Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[seiyong]

Dear friends.
How to actually help a twenty years old girl to master vocabulary. She is tired of reading extensively. How do i teach her without insulting her self-esteem? I am pleased to receive your feedback.

[a.aj]

sounds an interesting task for u in teaching students,ah!!!i think u should give her more practises regarding vocabulary such as starting off with the grammatical forms and functions n move on to the other parts of vocabulary which wil tire her...so,dont give her pressure by starting off ur lessons just wholly on vocabulary all alone but by providing her pictorial materials on vocabulary since she's very bored of extensive reading...let her speak up the language by her own effort than u pushing in through the limits,k...do try out the method i suggested n if there's stil no improvement thn u can come and approach me on this matter later at campus,k..

[fiona ting]

hi,
i think that most of the English languge learners have problem in learning vocab. although we know that word, we still have problems in using the particular word in appropriate ccontext. As a teacher, I think you can ask memorize the vocab from dictionary. Not too many words, just one word perday...maybe she will have interest to read because it is different from reading a book. By the way, she also learns about the words meaning and how to make sentences..

[advoca]

Widening a student�s vocabulary is a problem that many teachers have to face.

Here is a method I have used in the past. Find an English Learning web page such as the BBC (http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/). They have news items (with audio as well) and they select words and give an explanation. Then take those words and get the student to make sentences using those words. You may have to help. But the important part is to get the student thinking of the words and using them.

In addition, choose a few of those words (say five) and get the student to write them down and come to you at the next lesson able to use them in at least one new sentence. Get them to speak, not write, so they are using their brain (and memory) for these words.

Remember that most of them will be forgotten after a short while unless they are used in conversation. This does not matter. Some of the words will stick.

Here is an example of how the BBC gives the news lesson:

Learning English - Words in the News

03 March, 2006 - Published 17:05 GMT

Bush visits Hyderabad

President Bush has been to Hyderabad in southern Indian on the last day of his visit to the country. Hyderabad is one of India's most important economic centres and the headquarters of many US companies are based there. This report from Mark Dummett:

Listen to the story

George Bush chose Hyderabad as his only destination outside Delhi because it symbolises the India he wants to do business with. It is a hi-tech boom town, the centre for dozens of successful biotech and IT firms and the home to an ever-expanding middle class, many of whom have studied in the US or worked for US companies.

Addressing young business leaders, President Bush said the increasing wealth of cities like Hyderabad presented huge possibilities for US firms. He said he wanted them to sell more goods to India's estimated three hundred million middle class consumers. He said improved trade would compensate for the jobs lost to competition from India's world beating out-sourcing and computer software industries.

His comments were warmly welcomed but many of Hyderabad's large Muslim population closed their shops today, in protest at the President's visit.

Listen to the words

destination
place where he is going
symbolises
represents
a hi-tech boom town
a city where the number of companies using the most advanced and developed equipment (technology) is growing very quickly
biotech
abbreviation of biotechnology; the use of cells, bacteria and other living things for industrial developments
IT firms
Information Technology companies, companies that specialise in computers
an ever-expanding
a continually growing
Addressing
Speaking to
consumers
customers, people who buy goods or services for their own use
compensate for
make amends for, lessen the negative effects of
world beating out-sourcing
the best country in the world for companies from foreign countries to make deals to have some of their work done, e.g. telephone answering services

[komathiguna]

hi frenz, i think teaching vocabulary is much more easier than teaching grammer. i think using any interesting way to teach vocabulary is the best way to teach vocabulary. i would like to suggest using language games is a better way to teach vocabulary.