This document discusses how children learn the meaning of words in three stages. The first stage is labeling, where children learn that sounds can be names for things. The second stage is packaging, where children learn which words can be grouped together. The third stage is network building, where children learn how words relate to each other, such as family relationships. It also describes techniques teachers can use to introduce new vocabulary to children, such as using objects, pictures, gestures, and technology. Activities like sorting, giving instructions, and games help children practice and memorize new words. Ongoing review through making vocabulary books and word webs helps children consolidate and organize what they've learned.

1. How children learn the
meaning of words
Young Learners Workshop
Cecilia Maller A

2. Ideas
 Bear in mind that kids are still
building their L1 vocabulary, still in
the process of acquiring and
organizing concepts.
 So learning L2 complex.
 Learning is a continuous process- all
your life.

3.  Children faced to 3 diff. But related
vocabulary learning tasks:
 1. Labelling
 2. Packaging
 3. Network-building

4. Labelling
 Discover that sequences of sounds
can be used as names for things.
 Ball

5. Packaging
 Kids must discover which things can
be packed together under one label.
 Kids learn basic words before their
subordinates.
 Ex. Chair before furniture

6. Network building task
 Kids must work out how words relate
to one another.
 Ex. Family relationships

7. Knowing a word
 It involves many diff. types of
knowledge.
 In the early stages:
Less attention to: aspects of form
( spelling, grammatical description,
grammatical changes that a word
may suffer, etc.).

8. More attention to:
 How a word is pronounced
 Its meaning
 Its use.
 * Depends on the use: active or
receptive use.

9. Vocabulary size, selection and
learnability
How many words to teach?
 500 words a year.- depending on
factors like learning conditions, time
available and learnability of a word.

10. Factors related to LEARNABILITY
(7)
 1.Demonstrability: When a word is
easy to convey.
 Concrete basic level: CAR
 Abstract: Transport

11.  2.Similarity to L1: Similar words?
 Vehicle- ……………
 3. Brevity: Short or long word?
Short=easier. ( assumption)
Plane Aeroplane

12.  4. Regularity of form: A word that has
regularity in form.
 Ex. Apple______Apples ( easier)
 Foot___________Feet
 5. Learning Load: Part of a word
already known.
 Ex. Bed Room
Bedroom.( effort to learn it -lower)

13.  6.Opportunism: Relevant word to the
kid?
Ex. Classroom environment vocabulary
Vs
How to build a house.

14.  7. Centres of interest: Relevant and of
interest to children.
 Coursebooks:
 Basic vocabulary essential for
communication as well as child-centred
words.
 Fun ________value
 Kids: like to learn, easiest to learn and
remember.
 Read pages 83-85 ( whole article)

15. The vocabulary teaching and
learning process
 Kids in their effort to learn new words
will go through 5 main stages:

17. Stage 1: Understanding and
learning the meaning of new words
 Ideally presented in context familiar
to the child.
 Visual support- to convey meaning
and help memorize new vocabulary.
 How to introduce them:
- Lexical sets: shops, fruit, rooms in a
house
- Rhyming sets: bat, rat, hat, mat

18.  Colours sets: things that are green:
A pea, a leaf, an apple.
-Grammatical sets: adjectives, verbs,
prepositions, nouns. Help recognize
patterns; e.i. –or, -er,c- ist for jobs.

19. Patterns or collocations: Play the piano,
ride a bike.
-Opposites or male and female:
hot/cold,
Boy/girl.

20. Techniques to introduce new
vocabulary
 Using objects- Helps to memorize the
word through visualization.
 Using drawings- board or flashcards*
( card covered with plastic).

21.  Using illustrations, pictures, photos,
flashcards ( your own, from
magazines)

22.  Using action, mime, expressions and
gestures. Sad/happy., swim/run
 Pointing, touching, tasting, feeling,
smelling whenever possible- pupils use
their senses, memorize words and
understand meanings.

23.  Using technology

24. Verbal techniques
 Explaining- analytical description.
Ex. A present is something….
 Definig the context: The winner of the
swimming competition gets a medal.

25.  Eliciting What does the winner of the
swimming competition get?- more
memorable and motivating than a list
of words.
 Describing: It´s made of metal and
looks like a coin----medal. Using
opposites
Kids associate words with a concept they
understand in L1.

26. Stage 2. Attending to form
 Depending on the age and level.
 Listening and repeating
 Listening for specific phonological info
( consonant and vowel sounds,number
of syllables, stress patterns, etc)

27.  Looking at/ observing the written form
( shape, first and last letters, spelling)
 Noticing grammatical information.
Ex. AN apple
 Copying and organizing

28. Stage 3: Vocabulary practising,
memorizing and checking activities
 This requires to do things with the
words __to make strong memory
connections by learning words in
groups.

29.  Classifying/sorting. Kids sort words
into categories. Ex. Hot and cold
drinks.
 Giving instructions. T. focuses on
specific vocabulary. Ex. Show me a red
square

30.  Picture dictation: Kids draw what you
say.
 What´s missing: Look at a picture
ans say what´s missing.

31.  Kim´s game: Objects are used and
displayed on a tray or table.
 Wordsearchers: Kids love searching for
English spelling patterns.
 Sequencing: Put pictures on the board
as required. Put the red square next
to…

32.  Labelling: Kids label a picture in order
to practise different nouns from lexical
sets.
Christmas tree

33. Stage 4. Consolidating, recycling,
extending, organizing, recording
and personalizing vocabulary
 Kids seem to learn fast- take care of
their long term memory: practise
regularly, consolidate and recycle
words in diff. contexts.
 How?

34.  Vocabulary books
Create their own VB:
Ex. Alphabetically, pictures and drawings,
by topic, situation, grammatical
groups, etc.
 Collages: Around a particular theme

35.  Word network/ webs/trees.
Create their own ones; taking as
starting point a topic.
Ex. Transport….

36.  Clines or steps degrees of temperature:
Hot/ warm/ cold/ freezing. Animals from
big to small.
 Word stars. Pupils arrange words which
rhyme on a star diagram which will
help them recognize letter-sound
relations.
 Reading pg. 90- 91