TEACHING LEXIS

DEAR COLLEAGUES,
this is a theoretical lesson with explanations, checklists and
examples which will teach you how to present new vocabulary.

Of course, it includes 6 practical tasks for you to complete and

improve your proficiency and for me to see that you have
mastered the skills and are ready to use them during your
lessons with ENGINFORM students.

I will be expecting your complete works within a week.

It should take you approximately 3 hours to do all the tasks.
Please, be attentive to the instructions, as well as creative and
professional and do you best.

Let’s get started.

The vocabulary we teach is often determined by the course
book and the syllabus.

Understanding the process of teaching lexis will enable the

teacher to select/reject the vocabulary content of the course
material and add to it, according to the level and needs of the
particular student.

HOW TO SELECT WHAT TO TEACH?

SELECTION CRITERIA:
1.FREQUENCY
How often the word is used
2.RANGE
The number of different contexts in which a word is used.
3.FAMILIARITY
Is the word familiar even if it is not frequently used?
4.USEFULNESS
Students’ personal and cultural needs
5.DIFFICULTY
How difficult is it to teach?
6.EXTENDABILITY
Can other words be formed from it?
 TASK 1
TASK 1. Evaluate the words based on the criteria.
At which level would you introduce the words?
(if a word can be different parts of speech and have totally
different meanings– analyse all possible options)

CHEST TO STROLL
WHITEBOARD COUPLE
PLUMP INSANE
DOZEN JUSTICE
SLEET TRAVEL
TENSE CONDEMN
See examples below:
 TASK 1
Example:

TO WALK, v, regular (A1 level)

1. Quite frequently used in everyday speech
2. Not many different contexts (go has a wider range)
3. Quite familiar
4. Useful for all categories of students
5. Not difficult to teach
6. Not very extendable: walker, walking, a walk
PRESENTING AND RECORDING
VOCABULARY
The way of noting down the new vocabulary is of paramount importance for
memorizing and using the words.
While presenting new vocabulary you should familiarize your Students with
three aspects:

1. MEANING
2. FORM
3. PRONUNCIATION
1.MEANING
An essential part of ENGINFORM teaching
method is ONLY ENGLISH.

Therefore, we must be armed with the

methods of clarifying meaning to Students of
all levels without any translations.
 HOW TO GET MEANING ACROSS?
1. DEFINITION
2. EXAMPLE
3. SYNONYMS
4. ANTONYMS
5. DESCRIPTION
6. BODY LANGUAGE/ MIME/ PANTOMIME
7. CONTEXT/SITUATION
8. GRADABLE ITEMS/POSITION ON A SCALE
9. LABELLING DIAGRAMS
10.ILLUSTRATION PREPARED IN ADVANCE
11.PICTURE ON THE SPOT
12.ANALOGY IN L1 / SIMILARITY
13.REALIA, OBJECTS
14.TRANSLATION   
 TASK 2
TASK 2. COMPLETE THE TABLE.
WHICH OF THE ABOVE METHODS CAN BE EFFECTIVE FOR
STUDENTS OF DIFFERENT LEVELS?

Which of the methods do you find irrelevant at these levels?

Include all the possible options and give your reasons.

A1 A2 B1 and above
REALIA, OBJECTS
…
 TASK 3
TASK 3. Suggest a suitable method of teaching the
following:

ROBBER
TO GET RID OF SOMETHING
TO REPAIR
EQUIPMENT
DISAPPOINTED
SLIM
FOREHEAD
RIDICULOUS

See examples below:

 TASK 3
Example 1:
TO PLUG IN, phr v (A2 - B1)

The best method to get the meaning across will be:

1) Realia
2) Pantomime
3) A situation: If I want to watch TV (to use my computer) I
should first PLUG it IN because without electricity it won’t
work.
4) Picture prepared in advance
 TASK 3
Example 2:
FREEZING, adj (A2)

The best methods to get the meaning across will be:

1) Pantomime (shivering, chatter of teeth)

2) Definition: very cold
3) Example: You feel like this when it is -30 degrees.
4) Context: I wore a hat and a warm coat because it was
freezing outside.
5) Position on a scale (hot – walm – chilly – cold – freezing)
 2. CLARIFYING FORM
While teaching new vocabulary we should give the Students all the relevant
information about the form of the TL.
Depending on the word and the level we might include the following:

• PART OF SPEECH (can be elicited from the context, from the given
patterns and examples)
• SPELLING DIFFICULTIES
• NOUNS: ARTICLE USE / PLURALS; COUNTABLE/ UNCOUNTABLE
(irregular plurals)
• VERBS: TENSE (irregular verbs), STATIVE
• COLLOCATIONS (adjectives + nouns, adverbs + verbs )
• VERB PATTERNS (verb + noun)
• FIXED EXPRESSIONS (prepositions, idioms)
• PHRASAL VERBS (transitive/non transitive)
 TASK 4
TASK 4. What issues of form might you want to highlight to
your students?

PEAR
RESEARCH
TO GET AWAY WITH
TO LEARN
MUSCLE
PRETTY
TO WAIT FOR
TRAFFIC LIGHTS

See examples below:

 TASK 4
Example 1:

APPLE (noun) (A1)

countable,
AN apple, apples
Spelling – double P, silent E
To eat apples, a sweet apple
 TASK 4
Example 2:

TO ASK OUT (phrasal verb) B1

Regular: Ask - asked

Transitive: to ask somebody out (not something)
Separable: He asked her out.
 TASK 4
Example 3:
EXERCISE (noun) A2

Can be countable: an exercise – exercises (one task)

And uncountable: exercise (physical activity)

Spelling:
First letter E; letter X (not KS); letter R in the middle
First goes C then goes S; Silent E

Grammar exercises, a difficult exercise

Do exercise, regular exercise
 3. CLARIFYING PRONUNCIATION
It is very important to create not only visual image of a word but
also teach the student to pronounce and recognize the word in
the flow of speech.
So the following aspects of pronunciation should be highlighted:

• WORD STRESS (main stress)

• SENTENCE STRESS (if it is a chunk od language)
• PROBLEM SOUNDS (sounds the learners do
not have in L1)
• SOUND/SPELLING CONFUSION (silent letters)
• CONNECTED SPEECH ISSUES
 TASK 5
TASK 5. What issues of pronunciation might you want to
highlight to your students?

CHOCOLATE A PIECE OF ADVICE

BUTTER COMMUNICATE
COMPLICATED LEATHER
COLLEAGUE TO GET AWAY WITH

* You might need this site to write transcriptions of the words.

See examples below:

 TASK 5
Example 1:

FASCINATING (adj) B1

1. Word stress ['fæsɪneɪtɪŋ]

2. Stressed sound [æ]
3. Silent C
4. Pronunciation of ing [ɪŋ]
 TASK 5
Example 2:

GHOST (noun) A2
[gəust]

1. Stressed sound [əu]

2. Silent H
 TASK 5
Example 3:

TO PUT UP WITH (phrasal verb) B1

/təpʊt’ʌpwɪð/

1. Stress: /’ʌp/
2. To – not stressed shwa sound /ə/
3. With – sound /ð/
4. Connected speech
SUMMARY
Teaching new vocabulary is a process that includes
several stages. In this lesson we looked at 4 of them:

1. Selecting appropriate vocabulary

2. Clarifying meaning
3. Clarifying form
4. Clarifying pronunciation
 Planning vocabulary lessons: checklist 1:
1. Should I teach this word? It is relevant to my student’s level,
aim, the context of the lesson?

2. How shall I clarify meaning?

What shall I do if it does not work?

3. How shall I clarify form?

What issues shall I highlight?

4. How shall I clarify pronunciation?

What issues shall I highlight?
 TASK 6
1. Select 4 different pieces of vocabulary that you
have taught/are going to teach your Students at
different levels.

2. Describe the process of teaching this vocabulary

according to the checklist 1:
(tasks 1, 3, 4, 5 – combined)

3. Create a Google Document and publish all your

tasks there. Ask any questions that you have.
Your works and your questions
in Google Docs format
will be expected within a week.
THANK YOU
FOR YOUR
ATTENTION!