An ELL lesson plan for vocabulary. Aimed towards 6-7th grades in a medium-amount of technology classroom.

1. Teaching Vocabulary For ESL: CASE 1
Objectives
-performance, condition,
criterion
-Given a list of vocabulary words students will be able to
identify, orally and in writing, 6 /10 common classroom items
using the specific English vocabulary
-Given a list of vocabulary words students will be able to
describe, orally and in writing, those 6/10 common classroom
items using specific English vocabulary
-Given a list of vocabulary words students will also be able to
use the vocabulary words to build and construct 6 simple
English sentences without any grammatical mistakes (orally and
in writing)
Materials
-worksheets- fill in the blank (assessment)
*picture-line-picture
-E-board with activities
*hangman game with English vocabulary.
Procedure 1. Teacher will start the lesson by having students go
around the room and finding 10 items to be named in
English -common items like a pencil, pen, paper,
bookbag, kleenex etc.
2. Once all items are collected at the front of the room, set
items in a row and name each item in English and give a
simple example sentence of what it could be used for
(for example: “This is a bookbag. We use a bookbag to
carry things.”)
3. Make a simple action to associate with the word (for
example: act like you are carrying a bookbag when you
say the word “bookbag”.)
4. Have the students repeat the word in English and do the
action for each item.
5. Once the class has done this with all of the items, do a
“call and answer” informal check of understanding. Do
this by calling out a word, then pause and say the
sentence. Ex.“Pencil, I write with a pencil.” and have the
students do the action associated with the word.
6. Repeat this for each item, for each word a student
struggles with, stop and say the sentence while doing
the action with the item.
7. Switch the roles then, and do the action while the
students say the word in English and the sentence
(repeat step 6 if needed).
8. Once all the students correctly identify each item, write
the names of the items on the board. Write the sentence

2. associated with each term on the board. Have the
students copy this down on their own paper as notes.
9. Hand out the picture-to-name worksheet and pull it up on
the e-board.
1. http://www.eslpdf.com/esl-
pdfs/vocabulary_basic1.pdf
10.Go over the worksheet directions, give an example.
(show students how to use their previously learned
actions for vocabulary terms to help recognize a
word/picture on the worksheet). Review briefly priorly
learned vocabulary.
11.Have students come up to the board to connect pictures
with the word labeling it (do this only for previously
learned words, the worksheet will assess vocabulary
development of new terms.)
12.Give students about 10-15 minutes to complete the
sheet. Observe students for early finishers/ late finishers
and be ready to answer questions/help.
13.Once all students finish the worksheet, collect it. It will
be used for the rubric, along with your observations, for
assessing understanding.
14.Using the same terms/items gathered before, and
previously learned terms (vocabulary words), introduce
the hangman e-board activity.
15.Pull up the game on the e-board, and explain the
directions (Students must guess letters to fill in the
blanks of letter-spaces for the names/vocabulary of
items the students just learned as well as previously
learned vocab. These letter-guesses can fill in the blank
if it is the correct guess, or draw a part of the man if it is
incorrect.)
1. http://www.mylanguageexchange.com/HmanMyG
ames.asp
16.Have the students play the game, taking turns for each
student to go up to the board to type/write in a letter-
guess. Do this for every term of vocabulary.
17.For words that students still struggle on, review the
action and sentence that is associated with it, and make
a point of the spelling of the word while saying the word.
Standards
6th Grade Standards
-Interacting with others in written English in various
communicative forms. (print, communicative technology, and
media) W.6.6; WHST. 6.6; SL. 6.2; L. 6.3, 6

3. 7th Grade Standards
7th Grade Standards
-Listening actively to spoken English in a range of social and
academic contexts.
SL.7.1,3,6; L.7.1,3,6
-Selecting and applying varied and precise vocabulary and other
language resources to effectively convey ideas.
W.7.4-5; WHST.7.4-5; SL.7.4,6; L.7.1,3,5-6
Evaluation/Assessment
-Rubric for participation (included below)
-informal check for understanding
-formal check for understanding through worksheet
Aspect 1 2 3
Student engagement
in activities
student is not
engaged, quiet
student occasionally
participates
student is constantly
participating
Student use of
vocabulary
student is not using
vocabulary correctly,
many mistakes, used
vocab out of context
Student uses
vocabulary correctly in
most instances, with
few mistakes
student uses
vocabulary words
accurately
Student effort
student is quiet, not
using vocabulary, does
not think about
answers, makes
simple mistakes
(where effort would
make it correct- not
misunderstanding)
student thinks about
answers, but is
quiet/not using vocab -
makes some simple
mistakes due to lack of
effort
student thinks about
answers, is displaying
effort to participate,
makes few mistakes
(due to
misunderstanding not
lack of effort)
Student can identify
vocabulary
Student cannot identify
vocabulary on
worksheet or picture
worksheet: less than
5/10 right
Student can identify
some vocabulary on
worksheet or picture
worksheet: 6/10 or
more
Student can identify
most vocabulary on
worksheet or picture
worksheet: 8/10 or
more
RESOURCES
Department of Education English Language Development Standards for Grade 6. (2012).
http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/el/er/documents/sbeeldstdg6bw.pdf
Article 1: Biemiller, A. (2011). Vocabulary: Needed If More Children Are To Read Well. Reading

4. Psychology, 24(3-4), p.323-335, DOI: 10.1080/02702710390227297
This article discusses individual differences between students’ learning of vocabulary, a predictable
sequence of learning vocab, and the need for direct instruction for vocabulary growth. It also
discusses methods for “promoting vocabulary knowledge”
Article 2: August, D., Carlo, M. Dressler,C., & Snow, C. (2005). Critical Role of Vocabulary
Development for English Language Learners. Learning Disabilities Research and Practice, 20,1, 50-
57. DOI: 10.1111/j.1540-5826.2005.00120.x
This article discusses that ELL students who are slower in vocabulary development are are less
able to comprehend materials for their grade level. It also discusses strategies to develop
vocabulary techniques for those who are low in that area and have students determine meanings of
basic English words.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1540-5826.2005.00120.x/abstract← link to article 2