This was the second classroom action. It seemed that the students who presented ‘teaching vocabulary’ were still confused about what to teach. For example, there was a group that taught different kinds of vocabulary: fruits, weather, part of body, and so on; too many things to learn and not focused. It is suggested that they only focus on one kind of vocabulary. Of course, they can expand the vocabulary as long as it is synonymous or has connection with the context of the words being taught. There was also a group that taught abbreviation and acronym. It was good, but it would be better if they gave the acronym and abbreviation exercise in English so that the students would learn more English words. The other group taught vocabulary through a reading text. It was also good, but if the focus was the vocabulary they had to give scanning skill, not skimming one.
What made me happy was first, more and more students participated in giving comments and questions. Second, the student who took a role as a teacher tried hard to speak English more during the lesson. I hope that the next teacher will use at least 80% English as a medium of instruction. However, there were still students who questioned about teaching English to children. I told them that TEFL that I am teaching this semester is about teaching English to teenager (SMP and SMA students). Teaching English to children will be given in semester VII (in EFC subject). Therefore, I hope that the students take the teaching material based on the present English curriculum for SMP or SMA.
For my own presentation, I started the class by asking the students’ opinion about this statement “With no grammar little can be conveyed. With no vocabulary nothing can be conveyed.” They said that they agreed it. They explained that without grammar people can still communicate, but without vocabulary, there’s nothing to say. Then I challenged them to translate and correct the letter written by mbak Sum. The student who took the challenge got the sticker. The students laughed but felt a bit confused with the words.
Here is the material about teaching vocabulary taken from Harmer (1998: 52-67) and Doff (1988: 11-21):
Which are the most useful techniques for teaching new words?
- Say the word clearly and write it on the board
- Get the class to repeat the word in chorus
- Translate the word into the students’ own language
- Ask students to translate the word
- Draw a picture to show what the words mean
- Give an English example to show how the word is used
- Ask questions using the new word
- Translating a new word is the simplest and clearest way of showing what a word means, but students cannot see how the word is used in a sentence.
- Instead of telling the students what the word means, give examples and ask them to guess the meaning of the word
Example:
What does grumble mean?
Some people grumble about everything. For example, they grumble about the weather. If it’s sunny, they say, “Oh dear, it’s much too hot today”; if it’s cool, they say, “Oh, it’s too cold” – they are never satisfied.
Vocabulary expansion/development
- The words in Cook: bake, fry, boil, grill are synonym
They are words of the same type and have the same general meaning (all methods of cooking)
- The words in Cook: stove, stir, pot, spoon are related by context
They might all be used when talking about cooking, although they are not synonyms
Active and passive vocabulary
- Active vocabulary
Words which students will need to understand and also use themselves
- Passive vocabulary
Words which the teacher wants students to understand (e.g. when reading a text), but which they will not need to use themselves
Four things that students need to do with language they study:
- Be exposed to it
- Understand its meaning
- Understand its form
- Practice it
Ways to help students understand the meaning of new language:
- By showing and explaining it through objects, pictures, drawings, gestures and expressions
- By using check questions
- By asking students to write their own definition
How can the teacher help the students to understand form?
- Demonstration
- Charts/pictures
- Repetition/drilling
- Pattern
- Exercises/questions
- Dialogue practice
- Students’ own sentence production
9 comments:
asalamu'alikum Mam,
I'm Dwi from class A.
I have some questions mam, can I teach vocabulary with any media?by listening, writing, speaking or combine more one skill?what kind of skill do you used if want to taught vocabulary in the first you're experience?
thks Mam..
Sorry I forgot,,I'll to continue my question,
and why do you choose it?
thks
Assalamu'alakum Mam.
Good afternoon
First, I'd like to apologized that last week I didn't come. But, I heard from my friend. The teaching vocabulary group still has limit time 5 minutes. My advice for them, why they didn't use of the limited time sing a song. It's right Mam. This just for my advice. thanks much Mam.
Was
Ass mam
in the vocabulary session I want to ask about:
1. How the way we teach the student of senior high schoo; clearly?
2. What is better only teachhing with english language or teaching with two language in indonesia language and english language?
thanks Mam
Dear students,
Teaching vocabulary can be given integrated with the four language skills. You can present new words through listening, speaking, reading, or writing. However, most teachers integrate vocabulary in reading lesson because the students can see the words used in context. It will make them easier to learn it.
Yes, I agree: giving a song or quick game can kill the time.
Teaching vocab to SMA students are similar with teaching it to SMP students. The difference lies in the material and the difficulties.
I suggest that you use full English, but of course it depends on so many factors. Just be wise and flexible. Ok?
aslm mam.......
i'm siti aisyah from class A.
i agree with the techniques that you have write because that ways will easy to remind by children.
i also have question, what should a teacher does in order her/his students can understand a new word meaning in text because English words usually have a lot of meaning???
thks mam.......
aslm mam.......
i'm siti aisyah from class A.
i agree with the techniques that you have write because that ways will easy to remind by children.
i also have question, what should a teacher does in order her/his students can understand a new word meaning in text because English words usually have a lot of meaning???
thks mam.......
assalamualaikum..mam,
i have comment about teaching vocabulary is very interesting for student's in the classroom.with this teaching vocabulary student's can follow with better and also give them a new word to add their knowledge about explanation by the teacher.
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