One of the biggest challenges we face as English teachers is how to make our students learn new vocabulary.
We show students new words all the time. We give them the definitions, we provide examples, but this is not enough to make them learn. Most of the times they understand the meaning of the words, and they can even recognize them in some contexts. However, they don’t know how to use those words. The new words don’t become part of their active vocabulary.
Research shows that the vast majority of words are learned from context. In order to learn a new word, students must be exposed to it a lot. And it is part of our job to encourage them to do that. They have to see the word used in a variety of different contexts. After that, they have to try to use them. Only after using the word many times will they learn how to use it correctly.
There are many ways to find examples of words in context. I have recently discovered a very interesting series of online videos called Daily English Vocabulary. This series of videos teaches a new word every day. You can learn the correct usage of words, and see them in different examples. These videos can help your students to become more fluent in English.
Here are a few examples:
Phobia:
To Get Even:
Jeopardize:
Running Late:
Penny Wise, Pound Foolish:
At the drop of a hat:
Of course these videos are not enough to make your students learn everything about each word or phrase, but they are a good starting point. If they still don’t know how to use the words, they can look up more examples. Then they should try to create situations in which they use the words. Only after practicing a lot will they really master the word. It’s hard work, but it’s worth it.
You can find more videos on youtube, and you can also subscribe to the Daily Video Vocabulary channel. They have new videos every day. Not all words are high frequency, but there’s a lot for your students to learn.
Helping our students to learn is the most important part of our job. We can show them different ways to do that and encourage them to choose the one of the ones that are good for them. This will help them become independent learners and continue learning forever.
