Vocabulary Teaching Strategies for
English Learners
Yilin Sun, Ph.D.
English Language Specialist,
US Dept. of State
President
TESOL International Association
Fulbright Senior Scholar, 2011-12
South Seattle C College
yilinsuntesol@gmail.com
Parking Lot—not just for cars!
When you have a question, write it on a Post-It Note and
place it in the parking lot.
We may answer it after the workshop if you can wait. -
A Few Quick Questions
• How many active vocabulary words does the average
native English speaker have?
• How many words does the average native English
speaker learn every year from the age of 3 to 18?
• What is the percentage of English words that are not
spelled phonetically?
• How many words do English language learners need
to maintain conversations? How about reading
authentic texts?
Vocabulary size and coverage in novels for
teenagers (Nation & Waring, 1996)
Vocabulary size
% coverage
Density of
unknown words
2000 words
90%
1 in every 10
2000 + proper
nouns
93.7%
1 in every 16
2600 words
96%
1 in every 25
5000 words
98.5%
1 in every 67
What Does Research Tell Us?
• Learning a word requires more than just
learning its meaning and form
• Must learn all of the ‘contextual’ kinds of
word knowledge – more difficult to teach, and
require large amounts of exposure
• Enhancing the various types of word
knowledge is just as important as increasing
vocabulary size
Nation (1990, 2001), Folse, (2004,2011)
Guessing game doesn’t always work
for English learners
• Native speakers may use natural context
to guess the word meaning (e.g., CLT)
• It doesn’t always work for NN English
speakers.
• NNES lack linguistics luxuries
possessed by NS. (Folse, 2011,Nation,
2001,Sun,1992)
More Research Findings
• Learners need multiple contacts with words to
learn them
– 5-16 or more exposures (Nation, 1990, 2001)
– Depends on type of exposure and level of engagement
• Incidental Learning:
– requires numerous meetings (Horst, Cobb, and Meara,
1998)
• Intentional learning:
– With high-engagement techniques like the Keyword
Method, relatively few meetings may be enough to
make form-meaning link (Nation, 2001)
• Enhancing the various types of word knowledge
is just as important as increasing vocabulary
size
What is involved in knowing a word?
(Nation, 2001,05)
• Form
• Meaning
• Use
Form
• Spoken form • Can the learners repeat
the word accurately if
they hear it?
• Written form • Can the learners write
the word correctly if they
hear it?
• Word parts
• Can the learners identify
known affixes in the
word?
Meaning
• Form and
meaning
• Concept and
referents
• Associations
• Is the word a loan word
in the L1?
• Is there a L1 word with
roughly the same
meaning?
• Does the word fit into
the same sets as a L1
word of similar meaning?
Use
• Grammatical
functions
• Does the word fit into
predictable grammar
patterns?
• Does the word have the
• Collocation
same collocations as an
L1 word of similar
meaning? (COCA)
• Constraints on • What are the restrictions
use
on its use?
Suggested Ways to Present /Practice
Vocabulary
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Demonstration- acting, mime
Illustration –pictures, objects
Examples, - A dog is an animal
Dictionary- a robin is a bird which…
Context- story or sentences in which item occurs
Synonyms, Antonyms, translations, and associated
ideas, word web, etc..
• LEP approach
• Exposure
• Expansion
• Expression
Boyd Zimmerman (97); M. Courtright & C Wesolek, Folse,
Adelson-Goldstein,07, Nation (2003,2011), Sun (2011)
Denotation vs Connotation?
• Denotation
– Part of the meaning of the word which relates
to the real world
– “fat” and “heavy” both describe physical
shape.
• Connotation
– Adding meaning of a word beyond the
denotative meaning
– .it is more polite to describe a person as
“heavy” than “fat”.
Collocation
• Collocation refers to the restrictions
on how words are used together
e.g., which prepositions are used
with which verbs
• It also refers to which verbs and
which nouns are used together
• E.g., one can do homework but
not build homework or make
homework
a tall person , not a high person
make, do, take
do
make

take
a lot of noise
always _____ their homework
always _____ excuses
breakfast
friends easily
nothing all the time
it easy
the laundry
family photos
A lot of mistakes
Basic Spelling Rules
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I before E, Except after C
Or when used as an A
As in neighbor or weigh
Every consonant has only one sound
except the c,g, and s.
• C is usually pronounced with its “hard
sound” s in cat./k/
• C followed by e, i, or y makes its “soft
sound” as in cent, city, cycle, and face
/s/.
• A word cannot end with a single u or v.
The u and v are always followed by an e
as in blue and love.
• When a one syllable word with a short
vowel ends in the sound /j/, it is spelled
dge like in bridge, judge and ledge.
• When a one syllable word with a short
vowel ends in the sound /ch/, it is spelled
tch like in watch, catch and clutch.
Exceptions are rich, which, such and
much.
Academic Word List (AWL 570)
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Sublist 1 ( most frequently used)
• analyze • approach • area • assess • assume • authority •
available • benefit • concept • consist • constitute •
context • contract • create • data • define • derive •
distribute • economy • environment • establish • estimate
• evident • export • factor • finance • formula • function •
identify • income • indicate • individual • interpret •
involve • issue • labor • legal • legislate • major • method
• occur • percent • period • policy • principle • proceed •
process • require • research • respond • role • section •
sector • significant • similar • source • specific • structure
• theory • vary
www.englishvocabularyexercises.com/
AWL/AWLSublist01-Ex1a.htm
• 1. He did an ________ of the way children learn
language for his Master's thesis. (legal, factor,
analysis, similar, economy, available, contract,
indicates)
• 2. He was arrested for drunk driving because he
had drunk more than the _______ limit of
alcohol. (legal, factor, analysis, similar, economy,
available, contract, indicates)
Study words that look alike
• Study the words that look alike and
decide whether the two are or are not
related in meaning. E.g., harmfulharmless (yes) stand – standard ( no)
• shall – shallow?
• hand – handle
• rival – river?
• thorough – through?
• generate - generous?
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Sentence Exercises
A ditch, a pond, a lake and an ocean- which
one is the shallowest? ____
He uses his _____ to fix the ________.
He can _______ the task easily.(hand, handle)
If you do a thorough job with your report,
what does it mean?
If you travel through a city, do you take a
bus or a train?
The discussion will _____ (generous,
generate) a lot of wonderful ideas on
vocabulary learning.
Mouse potato…
Couch potato…
Mnemonic/Memorization
Strategies
Work with word association
Use imagery
Categorize
MEMORY STRATEGIES
1. Create mental linkages
Placing new words into a meaningful/personalized context
attractive to students
2. Group
Grouping or regrouping words into meaningful units:
food, animals, transportation, etc..
3. Use images:
Mental pictures or actual drawings
Accessing groups of vocabulary in any context
4. Review:
Repetitive, motivating and productive review from time to time
Summary: These strategies assist with easy review, form
meaningful mental images in the students mind. Each single
image consists of 5-10-15 new words
Mnemonic Sentences
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A PIEce of PIE
You hEAR with your EAR
A LIST of LISTeners
Twenty-TWO
Your friEND to the END
GarBAGe BAG
My sister was WED on WEDnesday
The teACHEr has a headACHE.
Cognitive Strategies
Label
Repeat
Use Wordlists
Keep a Vocabulary Notebook
Contextualize
Learn: When to use what and how
Construction
in progress
Fire extinguisher
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Social Strategies
active learning
Learn meaning from native
speaker/advanced NNES
Learn from classmates
Analyze words together
Practice as a group
Word of a day ( class activity)
We Learn and Retain
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10% of what we hear
15% of what we see
20% of what we see and hear
40% of what we discuss with others
80% of what we experience and/or
practice
• 90% of what we attempt to -TEACH TO OTHERS
Focus on Active Learning
Spelling City
• http://www.spellingcity.com
• A wonderful free website to practice
spelling and vocabulary learning
• Try it out yourself-
• See my handouts for directions
Sight words List and Flash Cards
• http://www.mrsperkins.com/dolch-words-allfreq-by-grade-printable.pdf
• http://wordlist.yourdictionary.com/yourdictio
nary/sight-words-3rd-grade/flashcards/
Group Activity- Intermediate level
• http://www.manythings.org/vocabulary/lists/
c/ ( excellent site for theme-based vocabulary
list, games and quizzes)
• http://www.learnersdictionary.com/quiz/inde
x.html ( excellent vocabulary activity site)
• http://www.eslprintables.com/vocabulary_wo
rksheets/
• want to try one? -
Group Activity- advanced level
• http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/10/03/w
ell-quiz-the-mind-behind-the-eyes/?
• Look into my eyes and learn unforgettable
vocabulary
• Form groups (5 in each group)
• Decide the meanings of the vocab words
• Choose first 10 photos
• Group with Highest scores won!
K-6 : High Beginner Level
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See Things that go activity
Name 5 things …. starts with …
Then write a story with them- be creative
Relay game
More Study Ideas for Students
1.
Make a list of new vocabulary words from reading, listening or TV programs.
(Better to be theme- based for lower levels learners)
2.
Select 10-15 words at a time.
3.
Check the meaning, synonyms, word forms + write the pronunciation
symbols. http://dictionary.reference.com/
4.
Practice pronunciation by using the symbols.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/grammar/pron/
http://www.onestopenglish.com/upload/public/attachments/37/osephonemicchart.swf
5.
Write a one paragraph story using all of the new words. (be creative). When
you write, repeat/read out loud the words. Feel free to draw a picture story.
6.
Write 5 questions about the story to answer. The questions must make you
use the new vocabulary to answer.
7.
Have a classmate or a study partner correct your grammar and writing.
8.
Have a study partner ask you the questions and you answer, once a week
(minimum.)
Teaching by Principles
(Nation, 2001,1, Foles, 2011,Sun,2009)
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Keep the teaching simple and clear.
Make sure the explanation is linked to a known item
Use both oral and written presentation - write it on
the board and explaining.
Highlight words that are worth noting for future
attention
Don’t bring in other unknown or poorly known
related words like near synonyms, opposites, or
members of the same lexical set at beginning.
Teach “when to use what and how”
Multiple times to practice (5-16 times)
Always provide adequate review and share
strategies
• Words and letters hold the secrets of
the universe.
• "Words are the voice of the heart."
Confucius (c. 551-c. 479 BC)
Complete Your Pass
•I’ve learned:
•I liked most:
•I want to learn more about:
____________________________
Your Name and Signature
謝謝!
Yilin Sun, Ph.D.
English Language Specialist
US Dept. of State
President
TESOL International Association
yilinsuntesol@gmail.com
References
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Andelson-Goldstein, J. Oxford Picture Dictionary and A Lexical Feast. – WAESOL 2007 Conference presentation.
Folse K. (2011). Oxford American Dictionary Vocaulary Builder. OUP.
Folse, Keith. (2oo4) Vocabulary Myths: Applying Second Language Research to Classroom Teaching. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan
Press.
Gairns, Ruth and Redman, Stuart. (1986) Working with Words: A Guide to Teaching and Learning Vocabulary. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press.
Nation, Paul. (2005) teaching Vocabulary. Asian EFL Journal, Sept. 2005. www.victoria.ac.nz/lals/staff/paul-nation.aspx
Nation, Paul. (2001) How Good Is Your Vocabulary Program? ESL Magazine. May/June. Available online at:
http://www.eslmag.com/modules.php?name= News&file=article&sid= 24
Nation, Paul and Waring, Richard. Vocabulary size, text coverage, and wordlists Available online at:
http://wwwi harenet.ne.jp/–waring/papers/cup.html
Schmitt, Norbert (2000) Vocabulary in Language Teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Smith, Carl B. (1997) Vocabulary Instruction and Reading Comprehension. Bloomington, IN: ERIC Clearinghouse on Reading English
and Communication. ED4125o6.
Sun, Y. (2013). Effective Vocabulary Teaching Strategies for English Learners. Cam-TESOL 2014 Train the Trainer workshop.
Sun, Y. (1992) "Word Recognition in Second Language Reading" Co-authored with D.Willows & I.Taylor in R.J.Harris (Ed.) Cognitive
Processing in Bilingual, Amsterdam: North-Holland Elsevier Science Publishers. 1992, pp. 283-98.
The English Language Word Clock at www_Langu_agemonitor.com
TESL journal weather questions http•//iteslj org/qtiestions/weather html
www.spellingcity-com – cool site with a lot of teacher made activities for spelling/vocabulary exercises.
Zimmerman,B. (1997) Do reading and interactive vocabulary instruction make a difference? An empirical study, TESOL Quarterly Vol.31
(1).