Vocabulary Teaching in EAP--Lonestar Symposium

1. Bridging the
Vocabulary Gap
Christina M. Cavage

2. Bridging the Vocabulary Gap
• Why is vocabulary so critical in EAP teaching?
• Determiner of academic reading
• Determiner of success beyond EAP courses
• Students with greater vocabulary, have higher confidence in language
learning

3. Vocabulary Gap
•5. Knowledge of concepts associated
with the word
•6. Knowledge of vocabulary associated
with the word
•7. Knowledge of grammatical function
•8. Knowledge of collocations
•8. Knowledge of register and frequency
•“Reduces the learning burden”
•What does it mean to really know a
word?
•According to Paul Nation:
1. Knowledge of spoken form
2. Knowledge of written form
3. Knowledge of the parts of the word
which have meaning
4. Knowledge of the form and meaning

4. Vocabulary Gap
• For intentional learning, based on what it really means to know a word, need a wide variety
of activities

5. Vocabulary Gap
•What do we know about students today?
•Higher level of engagement, easier learning task is viewed
•Breadth and depth of vocabulary + variety of activities+
engagement

6. Vocabulary Gap
• How can we do this?
• Introduce
• Reinforce
• Independent production
•Activities and tasks that move from controlled practice to free practice
•Engaging
•Context

7. Introduce

8. Vocabulary Gap
• Introduce:
• Pre-reading, pre-listening (as in most texts)
• Stress
• Vocabulary journal (Blog, WIKI)
• Find My Partner
• Chart it!

9. Introducing
• Using Text Materials

10. Vocabulary: Introduce
• Stress
• When introducing the word, be sure
you introduce it with the correct
stress pattern
IN no vate
ex PEN sive
• Vocabulary Journal
• BLOG
• If you use a LMS
• (individual)
WIKI
• If you use a LMS
• (group)

11. Vocabulary Journals
• WIKI: assign roles, have
students build knowledge
together

12. Vocabulary: Introduce
• One card word
• One card definition
• Students walk around and try to
match
•A great way to put students into
partners!
Word I don’t
know this
word
I have
heard or
seen this
word before
I
understand
this word
I can use
this word
climate
effect
Renewable
energy
release
protect
• Find my Partner!
• Chart it!
Students complete independently, and then share
with partners and then group

13. Vocabulary Gap
•So, only introducing covers:
•Knowledge of spoken and written form, parts of speech and maybe form and meaning
•But what about…?
•5. Knowledge of concepts associated with the word
•6. Knowledge of vocabulary associated with the word
•7. Knowledge of grammatical function
•8. Knowledge of collocations
•8. Knowledge of register and frequency

14. Reinforce

15. Reinforce
• Memory game
• Jeopardy
• Grab It!
• Board Game
• Hot Seat
• Line Up
• Vocabulary Circles
• File it!

16. Vocabulary: Reinforce
• Memory Game (Concentration)
• Put vocabulary word on one card, definition on
other, have all cards facing down, and have
groups play
Jeopardy!
Theme: Discovery and Invention
People Things Actions
Under each category, definition, and teams must give
word
Example:
Team: People for 1
Teacher: “a person who invents something new”
Team: Innovator

17. Vocabulary: Reinforce
• Grab it!
• Put vocabulary word on one card, definition on
other, have all cards facing down, and have
groups play
Board Game
Theme: Discovery and Invention
People Things Actions
Under each category, definition, and teams must give
word
Example:
Team: People for 1
Teacher: “a person who invents something new”
Team: Innovator

18. Reinforce
• Hot Seat
• Put target vocabulary on ppt, put students in group.
• Each group sends one member up. Back is to the board.
• A word comes up, and group needs to define, use and try to elicit target
word from hot seat student.
• Set timer 30 second

19. Vocabulary: Reinforce
• Line Up!
• Write all target words on board
• Line students up in groups
• First student in each group, chooses a word
• They must write a sentence showing the use of
the word, read the sentence with correct
pronunciation of word, and determine its’ part of
speech
• If correct, team gets a point, word gets crossed
off list.
• Vocabulary Circles
• Prepare a list of conversation questions that would
prompt target vocabulary
• You can put these on a handout and with lower
levels put target word in parentheses)
• Form two circles, inner and outer.
• Have students discuss first question, set timer (30
second to 1 min)
• Then only outer circle moves, and everyone
discusses question #2…

20. Reinforce
• File It!
• Works best with abstract vocabulary, AWL words
• Builds critical thinking skills and vocabulary
• Put students in pairs or groups and give them a list of abstract words, have
them discuss how they can be categories

21. Production

22. Produce
• Surveys
• Writing (freewriting)
• Spinner
• Impromptus
• Connections

23. Produce
• Surveys
• Writing (freewriting)
• Impromptus
• Task-based projects/collaborative tasks

24. Produce
• Freewriting
• Offer students a writing prompt, and key vocabulary to use.
• Example:
• What problems in today’s society need to be solved?
• empathy, quick and dirty
• These aren’t graded, just an opportunity for students to practice using the target word in a low
risk task.

25. Produce
• Surveys
• Give list of target words, have students work
in groups and design a survey that uses the
target words (great for thematic units!)
• Have them go out and survey, and present on
survey

26. Produce
• Impromptus
• Slide share example

27. Produce
• Task Based Learning
• Collaborative Tasks
• Target words:
• Artistic
• Heighten our existence

28. Production