Recycling Vocabulary in the Classroom
Gerry Luton, gluton@uvic.ca
Abstract:
Current research suggests that vocabulary acquisition is enhanced by exposing students to
multiple contexts. Learning is also aided when the vocabulary is used in meaningful speaking
and writing activities. This article describes a number of techniques used as part of a systematic
approach to teaching vocabulary, as well as a rationale for their use.
Full Text:
In Vocabulary Myths, Keith Folse noted that “[ESL students] see acquisition of vocabulary as
their greatest source of problems. . . . [However], vocabulary is not dealt with sufficiently. . . .
Some teachers cover some vocabulary, but this is hardly ever done very systematically.
Vocabulary is something that everyone assumes that learners will somehow pick up” (Folse,
2004).
The major principles that guide my systematic approach to teaching vocabulary include (a)
focusing on multiple examples of vocabulary in context to introduce students to the broad range
of meanings and the various aspects of knowing a word and its derivations, and (b) using the
vocabulary in meaningful speaking and writing activities.
In my class, vocabulary is recycled through exercises incorporating all four language skills. Up
to 30 activities are used, requiring students to variously examine, describe, define, draw pictures
of, listen to, pronounce, read, write, spell, act out, and ask people about the vocabulary under
study. As a general guideline, exercises increase in complexity as we move from those involving
receptive generative processing (completing gap-fills) to those involving productive generative
processing (writing, and finally speaking). A representative sample describing the principal
techniques and a rationale for their use is outlined below.
Multiple Contexts—Range of Usage & Various Aspects of Knowing a Word
Schmitt and Carter (2000) have noted that “Learners need to meet words in a wide variety of
contexts in order to gain an appreciation of the true range of a word’s usage.” Paul Nation writes
that exposing students to multiple contexts also provides “rich information on a variety of
aspects of knowing a word including collocates, grammatical patterns, word family members,
related meanings, and homonyms” (Nation, 2001). Students in my classes encounter this range of
usage for vocabulary under study through a series of exercises consisting of gap-fill sentences in
context. Consider the following:
A newspaper article has been studied in class. The word stab appeared in the following sentence:
The victim was stabbed in the stomach with a kitchen knife.
Here stab may be interpreted by the students as meaning to put a sharp implement into
someone’s body for the purpose of harming him or her. Students will subsequently see stab used
in a similar context in one or two gap-fill exercises before the range of usage presented starts to
expand, as illustrated by the sentences below. (Again, these sentences will appear in gap-fill
exercises.)
The children were stabbing the grapes with a toothpick and popping them in their mouths.
Now the previous idea has grown to include putting a pointed object into something, not
necessarily for the purpose of injuring it.
The politician shouted and stabbed his finger into the air.
Now the meaning has grown further to include thrusting something somewhat pointed into the
air.
Her hurtful remarks stabbed him in the heart.
The meaning now includes the figurative sense of causing psychological pain, without the use of
a concrete object.
These multiple contexts help to illustrate and reinforce information such as whether a verb is
transitive or intransitive, whether a verb is followed by a gerund or infinitive, if a noun is count
or noncount, and what prepositions generally accompany the word. Gap-fill exercises are
assigned two to three times per week in various forms, including the following:

A multiword exercise with a number of sentences and words to choose from. See the gapfill exercises created for the Academic Word List at
http://web.uvic.ca/~gluton/awl/AWLSublist05-Ex4a.htm.

Several different contexts for one word with different derivations. See an exercise from
John Bunting’s site at http://www2.gsu.edu/~esljdb/awl/sublist1/wftheory.htm

Gap-fill sentences with a list of the words given in root form—a challenging variation.
Students need to choose the correct word and supply the appropriate derivation: the noun,
verb, adjective, or adverb form.

Crossword puzzles with sentences in context rather than definitions as clues. Again, John
Bunting’s site offers a good example of a web-page crossword puzzle; visit
http://www2.gsu.edu/~esljdb/awl/sublist1/random1cw1.htm.

Language-lab listening exercises requiring students to match a word to a context
presented orally. For a detailed explanation, see the article “Reviewing/Reinforcing &
Testing Vocabulary” at Marti Sevier’s site at http://www.sfu.ca/%7Emsevier/tesol04.htm.
Activities to Recycle Vocabulary Through Writing
Paul Nation further noted that learners need to be encouraged—and have the opportunity—to use
vocabulary in speaking and writing where their major focus is on communicating messages
(Nation, 2001).
Written exercises used to recycle vocabulary include the following:

Guided stories: The teacher chooses words from the class list and describes a situation
that the students must then relate in a story, news article, or conversation format.
Ex: Situation: A girl is being bothered by another child at school.
Vocabulary: bully deliberately determined fed up irritate mimic relief sensitive
shove tease
Alternatively, students choose their own words from the class list and write a story or
dialogue in which all the words are used. Once completed, the students circulate, reading
or role-playing the different stories or dialogues to see how other students use the
vocabulary.

Sentence races: Students are in groups of four to five. Each group lines up single file
facing the blackboard. The teacher says a word and the student at the front of each line
must run to the blackboard and use the word in a perfect sentence. When a group has a
perfect sentence, the teacher says “Stop.” If there is a mistake, the teacher may give
clues, such as You have a problem with tense. Other students can help the person writing
on the board. A challenging addition to this activity has the teacher saying two or three
words, all of which must be put in the same sentence. In this case, there should be a
logical and obvious connection between the words. This exercise allows the class to look
at grammatical patterns that become more apparent once the students start actually using
the words in sentences. Notes regarding this information can be listed at the side of the
board to be quickly reviewed at the end of the activity.

Journal writing: Students are encouraged to underline new vocabulary they use in their
journals and are given bonus marks for it. This is a very useful way of practicing
vocabulary because the students choose a real, personal context for the words.
Alternatively, the topic of the journal entry can be assigned, which provides the students
with a framework that encourages them to use certain topic-related new vocabulary.

Making changes: These exercises require students to process vocabulary in various ways.
Ex 1: (contribution) A local businessman has contributed over a million dollars to be
used in the construction of a new children’s hospital in this city.
→ Students must change the verb used in the sentence to the noun (such as . . . made a
contribution of . . .)
Ex 2: (hop) There were various kinds of insects jumping around the grassy field where
we were walking.
→ Students must recognize which word has a similar meaning and substitute hop for the
verb used in the sentence.
Ex 3: (occasion) My wife and I like to have the __________ glass of wine after supper.
→ Students must change the form of the word given as needed for the sentence.
Ex 4: (available) You won’t be able to move into the apartment until the beginning of
next month.
→ Students must rewrite the sentence to express the same idea, but use the word in
parentheses.
Activities to Recycle Vocabulary Through Speaking
Speaking exercises used to recycle vocabulary include the following:

Quick discussions: Three-minute warm-up discussions require the students to use target
vocabulary in a new and different way. Students are in pairs and change partners after
each topic. Discussion types may include the following:
Experience What things have you found it difficult to adapt to in this culture?
Culture What is the most common symbol of your country, and what does it represent
for you?
Opinion Is it okay for the police to use torture to get information from criminals?
Personal How do you expect learning English will be of benefit to you in your life?

Proverbs and quotations provide thought-provoking contexts for examination, discussion,
and use of target vocabulary. Students can discuss the meaning of the quotation or
proverb and whether or not they agree.
Ex: There is an African-American proverb which states that romance without finance
don’t stand a chance.
Ex: Martin Luther King, Jr., once said that hatred paralyzes life, whereas love releases it.

The old Find someone who . . . activity can be used to review vocabulary. The activity
uses questions that use the vocabulary under review. This exercise is helpful in having
the students relate the target vocabulary to themselves and their own experience. If
someone answers yes to a question, he or she is encouraged to talk about it.
Ex: Find someone who has appeared on television.
Summary
It is important to recycle vocabulary continually throughout the session. Multiple contexts in the
form of gap-fill exercises can provide information on range of meaning as well as grammatical
patterns. It is also important to include practice with derivations. Learning is also enhanced when
activities that require students to use target vocabulary in speaking and writing are included.
References
Folse, K. (2004). Vocabulary myths: Applying second language research to classroom teaching.
Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.
Nation, P. (2001). Learning vocabulary in another language. Cambridge, England: Cambridge
University Press.
Schmitt, N., & Carter, R. (2000). The lexical advantages of narrow reading for second language
learners. TESOL Journal 9(1), 4-9.
Gerry Luton has been teaching ESL at the University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, for
over 15 years. He has a particular interest in vocabulary acquisition. This article is based on a
presentation given at TESOL San Antonio in March 2005.