20 Strategies for Active Learning of Vocabulary by: Jan Baker
TO LEARN VOCABULARY EFFECTIVELY YOU NEED TO DO SOMETHING WITH IT
1. Think of it as a challenge not a chore – your attitude is MOST important – WANT to learn them.
2. Read the words in silence several times – then try & do a memory test – how many can you do without looking?
3. Cover the words and test yourself – or get someone to test you.
4. Use a word fan – make a fan (fold the paper several times) & write the English on one side/French on the other & so on.
5. Concentrate on the difficult words & link them to something you know eg. clay keys (the word for key is clé – pronounced clay).
6. Write the words out over and over – English with French and vice versa – do more and more from memory each time.
7. Make up a rhythm – tap out the words as you say them.
8. Record the words onto tape.
9. Listen to them over & over from the tape.
10. Try and spell out the words with the French alphabet.
11. Remember what you teacher tells you about them – think about what was said in the lesson – read your notes as well.
12. Try and make the words rhyme or make up a rap.
13. Read the words out loud – fast/slow/loud/quiet.
14. Break up the words – mus/ique prof/es/seur.
15. Invent a song/poem with the words in.
16. Sort them by gender/groups/patterns - fruit/vegetables/which adjective follows which rule or colour code them.
17. Group them alphabetically.
18. Jumble up the letters & try & rearrange them in the correct order & then give the English.
19. Draw the words & label.
20. Write out the words with letters missing – vowels? – then gap fill.
TO LEARN VOCABULARY EFFECTIVELY YOU NEED TO DO SOMETHING WITH IT
1. Think of it as a challenge not a chore – your attitude is MOST important – WANT to learn them.
2. Read the words in silence several times – then try & do a memory test – how many can you do without looking?
3. Cover the words and test yourself – or get someone to test you.
4. Use a word fan – make a fan (fold the paper several times) & write the English on one side/French on the other & so on.
5. Concentrate on the difficult words & link them to something you know eg. clay keys (the word for key is clé – pronounced clay).
6. Write the words out over and over – English with French and vice versa – do more and more from memory each time.
7. Make up a rhythm – tap out the words as you say them.
8. Record the words onto tape.
9. Listen to them over & over from the tape.
10. Try and spell out the words with the French alphabet.
11. Remember what you teacher tells you about them – think about what was said in the lesson – read your notes as well.
12. Try and make the words rhyme or make up a rap.
13. Read the words out loud – fast/slow/loud/quiet.
14. Break up the words – mus/ique prof/es/seur.
15. Invent a song/poem with the words in.
16. Sort them by gender/groups/patterns - fruit/vegetables/which adjective follows which rule or colour code them.
17. Group them alphabetically.
18. Jumble up the letters & try & rearrange them in the correct order & then give the English.
19. Draw the words & label.
20. Write out the words with letters missing – vowels? – then gap fill.