...Chapter Two 8 Teaching Vocabulary 8 Textbook analysis……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….....................20 CONCLUSION ...22 INTRODUCTION It seems almost impossible to overstate the power of words; they literally have changed and will continue to change the course of world history. Perhaps the greatest tools we can give students for succeeding, not only in their education but more generally in life, is a large, rich vocabulary and the skills for using those words. Our ability to function in today’s complex social and economic world is mightily affected by our language skills and word knowledge. Words are the primary building blocks of effective communication. Although gestures and facial expressions work well in face-to-face communication, words carry the weight of meaning when people are removed from each other in distance and time.The linguist David Wilkins summed up the importance of vocabulary in this way:”Without grammar very little can be conveyed, without vocabulary nothing can be conveyed”. His view is echoed from a course book (Dellar H and Hocking D, Innovations, LTP):”If you spend most of your time studying grammar, your English will not improve very much. You will see most improvement if you learn more words and expressions. You can say very little with grammar, but you can say almost anything with words!” The aim of the current term paper is to learn more about Vocabulary Teaching and to analyze...
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...Learners of English have to deal with unfamiliar vocabulary during their language acquisition. Traditionally, vocabulary has not been a particular subject for students to learn, but has been taught within lessons of speaking, lstening, reading, and writing. Vocabulary knowledge involves more than knowing word definitions and knowing how to find the meanings of unknown words and phrases, interpret literal vs. non-literal language and understand shades of word meaning. It also creates better reading comprehension and the ability to engage, produce and talk about texts. Students who know more words and can also use them in the right context have a significant advantage in school and can continue using that skill to their advantage in college and career. Students can use of note taking to progress learning vocabulary. Note-taking is the practice of recording information captured from another source (Carter, John F.; Van Matre, Nicholas H. 1975).Vocabulary is one of five core components of reading instruction that are essential to successfully teach children how to read. These core components include phonemic awareness, phonics and word study, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension (Nation, 2001). The concept of a word can be defined in various ways, but three significant aspects need to be aware of and focus on are form, meaning, and use....
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...This essay will confirm this theory by analysing bilingual’s cognitive affect in memory, task switching and attention and demonstrate how these aspects relate to having a better academic performance. Numerous studies were found measuring and comparing memory, task switching and attention of bilingual and monolingual children. Result have indicate that bilingual consist of many cognitive advantage that outperformed monolinguals in cognitive task, however bilingual experience more difficulty when approaching in verbal and vocabulary task. Overall Studies showed evidence of cognitive advantage in bilingual children that may result in a better academic performance. Bilingual Children and Academic Performance Education is a form of learning and acquiring the knowledge and skills that are transferred from one generation to the next. (Lee, 2009) Academic performance in a student educational journey is one of the most significant aspects in regards to a child’s academic outcome. In many cases it is often promoted that being bilingual is a contributing factor to enhancing a child’s academic performance. In Australia, statistics show that there are around 22 million Australians speaking in approximately 400 different languages or were either bilingual (Australian Bureau Statistics, 2009). As statistics highlight the fact that there is an increasing rate of people who communicate in more than one language, researches are shifting towards the need for support and understanding of bilingualism...
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...The importance of learning English English is the most widely used language in the world. Therefore, having great English skills will have numerous advantages. Luckily, I have realized the importance of learning English and worked hard on it since I was a child. However, 13 years of learning English experience didn’t lead me to success, but being a person who can hardly communicate in English and definitely unable to write an essay. Once I came to the USA, I knew that I had made too many mistakes in learning English. Those mistakes are translating English into different languages, don’t learn vocabulary as much as I can, and don’t read and write enough. First of all, every language is unique. They usually have different grammar and use of vocabulary, which means learning English by translating it into different languages will lead to an inevitable defeat. For example, I have worked hard on learning a lot of vocabulary by translating them into Chinese. I thought it was a good idea to build up my vocabulary in order to read and write better. However, those translation processes were hugely disappointing. At that time, I failed to express my idea accurately by those translated vocabulary. As a consequence, good grade and improvement seemed untouchable. Also, when I either wrote or read, I had to use Chinese to think about the passage. As a result, I didn’t do it well and did it very slowly. When I came to the USA, I desperately and completely stopped translation. Just a year of time...
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...Learning a foreign language can be a daunting challenge, but can also be one of the most rewarding experiences in one’s life. The journey to fluency is a long and difficult path, in part because foreign language learning is not a single skill. It is the intensive coordination of multiple skill sets. These include memory, cognitive problem solving, internalizing grammar, speech fluidity, listening comprehension, and vocabulary. To the foreign language learner the process is slow and growth is almost imperceptible. However, through exposure to comprehensible input a language learner can improve (Krashen, 1985). The input hypothesis (IH) “assumes that we acquire language by understanding messages” (Krashen 1985). This hypothesis states that language learners only grow when exposed to language that is just out of their level of comfort, but can be understood (Krashen 1985, 1995). The language learner level is “l” and the level needed for growth is “i+l”. This pushes students to broaden their understanding and acquire more language knowledge. The type of input can be any type of language material as long as it is at...
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...Ocul 10 – Br. Lucian Athanasius CHAPTER 1 I. INTRODUCTION Language has a great impact to the society. We are living in a world filled with different cultures behaviors, nationalities and languages. Because of these differences, the ideas of learning and using a universal language have been able to unite our diverse population (Goshgarian, 1992). We will be able to communicate to people around the world by learning the language, despite the language barrier. Now what will happen if schools and universities will introduce a new language to the students? Last S.Y. 2011-2012, La Salle University – Integrated School added Mandarin classes as part of the academic curriculum. It was exciting, yet very challenging, for students who first encountered the language. For the next months, students grew interested in Mandarin. Students have learned the basics, studied the Chinese alphabet and learned how to write Chinese characters. Chinese songs and dances were also introduced. “No one is born with the capacity to speak a language; he grows up with it, he absorbs it, he practices it” (Irmscher,1972). It takes commitment and interest to learn a new language. The introduction of Mandarin allowed students to enhance and expand their vocabulary. The student body and the administration truly appreciated the new language. By this, we can express our ideas and comprehend thoughts to a whole new world. At the end of this research paper, we will be able to emphasize the importance of language...
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...are immense benefits of having impressive knowledge pertaining to such a wide ranged subject. Abilities such as critical thinking and close reading are important for handling everyday tasks and problems effectively. Communication through writing and speech can be enhanced through vocabulary and grammar as well as appreciation for the language. Being proficient in English increases the amount of opportunities one can have throughout a lifetime. English class plays a crucial role in ones education and contributes essential skills used frequently in the real world. Throughout history, language has been proven to be powerful enough to both bring nations together, but also completely destroy them. It is fascinating to see world altering events such as the Holocaust and creation of the Declaration of Independence, along with countless more turning points be influenced by language. Proper diction and rhetoric allows one to clearly express ideas and thoughts, but also be purposely misinterpreted in order to control and take advantage of the subject. On a smaller scale, language is necessary to solve problems and think critically. Analyzing situations and concepts prevents one from getting taken advantage of or wronged by someone with corrupt intentions. It was surprising to discover that vicious advertisements rely on and target illiterate consumers to be convinced by deceitful language in order to sell products. To prevent one from becoming a victim to crooked businesses, one can...
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...University- ESL 423N December 24, 2012 Abstract Teachers have to have a skill when it comes to teaching English Language Learners students because they require double the help just like a student that may have a learning disability. The teacher has to be comfortable with themselves and their teaching strategies in order to run successful classroom with English Language Learners because the student are learning a new language and skills. As well the teacher should use a diverse instruction because not all the children learn the same and require the same needs. Needless, to say every teacher should incorporate different learning concepts and instructions that tailor the classroom. The teacher should have lessons and instructions that teach the students communication ranging to understanding skills. Meanwhile, teachers should have several strategies that will keep their student focus on learning so when it comes to taking assessments the student will comprehend and pass without struggling. Today society considers America to be like the Melting Pot because America has so much to offer and have a blend of different cultures. Instructional Strategies I think teachers know that English Language Learners need specific instructions while in school, class, or the learning environment period. I truly believe that there are multiple strategies or teaching methods that can be used to teach English Language Learners. The paper will discuss some components for teaching instructional...
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...language barriers. At the sometime, how to learning is a frequent topic of discussion languages. Some argue that understanding the country as well as the cultures and lifestyles of the people who speak it is benefit to learn a language. Personally, I agree with this opinion. A language is not only including vocabulary and grammar; also the cultures and lifestyle are mutually exclusive. In the first place, without understanding the cultures, we might use the language in some wrong cases. For example, it is wired when you staring talking with climate in English speaking countries, however it is a normal beginning in China. In the second place, lifestyle is a key factor to learning a language, especially in writing essays. In western area, essays always begin the writer’s views. In contrast, in our country, we prefer to render our opinions at the end of the essays. In the third place, learning about the country has the inherent advantage of learning language. More specifically, some special words restrict to some countries. If you never been there, you would not understand such words accurately. Admittedly, there would be some drawbacks if you learn a language in this way. To begin with, it is time-consuming. Generally, understanding a language’s background cost more time than only learning grammar and vocabulary. In addition, it is also expensive. Travelling aboard is luxury to an ordinary student. In a nutshell, I am conceded that learning about the country the cultures and lifestyles...
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...students’ reading motivation, and in an attempt to foster the amount of time students spend reading in the classroom and thus ameliorate their motivation, proficiency gains, and the prerequisite skills and knowledge in the target language, another alternative motivating strategy, for adult university students, could be simply sustained silent reading. For second/foreign language learners, sustained silent reading has become one among the best strategies for improving intrinsic motivation, gains in literacy, and language development. It refers to students’ reading self-selected books with no assessment on what they read. Krashen (2004) regarded devoting a time of 5 to 15 minutes each day to be sufficiently enough for recreational reading. The advantages of sustained silent reading can be summarized in the subsequent quote enlightened by Krashen (2004, p.3): The goal of [sustained silent reading] is to develop a taste for reading, to stimulate the once-reluctant reader to read more outside the school. Rather than forcing reading, and possibly making it distasteful, small doses are more likely to work. It is not the actual time reading during [sustained silent reading] that counts, it is the desire to read more than...
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...Reading As a Tool for Vocabulary Acquisition among Preschool Children Maiya Bianca Aguila, Alwyn John Lim & Catherine Francia De La Salle University Manila August 2013 Vocabulary acquisition is an essential part of young children’s literacy development, particularly their reading skills. It has been seen that acquiring a normal vocabulary is prerequisite for reading comprehension (Becker, 1977; Chall & Conard, 1991: Chall et al., 1990). This means that for a child to become a successful reader by the time he enters elementary he must be able to acquire the vocabulary necessary for his age. However, unlike phonics and other literacy skills, building basic vocabulary requires continuing support and there must be ongoing effort to introduce and explain new vocabulary (Hassan, 2012). Although the usual approach of presenting students with list of words to be mastered has been proven effective, research tells us that a great deal of vocabulary acquisition can take place through reading (Cho &n Choi, 2008; Elley, 1989, 1991; Vivas, 1996; Mason & Krashen, 2004; Krashen, 2004; Wang & Lee, 2007). As early as infants, children are being exposed to printed storybooks where they encounter new words to enhance their vocabulary. Research shows that reading to babies and toddlers yields promising results. Children who were exposed to story reading at an early age demonstrate greater language comprehension and larger vocabularies (Jacobson, 2006). Early...
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...SUCCESSFUL LANGUAGE LEARNER Learning a foreign language has many economic, cultural, and social advantages. People who learn a foreign language will increase their freedom and have extra job opportunities. Being fluent in a foreign language helps people easily communicate with others from various cultures without difficulty, and these people learn about others’ way of life. By speaking the language, people can assimilate into a new society. It is not easy to learn a language correctly and successfully; however, it is not impossible if a language learner has confidence, eagerness, and creativity. To be a successful language learner, a person has to have confidence to talk with native speakers. Confidence is totally different from arrogance. Arrogance is the notion of being somewhat confident by feeling better than others and belittling others. Confidence is about believing in one’s abilities and potential. People who lack confidence usually feel afraid of changing and making mistakes. However, confidence does not just happen in one day, confidence comes from within, and only the person has the power to grow it. Therefore, if a language learner wants to be successful, he has to be brave to interact with native speakers. By communicating with native speakers, the person can learn new sounds, pronunciation, intonation, and accent. A person should not worry about upsetting the native speaker because the best language learner should not be a perfectionist. Willingness to make mistakes...
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...A brief history of EFL teaching-styles3 3. Teaching „the skills“4 4. Motivational advantages8 5. Providing literary knowledge8 6. The cultural aspect 10 7. Encouraging/developing critical thinking 11 8. Conclusion 12 References 14 1.) Introduction: In this paper I would like to discuss the advantages that teaching the short story as a major part of a teaching concept brings to the EFL classroom and present several example tasks of how to integrate short stories into ones „teaching portfolio“. Whereas some people might believe that teaching the short story benefits students only from a linguistic standpoint, those people really do not get the big picture. Yes, there are obvious linguistic benefits you can draw from teaching short stories, but the most important factor is motivation. This hales from the structure of short stories themselves. As almost all of them have a beginning, a main part and an ending, students are most likely encouraged to read the story all the way through, to see what the outcome might be. Sure, the structure of most novels or plays might be similar, but the length of the short story is the big advantage. If a student knows, that he does not have to read 200 and more pages to finish the story but rather a maximum of ten to fifteen pages, he is more likely to stay motivated. Another factor to favor the short story as teaching material is time itself. With the use of a short story one can fill two to three teaching units and...
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...Learning Disabilities and the Classroom Melissa C. Strange Grand Canyon University: Learning Disabilities and the Classroom Learning disabilities in the classroom is prevalent in many of our schools across The United States and the World. There has been much confusion and controversy over students with learning disabilities, some feeling that it is a disability and others feel that the students is classified or labeled as lazy and not wanting to learn. It is essential for there to be many support systems and individuals for a student that has disabilities. Such support systems can be called a Special Education Team. Some members of this team would be, Nicole DeMarco (Special Education), Lori Daily (Regular Education), Melissa Smith (Instructional Coach), Patti Hester (Counselor), and Betty Crawford (School Nurse). What are some necessary skills in organizing and planning strategies for classroom management including grouping, scheduling, lesson plans, homework strategies, record keeping, and selecting instructional materials? Also by observing a teacher what are some of her classroom management strategies and who are the members of the Special Education Team? Organization and planning strategies for classroom management are absolutely necessary for teachers and students alike. Successful classroom management is a vital part of a healthy classroom atmosphere. Detailed and well thought out organization and planning gives students structure, guidance, and for each...
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...commercially available these days which suit all programs. However, we teachers continue searching for ways to support our work and we tend to spend a considerable amount of time on finding, selecting, adapting and making material to use in the classroom. Why do teachers continue this complex undertaking? Simply because designing materials, although time-consuming, has advantages that outnumber the disadvantages. For instance; Bock (2013) advocates three main advantages for producing own material. The first one is contextualization. The benefit of having contextualized material is that learners perceive there is more meaning in what they are learning; therefore it is much more motivating for them. The second advantage is timeliness. Material produced by the teachers could include texts that be actualized, thus, students will be more interested in learning a second language in an actual context and, the last advantage is the personalization, also called “personal touch” which means that students appreciate material which is “home-made” because they feel that the teacher is taking into account their interests and learning styles. In order to design our “kit” we have taken into account the three previous reasons (contextualization, timeless and our “personal touch”) Contextualization: According to Donough and Shaw (1993) in order to contextualize, we as teachers have to keep in mind the learners characteristics and the setting. Learners’ characteristics: Our material has...
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