Vocabulary Briefcase – Lesson plan
This activity allows the teacher to find out which words the students already know. While
helping the students organise their vocabulary, the activity motivates those beginners who
believe they do not know any English words at all.
Learning objective and skills: Vocabulary brainstorm and organisation
Key language: Vocabulary from the workplace
Time: Approx. 45 minutes (in class) with possibility for autonomous learning
Preparation & materials: Prepare a copy of pages 2 (briefcase) and 3 (table) for each
student. To focus on a specific vocabulary area, write the subject in the instruction line at
the top of page 2.
E.g. For a group of bankers: How many English banking words do you know?
1:1: This activity is easily adaptable for 1:1. The student enters his/her words in the briefcase,
but then shows it to the teacher before going on to find word groups for the table.
Class procedure
1 (Individual) Give students a copy of page 2 each. Tell them to write any English words they
know on their briefcase. Give them a few minutes to do this.
2 (Pairs/groups) Tell students to show their briefcases to their partners and to compare the
words they have written. They should explain any words that their partners do not
know. They then continue to add any words that they learn or are reminded of, to their
own briefcases.
3 (Class) Tell your students about the different ways we can group vocabulary.
E.g. Words could listed in alphabetical order as in a dictionary, they could be organised
by word class (e.g. noun, adjective, verb etc.) or by context (e.g. home, workplace,
holiday etc.).
Next ask your students to look at the words on their briefcase and to think of other ways
to group their words.
4 (Individual) Give students a copy of page 3. Tell them to enter the headings of their
groups in the shaded area at the top of each column.
Note: It is not necessary for students to complete every column.
5 (Self-study) Tell students to continue their tables in their own time. In the following
lessons they should then bring their worksheets with them to share new language with
the rest of the class.
Continued practice
– Students will often write compounds (e.g. laptop, brainstorm, team building) on their
briefcases.
Collect these and use them later in a matching exercise (e.g. 1. lap 2. team 3. brain – a.
building b. storm c. top).
How many English
words do you know? Write them on the briefcase:
Now put your words into groups using this table: