Teaching vocabulary to young learners.

Qodirqulova Ra’no Hasanbek qizi

EFL teacher at public school № 6
in Syrdarya region Bayaut district
Supervisor: Shukurullayeva Barno Bakhtiyor kizi
EFL teacher at Gulistan State University in
English language and literature department
barnoshukurullayeva@gmail.com
Abstract: This article discuss the teaching vocabulary to young learners is how
important because they have some special characteristics that can make them
easier to learn new words. Although they have those special characteristics, they
need a teacher as a facilitator and good techniques that can motivate them in
learning vocabulary. The aim of this research are to find out young learners'
achievement in learning vocabulary, techniques that can be employed to young
learners and techniques that can work for young learners.

Key words: vocabulary, engaging activities, qualitative, vocabulary games,

subject-specific words, flexible grouping.

It’s hard for students to read and understand a text if they don’t know what
the words mean. A solid vocabulary boosts reading comprehension for students of
all ages. The more words students know, the better they understand the text. That’s
why effective vocabulary teaching is so important, especially for students who
learn and think differently.

In this article, you’ll learn how to explicitly teach vocabulary using easy-to-
understand definitions, engaging activities, and repeated exposure. This strategy
includes playing vocabulary games, incorporating visual supports like graphic
organizers, and giving students the chance to see and use new words in real-world
contexts.
The goal of this teaching strategy isn’t just to increase your students’ vocabulary.
It’s to make sure the words are meaningful and relevant to their lives.

What role does vocabulary play in language learning?

There has been much research into vocabulary acquisition, teaching and
assessment, but there is little agreement about which and how many words are
needed to communicate effectively at different proficiency levels. Vocabulary
learning should not just be quantitative, focusing on expanding the number of
words a learner knows, but also qualitative, focusing on how the words are used
pragmatically. For example, “hair” is plural in many languages, but it takes the
singular uncountable verb form in English – so students need to learn this so that
they aren’t producing incorrect sentences such as: “He has a curly hair.”

What strategies can be used to help young learners learn vocabulary effectively?

In order to help young learners learn vocabulary effectively, we need to employ a

range of strategies. First, we need to think why the young learner wants to know
the words we teach as they are much more likely to remember them if they need
them or want to use them. One way a teacher can do this is to get the learners to
draw or write the words they already know and then draw or write the L1
translation of words they want to know. This can be followed by a spot of peer
teaching where learners who know the second set of words teach them to the
learners who want to know them.

Another way to help young learners learn new words is to explore ways of
recording vocabulary. Show learners some examples of picture dictionaries, words
with sentences in English explaining what they mean and mind maps linking
words and ideas. Discuss why these strategies are helpful. Encourage the learners
to use these strategies when noting down new words.

If we want our young learners to be effective learners of vocabulary, we have to

invest in teaching them strategies that help them to remember the words and
produce them when they need them. Using the strategies above will help them
develop their vocabulary and increase the total number of words they know

notebook to jot down when they use the words. You can even get your colleagues
or school administrators in on the fun by asking them to use the words when
talking with students or in announcements. Praise students when you hear them
using those words in and out of the classroom.

Best used for instruction with:

Whole class

Small groups

Individuals

How to prepare:

Choose the words to teach. For weekly vocabulary instruction, work with
students to choose three to five new words per week. Select words that students
will use or see most often, or words related to other words they know. Before you
dive in, it’s helpful to know that vocabulary words can be grouped into three tiers:

Tier 1 words: These are the most frequently used words that appear in
everyday speech. Students typically learn these words through oral language.
Examples include dog, cat, happy, see, run, and go.

Tier 2 words: These words are used in many different contexts and subjects.
Examples include interpret, assume, necessary, and analyze. The Smarter
Balanced Assessment Consortium has a partial list of Tier 2 words, broken down
by grade levels.

Tier 3 words: These are subject-specific words that are used in particular subject
areas, such as peninsula in social studies and integer in math.

When choosing which vocabulary words to teach, you may want to pick words
from Tier 2 because they’re the most useful across all subject areas.

Select a text. Find an appropriate text (or multiple texts for students to choose
from) that includes the vocabulary words you want to teach.

Come up with student-friendly definitions. Find resources you and your

students can consult to come up with a definition for each word. The definition
should be easy to understand, be written in everyday language, and capture the
word’s common use. Your definitions can include pictures, videos, or other
multimedia options. Cambridge Learner’s Dictionary, MerriamWebster Learner’s
Dictionary, and Wordsmyth Children’s Dictionary are all good resources to help
create student-friendly definitions.

How to teach:

1. Introduce each new word one at a time. Say the word aloud and have
students repeat the word. For visual support, display the words and their
definitions for students to see, such as on a word wall, flip chart, or vocabulary
graphic organizer. Showing pictures related to the word can be helpful, too.

For English language learners (ELLs): Try to use cognates (words from different
languages that have a similar meaning, spelling, and pronunciation) when you
introduce new words. For more information about using cognates when teaching
vocabulary to ELLs, use these resources from Colorín Colorado. You can also ask
students to say or draw their own definition of the words — in English or their
home language — to help them understand each word and its meaning.

2. Reflect. Allow time for students to reflect on what they know or don’t
know about the words. Remember that your class will come to the lesson with
varying levels of vocabulary knowledge. Some students may be familiar with
some of the words. Other students may not know any of them. If time permits,
this could be a good opportunity to use flexible grouping so students can work
on different words.

3. Read the text you’ve chosen. You can read it to your students or have
students read on their own (either a printed version or by listening to an audio
version). As you read, pause to point to the vocabulary words in context. Use
explicit instruction to teach the word parts, such as prefixes and suffixes, to help
define the word. If students are reading on their own or with a partner,
encourage them to “hunt” for the words before reading. Hunting for these words
first can reduce distractions later when the focus is on reading the text.

4. Ask students to repeat the word after you’ve read it in the text. Then
remind students of the word’s definition. If a word has more than one meaning,
focus on the definition that applies to the text.
 5. Use a quick, fun activity to reinforce each new word’s meaning. After
reading, use one or more of the following to help students learn the words more
effectively:

Word associations: Ask students, “What does the word delicate make you
think of?

What other words go with delicate?”

Students can turn and talk with a partner to come up with a response. Then
invite pairs to share their responses with the rest of the class.Use your senses: Ask
your students to use their senses to describe when they saw, heard, felt, tasted, or
smelled something that was delicate. Allow students time to think. Then ask them
to give a thumbs up if they’ve ever seen something delicate. Call on students to
share their responses. Do the same with each of the senses.A round of applause: If
the word is an adjective, invite students to clap based on how much they would
like a delicate toy, for example. Or students can “vote with their feet” by moving
to one corner of the room if they want a delicate toy or another corner if they
don't. This activity works especially well if you pair the new adjective with a
familiar noun.Picture perfect: Invite students to draw a picture that represents the
word’s meaning. Examples and non -examples: Give one example and one non-
example of how the word is and isn’t used. For instance, you could tell students
that one thing that is delicate is a teacup. One thing that isn’t delicate is the
cement stairs into the school. Then invite students to share their own examples of
things that are and aren’t delicate. After students do one or more of the activities
above, have them say or draw the word again.

6. Play word games. Throughout the week, play word games like
vocabulary bingo, vocabulary Pictionary, and charades to practice the new
words. Include words you’ve taught in the past for additional reinforcement.

7. Challenge students to use new words. They can use their new
vocabulary in different contexts, like at home, at recess, or during afterschool
activities. Consider asking students to use a vocabulary notebook to jot down
when they use the words. You can even get your colleagues or school
administrators in on the fun by asking them to use the words when talking with
students or in announcements. Praise students when you hear them using those
words in and out of the classroom.
 Understand: Why this strategy works

Rote memorization (“skill and drill”) isn't very helpful when it comes to learning
new vocabulary. Students learn best from explicit instruction that uses easy-to-
understand definitions, engaging activities, and repeated exposure. Teaching this
way will help students understand how words are used in real-life contexts and that
words can have different meanings depending on how they’re used.

This explicit approach helps all students and is especially helpful for students who
learn and think differently. This includes students who have a hard time figuring
out the meaning of new words when they’re reading. It can be difficult for them to
make an inference or use context clues to figure out what a word means.

Explicit vocabulary instruction with student-friendly definitions means there’s no

guesswork involved. Repeated exposure and practice help to reinforce the words in
students’ memories.

References

1. Brown, A., & Dowling, P. (2001).Doing research/reading research: A mode

of interrogation for teaching. London, England: Routledge Falmer.

2. Some strategies of great speakers of TEDxtalks

3. https://zenodo.org/record/7406978

4. https://explore.openaire.eu/search/publication?pid=10.5281%2Fzenodo.7406978

5. https://academicsresearch.ru/index.php/ispcttosp/article/view/1274