Vocabulary Development Strategies
•Subtitle: Inferring Meaning from Context and Idiomatic Expressions
•Optional Image: A picture symbolizing language learning, vocabulary building, or books.
strategy 1 - Inferring Meaning from Context
•Definition:
•Explain what it means to "infer meaning from context" (i.e.,
understanding unfamiliar words based on the surrounding words).
•How It Helps: Mention that it allows learners to understand words
without stopping frequently to use a dictionary.
•Example of Context Clues:
• Restatement: “The arid desert, or dry and barren landscape,
stretched endlessly.”
• Synonyms/Antonyms: “Unlike the rugged terrain, the valley was
soft and lush.”
• Examples: “The fauna, like deer, rabbits, and foxes, thrived in
the forest.”
Importance of Vocabulary Development
•Why Vocabulary Matters:
• Highlight the benefits, like improved reading
comprehension, better communication, and confidence.
•Goal of This Presentation:
•Explain that this PPT will introduce two main strategies:
inferring meaning from context and learning idiomatic
expressions.
•Types:
• Definition Clues: Directly defines the word (e.g.,
"A philanthropist, or a person who donates to
charity, was present.")
• Synonym Clues: Provides a synonym nearby.
• Antonym Clues: Contrasting words nearby that
help in understanding.
• Example Clues: Lists or examples that give
meaning.
•Activity: Provide a sentence and ask students to guess
the meaning of a highlighted word based on context
clues.
Practice Activity for Inferring Meaning from Context
•Interactive Practice: Provide sentences with highlighted
words and ask students to infer the meaning from context.
•Examples:
• Sentence 1: "The students were elated when they
heard they had no homework."
• Sentence 2: "The disheveled room had clothes strewn
everywhere and was in complete chaos."
•Answer Prompt: Have students guess the meanings and
discuss why they made those inferences.
Strategy 2 - Understanding Idiomatic Expressions
•Definition of Idioms: Phrases where the meaning isn’t
literal, but rather figurative.
•Importance: Learning idioms helps in understanding
native-level English and adds richness to language skills.
•Examples:
• “Break the ice” = Start a conversation or make
people comfortable.
• “Under the weather” = Feeling sick.
• “Piece of cake” = Something that’s very easy to
do.
Common Idioms and Their Meanings
•Examples with Visuals:
• Each idiom with an image that represents its
literal and figurative meaning.
• Example:
• “Hit the sack”: Literal – someone hitting a
sack. Figurative – going to bed.
• “Spill the beans”: Literal – spilling beans.
Figurative – revealing a secret.
Practice Activity for Idiomatic Expressions
•Match the Idiom: List idioms and meanings, and have
learners match them.
•Example:
• “Break a leg” – (Meaning: Good luck)
• “Bite the bullet” –
• (Meaning: Face something difficult)
• Activity Prompt: Choose an idiom to use in a
sentence.
Strategies for Retaining New Vocabulary
•Use Flashcards: Mention the use of flashcards for
idioms and contextual vocabulary.
•Practice Writing Sentences: Suggest creating original
sentences using new vocabulary and idioms.
•Review Regularly: Revisit idioms and inferred
vocabulary to reinforce memory.
Summary and Tips
•Recap Key Points: Summarize the importance of
context clues and idiomatic expressions.
•Additional Tips:
• Practice regularly with real conversations.
• Read widely to encounter idioms and new words
in various contexts.
• Keep a vocabulary journal.
Resources and Further Practice
•Online Resources: Recommend vocabulary apps like or
Quizlet, and sites like the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary for
idioms.
•Further Practice Suggestions: Suggest watching movies,
reading books, or engaging in language exchanges for
exposure to idioms and contextual language.
