Presenting new vocabulary involves introducing new lexical items to students and providing practice. It is an important first step in language learning that leads to phrase and sentence work. When presenting words, students need to learn the word's meaning, part of speech, pronunciation, spelling, and relation to other words. There are many interactive ways to present vocabulary, including choral repetition, flashcards, games, miming words, listening activities, and introducing the written word gradually. Practicing new words with peers also helps reinforce learning.
What do we mean by presentation ? Introduction and practice of new lexical items. New lexical items = single words or words that are grouped in a particular language, and which convey a single meaning, e.g. cat, traffic light, take care of, don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched But for our purposes here we are going to concentrate on single words
So what part does this presentation play in a single lesson or in a series of lessons, as part of the bigger picture ? It’s the first step of a longer process which leads to phrase and sentence level work
We need to think about what pupils need to know about each word that we present to them. What it means Part of speech – how it’s going to fit into their phrases/sentences How it’s pronounced – need to be confident in pronunciation if their oral communication is going to be confident and effective How it’s written – again, for effective written work. Links between sound and spelling also need to be made explicit How it’s related to other words, e.g. gender, number, groups of vocab
This conference is focussing on Unit 17 of the QCA “Le retour du printemps”. The “Presenting new vocabulary” bit, however, I found a bit restrictive. I want to give you as many ideas as possible so that you can take them away with you and use them in the classroom tomorrow. Rather than specific things for a particular unit.
Introducing the new language: Choral repetition is the best way to get new vocabulary into the learner. Magic number 7 plus or minus 2 – I’ve chosen a set of 6 here Introduce with the instruction “Ecoutez répétez” so that they know what’s coming and what to do. Could use Flashcards or pictures on the IWB. IWB good focal point and easier to manoeuvre, flashcards more tactile and versatile I would recommend saying the words yourself to inject pace into the lesson (practice first with sound files!) – illustrate repetition with sound files, slide and flashcards Vary the repetition by doing funny voices – whisper, shout, high, low, sleepy, scary, robot…. Repeat lots and lots and lots for safety in numbers and confidence later. One of the Knowledge About Language objectives is “imitating pronunciation of words” “ Developing listening acuity” – focussed listening for sounds that they will have to make accurately later – make a physical response to a certain word. E.g. un/une – tap head for masculine, click for feminine – try this with the 6 words. Children could also have a set of the pictures or real objects and hold up the right one when they hear it. Can also play Répétez si c’est vrai, awarding points to make it interesting !
Once you’ve introduced the new language, it’s time to practice and practice it, until you and the learners are confident that they can start to use it independently. Using flashcards to practice the language: Hold up a card and ask a question about it. These steps gradually build up the learner independence – practise this. C’est un stylo ? Oui/non C’est un stylo ou une gomme ? Qu’est-ce que c’est ?
Play “Which card?” Play it normally, then with a twist – give a choice of 2 and give points. Can also play “pull the teeth” as an alternative method of scoring
Practise using numbers and the objects on the IWB. Start with the pupils giving the number and then giving the item. Again builds confidence. And keeps the numbers fresh. “ Un stylo, c’est quel numéro ?” “ Le numéro cinq, qu’est-ce que c’est ?”
Use the instruction “Qu’est-ce qui manque” to ask what is missing Could be clever and get the remaining items to change places every time
Can set this up in PPT using motion paths on the custom animation, or can just flash the flashcards quickly !
Games to demonstrate understanding of the words and also opportunity to say the words Let’s have a go at a different kind of bingo. Get a strip of paper and draw the 6 items on it in any order (can’t write them as we haven’t introduced the written word yet) Listen to the words. Tear that picture off if it’s on one of the ends of your paper, but only if it’s on the end ! Winner is the one who’s left with no pictures. (Demonstrate) Let’s play pictionary – to make it more challenging, stop after each stroke
You can also use equipment you already have in the primary classroom like number fans. You say the word, and the pupils have to hold up the right number on the number fan. Good AfL – you can see straightaway who knows it – and non-threatening for the pupils as they can demonstrate their knowledge without anyone else seeing what they have got right (or wrong).
Mime the words and pupils have to say which one it is (Language learning strategies, Y3) Clap the syllables or the pattern of the word and pupils have to say what it is. Can also combine with tap head for masc, click for fem as before Listening games – tick, touch or show a picture to show understanding In my basket I have…. Each pupil has to remember the previous person’s and add one Guessing games – “a word that begins with…” or a word with a certain number of syllables, or that rhymes with another word
Don’t introduce the written word too soon. If pupils aren’t very confident with the pronunciation and meaning, they will start trying to read the word, usually wrongly, instead of reading it and saying it correctly. Label a simple worksheet. Practises the spelling and also pupils then have a glossary of vocab
Crosswords preferable to wordsearches as pupils actually have to write the words themselves and not just look for a sequence. Use the by-now familiar pictures as clues. Leave the articles (un/une) off as this cuts down the possibilities for puzzles. Puzzles use capital letters and therefore don’t require accents.
Mini whiteboards are something else that you will have in the classroom anyway, and which have many uses in languages lessons. Say the English word, pupils find and write down the French word on their mini-whiteboard Another thing you can do is to give out copies of the pictures and a set of letters. Say the French word and the pupils race to find the correct picture card and spell out the word to go with it.
You’ll know about Calligrams from Literacy. There are several different ways of doing them. Here are 2. You can make the word in the shape of the object, or write the word lots and lots of times inside a pencil outline of the object. This second way really reinforces the spelling !
Use small cards for Pelmanism, putting things into order against the clock, in alphabetical order, pairing cards up Dominoes – match up the pictures and the words, or the English words and the French words Follow me cards work in a similar way
Match up halves of words. Can also have the articles to match up as well
Jigsaw puzzles are good for matching up vocab and finding out new words too as you match them up. You can make puzzles like this using a free to download programme called Tarsia Formulator. You can also have red herrings around the edge.