Vocabulary Development

One of the biggest components teachers of ELLs focus on is vocabulary development.  Think about it.  There are over 1,000,000 words in the English language.  This number is increasing daily with new technologies, innovations, and slang infiltrating.  When you combine these words with others it may keep the meaning intact or it may change it entirely.  We have idioms, synonyms, antonyms, homophones... Being native in the language is difficult enough.  What about our students who come from a non English background?  What a feat to navigate!

There are five component that make up reading (vocabulary instruction leads to reading development):

1. phonemic awareness (think only using ears)
2. phonics (it involves both ears and eyes)
3. fluency
4. vocabulary 
5. comprehension

Today we will only focus on vocabulary.  If you scour the internet and print sources, you will find hundreds of strategies to use with ELLs when you teach vocabulary.  Since most of us don't have hours to devote to this kinds of research, allow me to boil the basics down for you.

1. You must create a "word-rich" classroom.  Have you books so they can be accessed by students. Alphabet needs to be at eye level (if possible).  
2. Directly & explicitly teach vocabulary daily.  When introducing a vocabulary word to an ELL, the best way is to provide the definition.  Work together to create a student/teacher definition.  Do not have them copy definitions down.  They will not retain the words this way.  Do you remember the vocabulary lessons from high school?  Boring.
3. Involve the students.  Make it engaging.  Use visuals.  Use conversation.  Use body motions.  Use what you can to engage the students and get them to participate.
4. Utilize antonyms and synonyms.  Perhaps don't employ that specific vocabulary when describing the activity but the concept is important.  "Let's make a list of words that mean the opposite for soggy.  Now that we have a list of opposites, we know what isn't soggy.  Let's come up with words that have a similar meaning to soggy."
5. Don't be afraid to teach your ELLs the morphemic analysis of words.  This means that you teach them root words, prefixes and suffixes.  How do these parts change the meaning of the word?
6. Most importantly (especially in ESL)-SIGHT WORDS! In the life of an ELL, when they are encountered new vocabulary day in and day out, the familiarity of those sight words are not only welcomed but they are beneficial.  They allow for the brain to process the next word to be encountered instead of waging war against a word that doesn't follow conventional standards and should be recognized in an instant.

This information was derived from ESL Partyland.  Please visit the link so that you can take advantage of the many resources shared within this space.