TEACHING VOCABULARY

Ran out of ideas to teach vocabulary?
Well, here are some ideas to teach new words/expressions:


Vocabulary Build

Aim of the activity

To brainstorm vocabulary

Preparation

Prepare a selection of pictures to illustrate a vocabulary area you would like to brainstorm.
Stick them to a larger piece of paper.
For example:
Food you eat in Winter
Food you eat on special occasions
Food you eat in Summer
Food you don't like
Get a selection of coloured pens - preferably a different colour for each group of students.

Procedure
Divide the students into groups of 3 or 4.
Hand out a picture to each group and ask them to write as many words or expressions connected with this area of vocabulary as they can. If they don't know the word for something in English, they should draw it. Give them a coloured pen to write with. Set a time limit of a few minutes.
When the time limit is up, ask them to pass their picture onto the next group.
Tell each group to write as many words or expressions as possible connected with their new picture, but not including any that the previous group have written. Tell them to stop writing after a few minutes and pass their picture on to the next group. Continue this procedure until all the groups have seen all the pictures. With the class, look at each picture in turn, discussing, providing and correcting vocabulary, where necessary.


Gift words

Aim of the activity

To practise recently learnt vocabulary in a fun and positive way.

Preparation

Ask the students to pick out some words they feel need reviewing from recent work and to check they know what they mean.

Procedure

Tell them to put the words each on a slip of paper, and to write on each slip the name of a person in the group for whom the word would be an appropriate gift. Everyone now gets up and mills around, giving the words away. If the receiver of a word does not understand it, the giver should explain the meaning, and the reason for the gift.

HAVE FUN!