Useful Techniques for Teaching Vocabulary to Primary School Students

No one denies the importance of English language in the present time as a global language. If a language was a house, vocabulary would be construction material to build up that house.

This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Dung N. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.

Language and Vocabulary

Therefore, studying a language cannot be separated from studying vocabulary. Besides, vocabulary plays an important role because it appears in every language skill. However, it is not easy to study perfect English vocabulary. It is difficult to memorize a new word with its meaning, spelling and pronunciation, many primary students are often confused with knowing how can apply grammar into sentences, sometimes, they can not understand when being opposed to video and audio.

Therefore, interesting techniques to teach English are necessary to help students learn English vocabulary better, they also attract students’ interest in English. There are some suggested techniques in teaching English vocabulary to make primary students more interested in the lesson as well as to master learned knowledge of that lesson in an effective way.

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Textbooks

Firstly, the textbook is the material teaching of teachers and the learning of students. Using textbooks and reference books is an effective teaching method. The textbook is the facility to help students prepare the lesson, do homework and practice exercises. Without textbooks and reference books, studying can not finish with a good result in class. So they play an important role in receiving knowledge and forming learning skill of students.

Visual Clues

Secondly, pictures are very helpful tools in presenting and drilling forms of new words, since they draw learners‟ attention and make these often boring activities more enjoyable. And that is exactly what teachers need when presenting new language to catch their learners‟ full attention, to raise their interest in the presented subject and hence also their motivation.

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Games

Thirdly, game and simulations provide the educator with an opportunity to engage learners in an immersive and interactive environment that requires knowledge, decision making, and information management skills. However, the use of immersive learning environments can be controversial; their association with play and fun is often considered non-educational. Even so, games and simulations are gaining increased cultural acceptance.

Audio-lingual Approach

Fourthly, teachers can teach English through audio segments of radio programs, online podcasts, instructional lectures and other audio messages. They should model this interactive listening process in class with your students, and then instruct them to repeat the exercise on their own.

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Video Format

Fifthly, another helpful resource for teaching English are video segments, including short sketches, news programs, documentary films, interview segments, and dramatic and comedic material. As with audio segments, select the portion and length of the video segment based on the skill level of your students.

Tests

Sixthly, the test is a method of examining students‟ learning. Test’s purpose enhances learning quality and awareness activity of pupils actively. The test is also very important to estimate the learning result. Test result usually shows the weak, the strong, and the achievement in class. This information will help to adjust teaching methods of teachers and learning the way of students by themselves to carry out the right target of education.

In conclusion, I suggest some techniques with the hope that it will assist to teachers’ lectures when they teach English vocabulary for primary students. Students will be attracted by the interest and effectiveness of lectures in which teachers use these above techniques. These techniques are appropriate to help children memorize English words. Each of them can be applied to many techniques.

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Teaching vocabulary is a very important element of teaching English, because children, knowing more and more words, can better communicate with other children. It is the most important thing in teaching a foreign language. We, the teachers, can use different and interesting techniques, which make English lessons more exciting and motivating for students

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