Volume 03 Issue 06-2023
73
American Journal Of Philological Sciences
(ISSN
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2771-2273)
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73-80
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(2022:
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Publisher:
Oscar Publishing Services
Servi
ABSTRACT
This article outlines the importance of teaching vocabulary; vocabulary is a vital part of language teaching, the
techniques of teaching vocabulary in the classroom and components of vocabulary instruction.
KEYWORDS
Visual techniques, Word association, Word cards, Brainstorming, Matching columns.
INTRODUCTION
The basic reason for learning foreign languages that all
people have in common is communication -
communication in any mode. It is a two-sided process,
which requires the ability to understand each other, to
be able to code a message that someone wants to
convey to someone else in a way, which will be
comprehensible to the receiver and also appropriate to
a concrete situation and status of all participants. Vice
versa the person should be able to interpret a message
that someone else is conveying to them. To acquire a
good skill of communication in foreign language it is
necessary to be familiar not only with vocabulary
(single words and their meanings, collocations,
phrases and phrasal verbs etc.) but also with language
structures and above all with strategies for using them
in right context according to concrete situations.
Learners can generally communicate well, having
learnt all the basic structures of the language.
However, they need to broaden their vocabulary to
express themselves more clearly and appropriately in a
wide range of situations. Students might even have a
receptive knowledge of a wider range of vocabulary,
Research Article
THE TECHNIQUES OF TEACHING VOCABULARY IN THE CLASSROOM
Submission Date:
June 07, 2023,
Accepted Date:
June 12, 2023,
Published Date:
June 17, 2023
Crossref doi:
https://doi.org/10.37547/ajps/Volume03Issue06-11
Abdullaeva Shakhlo Sayfievna
The Teacher Of Foreign Languages Department Karshi Engineering-Economics Institute, Uzbekistan
Journal
Website:
https://theusajournals.
com/index.php/ajps
Copyright:
Original
content from this work
may be used under the
terms of the creative
commons
attributes
4.0 licence.
Volume 03 Issue 06-2023
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American Journal Of Philological Sciences
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Publisher:
Oscar Publishing Services
Servi
which means they can recognize the item and
recognize its meaning. Nevertheless, their productive
use of a wide range of vocabulary is normally limited,
and this is one of the areas that need greater attention.
At this stage we are concerned not only with students
understanding the meaning of words, but also being
able to use them appropriately, taking into account
factors such as oral / written use of the language;
degree of formality, style and others. Vocabulary is the
knowledge of words and word meanings. "Vocabulary
knowledge is knowledge; the knowledge of a word not
only implies a definition, but also implies how that
word fits into the world." Vocabulary knowledge is not
something that can ever be fully mastered; it is
something that expands and deepens over the course
of a lifetime. Instruction in vocabulary involves far
more than looking up words in a dictionary and using
the words in a sentence. Vocabulary is acquired
incidentally through indirect exposure to words and
intentionally through explicit instruction in specific
words and word-learning strategies. There are four
components of an effective vocabulary program: -
wide or extensive independent reading to expand
word knowledge -instruction in specific words to
enhance comprehension of texts containing those
words -instruction in independent word-learning
strategies, and -word consciousness and word-play
activities to motivate and enhance learning Nowadays
it is widely accepted that vocabulary teaching should
be part of the syllabus, and taught in a well-planned
and regular basis. Some authors argue that vocabulary
should be at the center of language teaching, because
‘language consists of grammaticalised lexis, not
lexicalized grammar’.
The importance of teaching vocabulary - New words
have to be introduced in such a way as to capture the
students’ attention and place the words in their
memories. Students need to be aware of techniques
for memorizing large amounts of new vocabulary in
order to progress in their language learning.
Vocabulary learning can often be seen as a laborious
process of memorizing lists of unrelated terms.
However, there are many others much more successful
and interesting ways to learn and teach vocabulary in
the ESL classroom.
If vocabulary is taught in an uninteresting way such as
by drilling, simple repetition and learning lists, then the
words are likely to be forgotten. Teachers need to
teach vocabulary so that the words are learned in a
memorable way, in order for them to stick in the
memory of the student. Indeed, learners need to retain
large amounts of vocabulary in their long-term
memory.
DISCUSSION
Teaching vocabulary
–
the basis for forming four main
skills to know a language means to master its structure
and words. Thus, vocabulary one of the aspects of the
language to be taught in school. The problem is what
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words and idioms pupils should retain. It is evident that
the number of words should be limited because pupils
have only 2-4 periods a week; the size of the group is
not small enough to provide each pupil with practice in
speaking; schools are not yet fully equipped with
special laboratories for individual language learning.
The number of words pupils should acquire in school
depends wholly on the syllabus requirements. The later
are determined by the condition and method used. For
example, experiments have proved that the use of
programmed instruction for vocabulary learning allows
us to increase the number of the words to be learned
since pupils are able to assimilate them while working
independently with the programme.
We know the following fact that, 1st - words used in
reading, 2nd - words used in listening, 3rd - words used
in speaking, 5rd words used in writing.
The main aim of teaching vocabulary is assimilation of
the meaning, form of the words and its usage in oral
and written speech
–
that is formation of lexical habits.
People can have many aptitudes, but without a large
and precise English vocabulary to express them, they
cannot take full advantage of these abilities. Unlike
aptitudes, vocabulary is not a natural ability; it can be
improved if one is willing to make the effort to do so.
Building vocabulary is a powerful way to enhance your
life and career. Learning how to build a better
vocabulary can be a pleasurable and profitable
investment of both your time and effort. At least
fifteen minutes a day of concentrated study on a
regular basis can bring about a rapid improvement in
your vocabulary skills, which in turn can increase your
ability to communicate by writing, conversing, or
making speeches. Acquiring a large vocabulary can
benefit you in school, at work, and socially. It will
enable you to understand others' ideas better and to
have the satisfaction of getting your thoughts and
ideas across more effectively. Of course, you already
know thousands of words, and you will continue to
learn more whether you work at it or not. The fact is
that many of the words you know were probably
learned simply by coming across them often enough in
your reading, in conversation, and even while watching
television. But increasing the pace of your learning
requires a consistent, dedicated approach. If you
learned only one new word a day for the next three
years, you would have over a thousand new words in
your vocabulary. However, if you decided right now to
learn ten new words a day, in one year you would have
added over three thousand to what you already know,
and probably have established a lifetime habit of
learning and self-improvement.
Vocabulary is a vital part of language teaching:
Word cards - Teachers can use devices for vocabulary
teaching such as simple flash-cards or word-cards. The
teacher writes the English language word on one side
of the card and a sentence containing the word, its
definition, its synonyms and pronunciation on the
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Publisher:
Oscar Publishing Services
Servi
other. Word cards can be excellent methods of
memory aid. This is also a handy way for students to
carry their new vocabulary around with them to look at
whenever they have the opportunity.
Word association - Another successful method of
vocabulary teaching is the word association technique.
If words are stored individually, they are more difficult
to remember as they have no context. But if the words
are stored together in commonly used phrases and
sentences, they are more readily absorbed. Putting
words with collocational partners in this way helps the
students to relate connected words together.
Visual techniques - Teaching vocabulary can become
easier with the use of cards with pictures, diagrams and
liberal colour coding for grammatical clarity. In this
way, words are remembered by their colour or position
on a page or their association with other words,
pictures or phrases. Images can link to a word; words
can also be linked to other words, for example, a
studen
t might link the word ‘car’ with ‘garage’ and
with ‘mechanic’. This idea of engaging the other sense
can also help with developing a kind of semantic map
where words are listed which relate to each other,
which creates a situation where one word reminds the
student of another.
Brainstorming - When teaching new vocabulary, the
method of delivery needs to be fresh and interesting
for the students or else they will not remember the
words. Ways in which to liven up the introduction of
new vocabulary could include brainstorming around an
existing word in the students’ vocabulary knowledge.
This key word should be written up in the middle of the
board and the new vocabulary relating to it can be
written around it. Use colourful pens if writing on a
whiteboard to emphasize different words.
Matching columns - Once the new vocabulary has been
taught, a useful way to test if students have
understood the meanings of this new vocabulary is to
ask them to match new words from one column with
definitions from another column. The new words are
numbered in column one and the definitions are mixed
up and lettered in column two. Students can also make
up sentences using this technique, matching the
beginning of the sentence or phrase from column 1
with the end of the sentence or phrase from column 2.
The techniques of teaching vocabulary in the
classroom - Perhaps the most important factor in a
successful vocabulary-building program is motivation.
It will be very difficult for you to study words month
after month without a strong feeling that it is worth
doing, that a larger vocabulary will help you in school
and on the job, and that it can well lead to a more
exciting and fulfilling life. For the first according to the
topic of our research paper we identify four basic steps
to a better vocabulary:
•
Be Aware of Words;
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•
Read;
•
Use a Dictionary;
•
Study and Review Regularly
While there are not any magic shortcuts to learning
words, the larger your vocabulary becomes, the easier
it will be to connect a new word with words you
already know, and thus remember its meaning.
Be Aware of Words - Many people are surprised when
they are told they have small vocabularies. “But I read
all the time!” they protest. This shows that reading
alone may not be enough to make you learn new
words. When we read a novel, for instance, there is
usually a strong urge to get on with the story and skip
over unfamiliar or perhaps vaguely known words. But
while it is obvious when a word is totally unknown to
you, you have to be especially aware of words that
seem familiar to you but whose precise meanings you
may not really know. Instead of avoiding these words,
you will need to take a closer look at them. First, try to
guess at a word's meaning from its context
—
that is,
the sense of the passage in which it appears; second, if
you have a dictionary on hand, look up the word's
meaning immediately. This may slow down your
reading somewhat, but your improved understanding
of each new word will eventually speed your learning
of other words, making reading easier. Make a daily
practice of noting words of interest to you for further
study whenever you are reading, listening to the radio,
talking to friends, or watching television.
Read - When you have become more aware of words,
reading is the next important step to increasing your
knowledge of words, because that is how you will find
most of the words you should be learning. It is also the
best way to check on words you have already learned.
When you come across a word you have recently
studied, and you understand it, that proves you have
learned its meaning. What should you read? Whatever
interests you
–
whatever makes you want to read. If
you like sports, read the sports page of the
newspapers; read magazines like Sports Illustrated;
read books about your favorite athletes. If you are
interested in interior decorating, read a magazine like
House Beautiful
–
read it, don't just look at the
photographs. Often people with very low vocabularies
don't enjoy reading at all. It's more of a chore for them
than a pleasure because they don't understand many
of the words. If this is the way you feel about reading,
try reading easier things. Newspapers are usually
easier than magazines; a magazine like Reader's Digest
is easier to read than The Atlantic Monthly. There is no
point in trying to read something you simply are not
able to understand or are not interested in. The
important idea is to find things to read you can enjoy,
and to read as often and as much as possible with the
idea of learning new words always in mind.
Use a Dictionary
–
Most people know how to use a
dictionary to look up a word's meaning. Here are some
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pointers on how to do this as a part of a vocabulary-
building program:
Have your own dictionary:
Keep it where you usually do your reading at home.
You are more likely to use it if you do not have to get it
from another room. At work, there may be a good
dictionary available for your use. At home, most people
do not have a big, unabridged dictionary; however, one
of the smaller collegiate dictionaries would be fine to
start with.
Circle the words you look up:
After you have done this for a while, your eye will
naturally move to the words you have circled
whenever you flip through the dictionary. This will give
you a quick form of review.
Read the entire entry for the word you look up:
Remember, words can have more than one meaning,
and the meaning you need for the word you are looking
up may not be the first one given in your dictionary.
Even if it is, the other meanings of the word will help
you understand the different ways the word is used.
Also, the word's history, usually given near the
beginning of the entry, can often give a fascinating
picture of the way the word has developed its current
meaning. This will add to the pleasure of learning the
word as well as help you remember it.
Study and review regularly once you have begun
looking up words and you know which ones to study;
vocabulary building is simply a matter of reviewing the
words regularly until you fix them in your memory. This
is best done by setting aside a specific amount of time
each day for vocabulary study. During that time you
can look up new words you have noted during the day
and review old words you are in the process of
learning. Unfortunately, a lot of work (recycling,
vocabulary notebooks keeping, memory techniques ...)
has to be done before students thoroughly know a
word. The activities which follow have been tested on
students and provide a practical suggestion for a
systematic approach to vocabulary learning.
Working alone:
Super memo - Students use the cards to learn the verbs
systematically, at fixed time intervals, using boxes.
Taking into account the forgetting curve, Ss have to
plan their learning and relearning in such a way that the
forgetting is minimized. They can use small boxes, or a
box with different slots in it. You put all the verbs you
have to learn in slot number 1. When each verb is learnt
it goes to slot number two and so on until the last slot.
All forgotten verbs are returned to the start. Working
in groups
Playing cards - Two packs. One pack is English face up,
a pile on the table. The other is given out to all the
players. In turn, they take one card from the pack and
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keep it, if they have the matching one. Then they
discharge the matching pair. If they don
’t have the
matching one, they leave it on the table for someone
else to match. They can pick a card either from the
table or from the pack.
Working in pairs - One pack of cards - Students spread
the cards on the table, English face down. In turn they
keep one and translate. They check by reading and
saying the verb. They keep the card if it is correct. If
they don’t know any of them they say “pass». Winner
is the one with the most cards.
Use your transparent folder: Students keep all these
cards in transparent folders. They place one
–
empty,
without cards - on the desk. Aim of the game is to go
from top to bottom and vice versa, or from left to right
or vice versa by placing verbs and saying them (if they
place the L1 they have to say the English.
Components of vocabulary instruction: Direct and
indirect methods of vocabulary instruction:
•
Intentional vocabulary teaching;
•
Specific Word Instruction;
•
Selecting Words to Teach;
•
Rich and Robust Instruction;
•
Word-Learning Strategies;
•
Dictionary Use;
Explicit instruction of vocabulary is highly effective. To
develop vocabulary intentionally, students should be
explicitly taught both specific words and word-learning
strategies. To deepen students' knowledge of word
meanings, specific word instruction should be robust.
Seeing vocabulary in rich contexts provided by
authentic texts, rather than in isolated vocabulary
drills, produces robust vocabulary learning. Such
instruction often does not begin with a definition, for
the ability to give a definition is often the result of
knowing what the word means. Rich and robust
vocabulary instruction goes beyond definitional
knowledge; it gets students actively engaged in using
and thinking about word meanings and in creating
relationships among words.
Research shows that there are more words to be
learned than can be directly taught in even the most
ambitious program of vocabulary instruction. Explicit
instruction in word-learning strategies gives students
tools for independently determining the meanings of
unfamiliar words that have not been explicitly
introduced in class. Since students encounter so many
unfamiliar words in their reading, any help provided by
such strategies can be useful.
Multiple exposures in multiple contexts: One principle
of effective vocabulary learning is to provide multiple
exposures to a word's meaning. There is great
improvement in vocabulary when students encounter
vocabulary words often. Students probably have to see
a word more than once to place it firmly in their long-
term memories. "This does not mean mere repetition
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or drill of the word," but seeing the word in different
and multiple contexts. In other words, it is important
that vocabulary instruction provide students with
opportunities to encounter words repeatedly and in
more than one context:
•
Restructuring of vocabulary tasks;
•
Intentional instruction of vocabulary items is
required for specific texts;
•
Repetition and multiple exposures to vocabulary
items are important;
•
Learning in rich contexts is valuable for vocabulary
learning. Vocabulary tasks should be restructured
as necessary.
•
Vocabulary
learning
should
entail
active
engagement in learning tasks.
•
Computer technology can be used effectively to
help teach vocabulary.
Vocabulary can be acquired through incidental
learning. How vocabulary is assessed and evaluated
can have differential effects on instruction.
Dependence on a single vocabulary instructional
method will not result in optimal learning.
It is often assumed that when students do not learn
new vocabulary words, they simply need to practice
the words some more. Research has shown, however,
that it is often the case that students simply do not
understand the instructional task involved. Rather than
focus only on the words themselves, teachers should
be certain that students fully understand the
instructional tasks. The restructuring of learning
materials or strategies in various ways often can lead
to increased vocabulary acquisition, especially for low-
achieving or at-risk students. "Once students know
what is expected of them in a vocabulary task, they
often learn rapidly."
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, first, teachers should prepare
themselves for the following principles and methods of
teaching vocabulary in FLTL, because foreign language
training will be more efficient.
REFERENCES
1.
Allen, E. and Valetta R. 1972.Modern language
classroom techniques. A handbook. New York:
Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.
2.
Mertz, B. 1995.FarbenCharakter
–
Schick Sal.
3.
Spaulding, C. 1992. Motivation in the classroom.
New York: McGraw-Hill, Inc.
4.
Williams, L. 1983. Teaching for the two-sided mind.
New York: Simon & Schuster.
5.
Witt rock, M., ed. 1977. The human brain. New York:
Prentice-Hall.
6.
Rogova, G.V., “Methods of teaching English”; М.,
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