TEACHING

VOCABULARY
SAIFUL
AYUNNI
SOFIE
LINDA
 WHAT IS VOCABULARY?
• Content words
Example : girl ( refer to person, teacher )
Have lexical meaning
• Function words
Have little meaning when they are used on
their own.
Have grammatical meaning
 VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT
What does knowing a word mean ?

Factors influencing vocabulary development

Active and passive vocabulary

Active and passive use of words

 WHAT DOES KNOWING A WORD MEAN ?

• What the word in its current context

means
• The other meanings it can have
• How the word can be used and
situations in which it can be used
 FACTORS INFLUENCING VOCABULARY
DEVELOPMENT

• Repetition and regular use

• Amount of intellectual and
emotional effort ( stevick 1976 )
• Must be stimulating and interesting
 ACTIVE AND PASSIVE VOCABULARY

Speakers may use words or vocabulary

actively or passively
• Words may be used actively when a
person produces his own speech or
writing
• Words are used passively in listening and
reading .
 ACTIVE AND PASSIVE USE OF WORDS

• Teacher may spend more time giving

examples, asking questions and devising
exercise
• Students need to be aware that they
should not try to learn all the words that
they come across
WORDS AND MEANING
Denotation
Connotation

Polysemy

Homonymy

Homophone

Homographs
DENOTATION
• Have deep meaning and literal

CONNOTATION
• Surface meaning
POLYSEMY
• Has single words form but two or
more meaning ( hot , baby )

HOMONYMY
• Written in same way and sound but
different meaning ( ball, well )
HOMOPHONES
• Same sound but different meanings and
spellings. ( blue and blew )

HOMOGRAPHS
• Written and pronounce in the same way
but different meaning ( bow, bow )
PRINCIPLES OF VOCABULARY
SELECTION

Frequency

Cultural factors

Student-related
 FREQUENCY
• Word counts to decide what is the
minimum adequate vocabulary
• Enough word for learner to express
the ideas
 CULTURAL FACTORS
• Words which is refer to features will have to
be determined by reference to local culture.
Exm : climate, food, clothing, customs
• Examine the word lists list in Malaysian English
Language syllabi
• Identify items which are related to the
Malaysian cultural context
 STUDENT-RELATED FACTORS

• Consider the level of the learner

• Guide learner select word which is
relevant and useful for him
PLANNING TO TEACH VOCABULARY
Learners own
language
Techniques for
conveying
meaning

Learners
factors

Teacher
factors
 LEARNER OWN LANGUAGE
• English : police, doctor
• Malay : polis, doktor

• Means, teacher should aware of possible

problems with spelling, pronunciation etc
TECHNIQUES FOR CONVEYING MEANING

• Media or visual - effective way of

conveying meaning
 TEACHER FACTORS

• Know to decide whether to include

exercises from textbooks or workbooks
and whether or not to include
supplementary materials such as literary
etc
 LEARNER FACTORS

• Learning environment such as the

time of day of the lesson, the
amount of language stimuli in the
environment etc
TECHNIQUES AND ACTIVITIES FOR
TEACHING VOCABULARY
Visual
techniques
Verbal
techniques

Dictionary
used

Translation
 VISUAL TECHNIQUES
• Blackboard
• Wall charts
• Photograph
• Flashcards
• Maps
• Realia
• Mime
 VERBAL TECHNIQUES

• Use synonyms and definition-huge= very big

• Use antonyms and contrast- lazy=

hardworking
• Use context – texts, songs
 DICTIONARY USED
Study of :
• Guide words

• Meanings

• Multiple meanings

• Pronunciation

• Example of word use

 TRANSLATION

• Can save time by quickly dispensing

with the explanation of the word
• No contextual clues
THE END