it, but I havent had a chance to
  read it properly yet.
• looked through examined glanced at
  flicked through
• had a quick look
• 4. _______. Getting upset isnt going to help.
• Calm down! Take it easy! Keep your
  hair on! Pay attention!

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Deleting

• One word in each group does not make a strong
  word partnership with the word in capitals.
  Delete the word from the list.
• CLEAR attitude need instructions
  alternative day conscience road
• LIGHT traffic work day entertainment
  suitcase rain green lunch
• STRONG possibility doubt smell influence
  views coffee language
• SERIOUS advantage situation relationship
  illness crime matter
• BRIGHT idea green smell child day
  room