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Teaching VocabularyVocabulary is a vital piece to the learning process in any subject. Whether it is science, math or english, utilizing the correct words is very important piece of communication and interaction. There is a saying by Nathanial Hawthorne that best sums up this principle: ?Words, so innocent and powerless as they are, standing in a dictionary; how potent for good and evil they become in the hands of one who knows how to choose and combine them.? While there are many methods to teaching a language, almost all can agree that learning a wide range of words not only enhances our thoughts but makes the delicate process of communication much more intricate. It?s been said that, ?Our ability to function in today?s complex social and economic worlds is mightily affected by our language skills and word knowledge.?1 So as teachers of a language, it should be of utmost importance to not only ensure a rich vocabulary set into the minds of our students but to have them effectively use these vast array of words. As we began to learn our native language at an early age, we didn?t sit in front of a dictionary trying to sort out each new word that we came across. Rather, through reading, listening and speaking, we are able to understand not only the definition of these words, but the proper use of them. I believe the same should be done for our students. Rather than going through hundreds of words to memorize and repeat, it?s important to focus on the listening and application of these words so that they can assimilate to learning them as we did as children. Of course sometimes it?s also necessary for memorization of these words but the main focus should be on the development of them through more natural means and application of them in our facets of the language (reading, writing, conversation). Some good examples of this could be through a reading exercise. In this reading exercise we could ask, ?Find 5 words that mean the same thing as ?angry?.? Have them underline words that they don?t know. Have them guess the meaning of the word through the context of the sentence or paragraph it?s contained in. Also, you can list synonyms. Ask the students to state which of these words has a stronger meaning. Or perhaps which one is more formal. There are endless possibilities to teaching vocabulary in a more effective manner than simple memorization. These types of activities also sometimes leave a lasting impression on the students. They may remember a word through the simple activity of a mime or by linking it to a picture from a crossword puzzle. As english teachers we should also realize that some of these students will never reach our level of vocabulary prowess. Not because they aren?t smart or because they don?t study enough but simply because they are not living in an english speaking country or haven?t had the same amount of years we have growing up learning this language. Make sure they are learning more commonly used words or words of greater importance. So as we continue to include vocabulary into our everyday lessons, make sure that what you?re including is not only relevant, but will stay in the minds of your students. Make it enjoyable for them and it will be enjoyable for you.
