OBJECTIVES

1
2.7.3 Techniques for Activating Vocabulary

• OBJECTIVES
• You will understand
• 1. The importance of using words in real life
  situations.
• 2. Different word choices we make depending upon
  the context we find ourselves in.
• 3. Techniques and activities for vocabulary
  Activate.
• You will be able to
• 1. Integrate effective vocabulary Activate
  activities into your lesson planning and
  delivery.

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2.7.3 Techniques for Activating Vocabulary

• Specifically, vocabulary Activate activities
  allow for repetition, retrieval, spacing, and
  opportunities for use.
• Additionally, Activate activities require
  learners to make demanding decisions about words
  to increase their cognitive depth, integrate
  words into their own personal experience,
  motivate learners to learn and use new words, and
  attach emotional contexts to the words.
• Activate activities are therefore essential for
  successful vocabulary learning.

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2.7.3 Techniques for Activating Vocabulary

• RECEPTIVE VERSUS PRODUCTIVE KNOWLEDGE OF A WORD
• As you recall, receptive knowledge of a word
  means that the word is recognized and understood
  when heard or read.
• Productive knowledge of a word means that the
  word is used correctly and appropriately in a
  particular situation in either speaking or
  writing.
• However, non-use of a word in a particular
  situation can also demonstrate productive
  knowledge a student may be able to use swear
  words or slang correctly but may choose not to
  use the words in a particular situation or at
  all. Productive knowledge of a word involves
  making the appropriate choices with that word,
  which may include the choice NOT to use a word.
• Activate activities give students the opportunity
  to practice making appropriate choices about the
  words they know. These activities should present
  students with decisions about whether or not to
  use a word and what words to use in a given
  situation. Students demonstrate productive
  knowledge of the words through choosing to either
  use the words or NOT use the words.

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2.7.3 Techniques for Activating Vocabulary

• The simplest word choice students make is to
  select the correct word to convey the meaning
  they have in mind.
• However, here are some other choices students
  have to make when deciding to use a word or not
• Language skill Is the word used only in the
  written language, spoken language, or both?
• Dialect Is the word used in the dialect of
  English spoken in a particular geographical
  location? Is the word considered part of standard
  English?
• Gender Is the word used only by men, women, or
  both? Is the word only used about men, women, or
  both?
• Age Is the word used only by a specific age
  group?
• Occupation Is the word used only by people in
  a specific profession or occupation?
• Education Is the word used only by people with
  a specific level of education?

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2.7.3 Techniques for Activating Vocabulary

• Factors determining word choices continued
• Emotional tone What is the emotional tone of
  the word? Is it used for intense, warm or cool
  emotions? Is it used to be completely objective?
• Communication function Is the word appropriate
  for a particular objective in communicating? For
  example, when trying to persuade someone you will
  use one word, or ordering someone to do
  something.
• Complexity or simplicity Is the word used in
  complex communication (such as a scholastic
  journal) or simple communication (such as a
  gossip magazine)?
• Planned or unplanned communication Is the word
  used in planned and controlled communication (a
  presentation, a press conference) with little
  negotiation of meaning, or unplanned and
  uncontrolled communication (a conversation) in
  which meaning is negotiated?
• Formality Is the word specific to one level of
  formality or to a wide range of levels?

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2.7.3 Techniques for Activating Vocabulary

• Joos, (1961) came up with five levels of
  formality that factor into word choice
• Frozen is the level of formality used in widely
  distributed print materials.
• Consultative is the level of formality used
  with strangers there is distance between the
  speakers, and they do not have the same
  background information. In these contexts,
  information needs to be made more explicit.
• Formal is the level in which there is distance
  between the speaker and the listener, even though
  they may or may not know each other well, and in
  which a situation requires careful control of
  what is said.
• Casual is the level between friends, who know
  each other well and therefore share a lot of
  background information and history.
• Intimate is the level between
  boyfriend/girlfriend/spouses and family members
  in closed situations.

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2.7.3 Techniques for Activating Vocabulary

• Activate activities for vocabulary can be divided
  into those that use the receptive skills
  (listening and reading) and those that use the
  productive skills (speaking and writing). With
  the receptive skills, students are activating
  their receptive knowledge of a word. With
  productive skills, students are activating their
  productive knowledge of a word.
• A receptive skill vocabulary Activate is one that
  requires a student to determine the gist or main
  idea from a listening or reading text, using
  their vocabulary knowledge and their skills at
  determining meaning from context.
• A productive skill vocabulary Activate is one
  that requires a student to use their newly
  acquired words in a real context, in speaking or
  writing.

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2.7.3 Techniques for Activating Vocabulary

• The following is a list of sample receptive skill
  Activates
• Listening Activates that allow for the use of
  receptive word knowledge include
• Listen for the topic of the conversation
• Listen for the speakers opinion
• Listen for where the conversation is taking place
  
• Listen for the main ideas of the speaker
• Reading Activates that allow for the use of
  receptive word knowledge include
• Read for the main ideas of the author
• Read for the topic of the article
• Read for the authors opinion
• Read to decide if you agree or disagree with the
  author
• Read to determine if a prediction was correct
• Read to determine where this article might be
  found

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2.7.3 Techniques for Activating Vocabulary

• Speaking Activates that allow for the use of
  productive word knowledge include
• Responding to survey questions with personal
  answers
• Ranking personal preferences on an issue
• Offering opinions on an issue
• Debating an issue
• Negotiating an issue
• Solving a problem
• Describing a person, place or thing
• Narrating a story - personal or otherwise
• Planning an event, vacation or project
• Creating something
• Role playing a real life situation
• Making a presentation on a topic
• Any activity that requires the students to relate
  personal information

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2.7.3 Techniques for Activating Vocabulary

• Writing Activates that allow for the use of
  productive word knowledge include
• Writing a journal entry
• Free-writing on a topic
• Writing a formal essay on a topic (compare and
  contrast, cause and effect, survey or
  description)
• Writing a descriptive paragraph on a person,
  place or thing
• Writing a story or a poem - personal or otherwise
  

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2.7.3 Techniques for Activating Vocabulary

• Complete Task Journal question 2 and submit via
  email to jenrjones_at_rogers.com, or
  jennifer_at_llinstitute.com (preferred) or print and
  hand in.
•