This document discusses methodologies for teaching vocabulary in an English language classroom. It explains that vocabulary is essential for communication and explores several strategies for teaching new vocabulary items, including showing pictures, gestures, and definitions. The document outlines three stages for vocabulary instruction: conveying meaning, checking for comprehension, and consolidation. It also discusses direct and indirect teaching methods, emphasizing frequent exposure, meaningful presentation, and monitoring comprehension. The conclusion maintains that using different teaching methodologies has improved student vocabulary knowledge in recent years.

1. ESCUELA SUPERIOR POLITECNICA DE MANABI
“MANUEL FELIX LOPEZ”
CENTRO DE IDIOMAS
TITULO:
Main Methodologies for Teaching Vocabulary Items in an English Language Classroom.
PROFFESSOR:
Lic. Alcívar Zambrano Carlos Enrique
carlenrik2612@gmail.com
2015 – 2016

2. 1. INTRODUCTION
Nowadays the learning of a second language is a requirement of great
importance, in this case concerning English Language, which is considered as a
second spoken language all around the world.
 Robert Lado (1995) talked about patterns of difficulty in vocabulary
teaching.
 Visnia Pavicic (2003) states that dealing with a way to improve students’
abilities to explore, store and usage of vocabulary items.

3. In this paper the main objective is:
 To explain about methodologies for teaching vocabulary in the foreign
language classroom at ESPAM MFL University.
To fulfill this objective the following tasks will be carried out:
 To differentiate several procedures for teaching vocabulary
 To describe some useful strategies for teaching New Vocabulary
 To facilitate some common methodologies to teach New Vocabulary

4. 2. Methods:
Observational method
Experimental method
Audio-lingual method
Total Physical Response

5. 3. Teaching Vocabulary
Vocabulary is essential to English Language teaching, otherwise if it were not, students
would not be able to understand what others say, or simply there would not be a way
to express any ideas. Vocabulary is more than just single words, it also studies the right
use of words and definition which work as lexis.

6. 4. The importance of vocabulary
• Harmer (1991) affirms that vocabulary is needed for expressing meaning
in using the receptive (listening and reading) and the productive
(speaking and writing) skills.
• According to Wilkins (1972) wrote that “…while without grammar very little
can be conveyed, without vocabulary nothing can be conveyed”

7. 5. PROPOSALS AND PROCEDURES TO BE FOLLOWED
many different ways such as:
 Showing full color and updated pictures
 Using a cut out figures.
 Using an object.
 Using gestures.
 Performing and action
 Photographs
 Blackboard drawings or diagrams
 Pictures from books
 Verbal explanation
 Analytical definition
 Putting the new word in a defining context
 Translating in the 1st language

8. Listening Carefully
•Slow pronunciation without distortion will help, as well as breaking the word
into
•parts and building up to the whole word will also be of vital use.
Pronouncing the Word
•Pronouncing the word gives students opportunity to remember it longer
and identify it more rapidly when they hear or see it.
Methods of Grasping the Meaning
•It is essential most of the time for a teacher to try to get the meaning of the
words without using translation, unless is highly necessary.

9. 6. PROCEDURES TO BE FOLLOWED
STAGE 1: CONVEYING MEANING STAGE:
The items are presented to the students
STAGE 2: CHECKING FOR COMPREHENSION
Exercises test how far the students have grasped the meaning of items.
STAGE 3: CONSOLIDATION
Students deepen and enhance their understanding of the items through
use and creative problem solving.

10. 7. Main principles of learning and teaching vocabulary
According to Wallace (1998):
Aim: What is to be taught, which words, how many.
Need: Target vocabulary.
Frequent exposure and repetition: students recycle and pronounce previous words.
Meaningful presentation: clear and ambiguous denotation.
Harmer (1993) affirms
Meaning: i.e. recognize the words.
Usage: i.e. knowledge of his collocation, metaphors, and idioms.
Word formation: i.e. the ability to spell and pronounce the word.
Grammar: i.e. the way students should use it in the appropriate grammatical form or chunk
of words.

11. 8. Direct and Indirect teaching methods.
In direct vocabulary instruction, learners do many specific exercises and activities that focus
their attention directly on certain words in lists, learning word parts, and vocabulary games.
Vacca, Vacca and Gove, 200; Omanson et al., 1984; Kenkins, Stein, and Wysocki, 1984;
McKeown et al., 1983; Kameenui, Carnine, and Freschi, 1982).

12. 9. Conclusion
Teaching vocabulary through the use of different methodologies has improved
students’ knowledge throughout these last years, especially if we compare past
teaching methods from the ones that are used today.

13. 10. Acknowledgements
I’d like to thank everyone who helped me carry out this important paper, the
main strategies and methodologies are considered somewhat important for
giving students the opportunity to learn in a more constructive way.
PROFFESSOR: Carlos Enrique Alcívar Zambrano
E-mail: carlenrik2612@gmail.com

14. 10. Testing questions:
1. What are the advantages of showing full-coloured pictures when teaching
vocabulary?
2. According to Wallace: What are the main principles for teaching vocabulary?
3. What is conveying meaning about?
4. What do you think is the importance of monitoring or observing in class?
5. What is Audio-lingual method about?

15. 10. Reference
• A.W. Frisby (1957), "Teaching English", The English Language Book Society and
Longmans Green and Co., p.98.
• Robert Lado (1964), "Language Teaching: A Scientific Approach", McGraw Hill: New
York, p.121.
• Robert Lado (1955), "Patterns of difficulty in vocabulary" International Journal Language
Learning, 6, p.23-41.
• Visnja Pavicic (2003), "Vocabulary and Autonomy“
• CARTER, R. (2004),”Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages” DECARRICO, J. S.
(2001), “Vocabulary Learning and Teaching” in: Celce-Murcia.
• BIEMILLER, ANDREW. (2001) “Teaching Vocabulary: Early, Direct and Sequential”.
American Educator.
• STAHL, STEVEN A. (1999) “Vocabulary Development”. Cambridg, MA: Booline.