Ways to Improve Vocabulary for ESL Students

Words are the building blocks of any language. That is why
many ESL teachers put so much stress on vocabulary lessons for their students.
Since mastering vocabulary is so crucial, teachers should put extra effort so
the students can absorb as many practical vocabularies as they can.

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If you’re looking for ideas to improve vocabulary for ESL
students, the followings are some helpful tips that should be useful to you.

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#1. Context, context, context!

Teaching vocabulary as an isolated lesson is old school. And
not the good kind of old school. Often times, such teaching method leave
students finding themselves reading a word and struggling to figure out what it
means.

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Tying words in a meaningful
way to their context allows the students to gauge which words to use in
which context. Students comprehend the words better when they can make a
connection to the context.

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Imagine teaching the words priceless and worthless. In
English, these two words are the opposite of each other. In other languages, a literal
translation of these two may be one and the same.

#2. Use new words in phrases

Word’s don’t stand alone. We use them in conjunction with
other words to make phrases and sentences.  

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Teach the students short phrases that contain the new words
to learn how to connect those words with another to signify meaning. Soon,
using those words will become intuitive
to them. They’ll even be able to use the words in real situations and context.

#3. Apply visual cues

You can easily improve students’ vocabulary comprehension
using images. For instance, when describing the words for various illnesses
such as headache, stomachache, and the likes. Having an image right next to the
word can provide an additional anchor that ties the word to its meaning. While
it may seem childish, it works really well.

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Flashcards,
either paper or digital, are very useful when it comes to providing visual
cues. They’re a lot of fun and can be customized to fit younger and older
students too.

#4. Remember Repetition

Exposing students to new words should be followed by
repeating the words down line. This can be done either within the same context
or a different one to test their comprehension.

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Pay attention to repetition when you build vocabulary lesson
plans for ESL students. Have a quick
review at the end of the class and review the ones learned in the previous
class. Be sure to use the new words in classes during normal conversations so
the students don’t have the chance to forget them.

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As the students prepare for an upcoming exam, review the
words once again. Have the students write a short paragraph or two using the new words they have learned. This
way they will not only know the meaning of the words when they read a passage, but
they will also know how to produce them actively to communicate.

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That’s all for our simple vocabulary strategies. Remember,
it takes time to notice the improvements. Don’t be disheartened if the progress
seems slow. If it’s moving in the right direction, then you’re alright.

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By the way, let your students know about the online-spellcheck.com. It’s a
handy online tool that can correct their spelling as they learn new
vocabularies.