Outside the classroom

Reading skill

Six Vocabulary Activities for the English Language Classroom

        A basic level of vocabulary will allow learners to communicate some ideas to a certain degree, better communication. Second language learners certainly recognize that insufficient vocabulary is one of their biggest frustrations < Green and Meare 1995; James 1996>. Teachers need to know what kinds of classroom activities they can use to help their students gain new vocabulary. The purpose of this article is to present some important aspects of vocabulary learning and introduce teachers to 6 practical vocabulary activities.

        There are 5 types of words that are <1.> a single word, <2.> a set phrase, <3.> a variable phrase, <4.> a phrasal verb, and <5.> an idiom. Vocabulary problems including polysemy, connotation and usage, part of speech, frequency and collocation. The most successful vocabulary activities are those that allow students to accomplish three goals: <1.> focuses on the vocabulary, <2.> experience multiple retrievals of the vocabulary, and <3.> develop successful vocabulary learning strategies.

        From research there are 6 activities have been used successfully in several EFL setting with learners ranging from teenagers to adults. Activity 1: Keeping a running list of words. Teachers should make list of vocabulary as they teaching. Point out the words to focus learners’ attention on the words. Activity 2: Vocabulary cards. Teachers put students in pairs or small groups, and their task is to discuss and solve the vocabulary question presented on the card. Activity 3: Ranking vocabulary items. Teachers present the class with a list of six to eight items that they must rank according to some factor. Choose a list of items that represent a theme that is meaningful to their students. Activity 4: Vocabulary ladder puzzle, teachers will construct a ladder of 5 words that all have the same number of letter. These 5 words are the answers for this word ladder puzzle < Folse, 1993, 113>. Activity 5: Vocabulary sentence auction. This activity works well for the whole class. Activity 6: Scrambled vocabulary envelopes, provides practice with collations. Students work in groups of three or four to rearrange sentence parts into correct sentences.

        English language learners need to increase their vocabulary knowledge. Teachers should incorporate explicit vocabulary teaching supported by classroom activity like these. Such activity will help learners focus their attention on key vocabulary. Teachers can choose these activities to apply in their vocabulary teaching. It can increase vocabulary knowledge to learners.

Vocabulary	Pronunciation	Meaning		Sentence
		Thai	English
lapse < v.>	/ læps /	จางหายไป	a small mistake, especially one that is caused by forgetting sth or by being careless	A momentary lapse in the final set cost her match.
connotation <n.>	/ ˌkɒnəˈteɪʃn /	คำที่มีความหมายแฝงอยู่	an idea suggested by a word in addition to its main meaning	The word ‘professional’ has connotations of skill and excellence.
neutral <adj.>	/ ˈnjuːtrəl /	ที่เป็นกลาง	not supporting or helping either side in a disagreement, competition, etc.	Journalists are supposed to be politically neutral.
deodorant< n.>	/ diˈəʊdərənt /	ยากำจักกลิ่นตัว	a substance that people put on their bodies to prevent or hide unpleasant smells	A special anti-foam additive also gives a more complete fill-up with less spillage, and a deodorant reduces smell.
perspiration    < n.>	/ˌpɜːspəˈreɪʃn /	เหงื่อ	drops of liquid that form on your skin when you are hot	Her skin was damp with perspiration.
transparency < n.>	/trænsˈpærənsi /	ภาพสไลด์	a picture printed on a piece of film, usually in a frame, that can be shown on a screen by shining light through the film	The partial transparency of the rock allows focusing up and down to assess grain packing.
proportionate < adj.>	/ prəˈpɔːʃənət /	ที่เป็นสัดส่วนกัน	increasing or decreasing in size, amount or degree according to changes in sth else	The number of accidents is proportionate to the increased volume of traffic.