Contents: Introduction Chapter L. The Importance of Vocabulary Teaching in Language Teaching

CHAPTER II. THE IMPORTANCE OF VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT

According to Steven Stahl (2005), “Vocabulary knowledge is knowledge; the knowledge of a word not only implies a definition, but also implies how that word fits into the world.” We continue to develop vocabulary throughout our lives. Words are powerful. Words open up possibilities, and of course, that’s what we want for all of our students.

2.1. Differences in Early Vocabulary Development

If you ask students who are self-taught what methods they used to learn English on their own, they will invariably tell you the following;

They listened to and learned their favorite songs, watched movies and TV shows with subtitles in either English or Spanish, (some students swear by English subtitles, saying that it helps with their pronunciation).
They read books and magazines that were of interest to them.
Many students also download language learning apps to their smartphones, such as babbel.com, duolingo.com, and newinslowenglish.com, so encourage them to use these tools to help them develop their language skills on their own time.
Another useful device for improving students’ vocabulary is to have them keep a notebook that is small enough to fit in their pockets. (They can also use their phones for keeping lists). This is a great way for them to have a real-time record of the words and short phrases they use in their daily lives. When students keep a list of the words that are of interest to them, they are effectively writing their own little dictionaries which can be filled with pictures, synonyms, antonyms, and sentences that are useful to them.
Pro Tip: Correcting students’ vocabulary mistakes helps them improve their usage of new words. One way to develop this skill is by taking a short Micro-Credential Course in Error Correction in the EFL classroom.
Points to remember when teaching ESL vocabulary
Here are some more tips for helping your students learn vocabulary better:
Whether you are teaching vocabulary, grammar, phraseology, or pronunciation in a physical classroom or online, do your best to make sure your students can relate to each lesson and are almost immediately able to use what they’ve learned.
Follow a logical and organic order when teaching new vocabulary and put words into useful phrases as often as possible.
Look for every opportunity to review what you’ve taught from one lesson to the next, and engage your students by focusing on topics that interest them the most.
Always encourage your students to ask you about the meanings of words and how these can be applied to their lives outside of the classroom