EnglishClub TEFL Forums (archived)

Since I have not started my ESL teaching yet, I am doing tons of research and thinking about it. It strikes me that having a zillion pictures in your tool kit is a "given". I have used both flashcard-style picture decks and books with pages of pictures divided into various topics or locations.
Tell me your experience, or what works for you when trying to build English vocabulary.
I realize that saying a word and showing what the word looks like may not help when the individual has no idea what it is. The picture, of course, will increase the chances of keeping the word in memory.

Paul

If you want your students to keep any new learning in their memory you have to recall it within 24 hours. If it's not done it will drop to 75%.If it's not used within 48 hour it drops to 25%.To show them a picture of a new word is an excellent learning activity. I do the same.

Dear Paul,
I think that the first thing to do is setting your learning objectives. When you decide to go on a journey the first thing to choose is your travel destination and then how you will get there, what you will take with you and so on. The same is with ESL teaching. Some learning objectives favour an extensive use of images, others don't. (There are some subject matters really difficult to 'translate' into images)
However, I am a great fan of the use of images in ESL teaching. Apart from teaching the vocabulary, they perform a good number of precious functions, such as making a lesson more pleasant and interesting.
In order to teach the vocabulary you could alternate different kinds of activities.

I have found very effective proposing the students to build up their own bilingual glossary at the end of each lesson and share it with the others. At the end of the course, the whole glossary was printed and given to each student. This was a great help in making them memorise the vocabulary and in making them feel that they got a tangible result of the work done.
Kind regards,

Paola

Dear Paul,

Do you remember learning about the teaching methodology called Total Physical Response? Try incorporating it into your communicative-based curriculum. If you don't have the actual object in your classroom, you can always role-play with the flashcards. Utilize mnemonic devices involving emotion and motivation to achieve your professional goals.


Sincerely,

Eric Paul Monroe

http://www.eric-tesol.com/