SKKN Some methods for teaching and learning vocabulary to the grade 5 students

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1. Research rationale.

We all know that, in the era of informatics and technology, English is widely spoken internationally and has become the second language of many countries. Thanks for English, people all over the world can connect and become more friendly to each other through facebook, zalo…. English is the language with various vocabulary so learners and users often meet some difficulties in learning and using fluently English.

Vocabulary is one of the most important elements in learning English. If learners want to be good at English, in any skill:  Listening, speaking, reading or writing also they need to have  rich vocabulary. In general, however, they are so lazy in learning new words, so they often make mistakes in spelling, writing, pronunciation, use words incorrectly and not followed by the right situation…

The problems above occur due to learners do not know how to learn vocabulary in right ways, or maybe they come from the English teaching method when teachers do not paying as much attention to teaching vocabulary as other skills because they think that learners can do it well by them selves, so they skipped it.

How do learners get vocabulary that they need and can use them in the most effective way and make a suitable habit for learning vocabulary ? By the experience in my teaching process and through research materials, I would like to propose some methods of teaching and learning vocabulary for elementary school students of grade 5 … primary school, Tho Xuan Dist., Thanh Hoa province.

1.2.Reseach purpse.

The objectives of this Research are to find out and summarize some methods of teaching and learning vocabulary for grade 5 students at primary schools … better.

1.3. Reseach object.

Research object is the methods for vocabulary teaching and learning to grade 5 students at primary school … in Tho Xuan District.

1.4 Reseach method.

a.Theoretical research method.

1. Practical research  method.

c.Appliep research method.

2.THE CONTENT OF EXPERIENCE INITIATIVE

2.1. Rationale.

For English learners, vocabulary is considered the most important means, it is the root of beginning to learn English. In any skill (listening – speaking – reading – writing), they needrich vocabulary.Especially it is important for them to know three factors when using the English words: form, meaning, and usage (use in context).

2.2  Issues  reality before applying Experience  initiative:

*Teacher Issues:

Almost teachers are enthusiastic for researching and providing suitable teaching methods. However, some teachers do not pay attention to finding new ways to teach vocabulary in every lesson. To make the lesson more interesting, the teachers have to make pictures of illustration to help their students remember the words easily and direct their attention to the topic or the focus of the lesson. Thus teachers can find the talented students who have good skills in learning English. On the contrary, teachers who do not prepare teaching materials enough, their students learn mechanically and passively; they are not interested in the lesson. Class time is still limited, taking time for students to memorize and deepen vocabulary is slow.

 Lack of facilities,  visual equipment such as pictures, English teaching rooms….

*Student Issues: 

During school hours, students are excited because they are most interested in learning English. On the other hand, there are some students who have passive attitude when they are learning and not really positive in the class. Others are too shy, afraid to ask teachers for help. Many students think that English vocabulary is hard to remember and takes a lot of time because they have not remembered new words in their heart and they also do not write regularly or learn new lessons and forget the old ones because they have no communicative environment to practice. Not all parents know how to teach English vocabulary for their children at home and many parents do not care about their children’s learning.

In my teaching – grade 5 – experiences in school year ( ). I often check the student’s vocabulary in the following ways:

* Teacher guides students play some games to memorize vocabulary.

– Network

Ask students to work individually to find words related to the given topic.

For example:

                 January

April

                                      March                                 

                 February                                       

                                                                     March

*Matching

For example:

          Call a student go to the board and match the words in column A with phrase word in column B to make the meaningful words.

          Jumbler words.

           For example:

I give some words that are disordered letters, then ask students to rearrange them into meaningful words. Then ask some students read their words in front of the class.

dctor = doctor

urnes = nurse  

arrmfe = farmer   

pstmoan = postman

But after these tests, the quality of the result is not high, only approximately.

Survey results before and after applying with 32 students of Grade 5A:

            2.3. Solutions.

             In an English lesson, most lessons have a section “Vocabulary Introduction”. In order to achieve high results, students must know how to pronounce and how to use the words. In that way, teachers need to select skills that are appropriate for each word so that students are easy to understand, remember and use. Through the teaching and researching process, I would like to offer some methods of teaching and learning common English vocabulary that I think students are interested in learning and being able to make high efficiency.

           Solution 1 : Choose new words to teach

Normally, new words appear in a lesson. But not all new words are taught equally. To choose suitable new words to teach, each teacher must consider the following issues:

1. Active and passive vocabulary.

– Active words are words that students understand, recognize and use in written and communication.

– Passive words are words that students only understand and recognize when listening and reading.

How to teach and introduce these two types of words are different. *Active words are related to all four skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing, need to take many times to introduce and practice more, especially the way how to use. With passive words, can only stop at the recognition level, no need to practice. Therefore teachers need to know and decide which words are active and which words are passive.

Example: 

 – Unit 8 – What are you reading ?  B4,5,6,7 (English grade 5)  teachers must determine:

– Active vocabulary:

go -> went

sit -> sat

talk -> talked

buy -> bought

                                                    take -> took

-Passive vocabulary: 

sunny, hot, souvenir shop, great

1. Have students already known thosenew words ?

 In order not to waste time, teacher must always ensure that the words he teaches are words need to teach –the new words for students who do not know.

Solution 2 : Factors to clarify when introducing new words

When introducing vocabulary, it is necessary to specify 3 basic elements of language: form, semantics (meaning), usage (use in context).

When introducing new words if the words are only written and defined as in the dictionary, they do not guarantee students how to use them in communication in English, especially with active words. Students need to know how to pronounce not only single words but also to recognize and use those words in a series of words and especially know the meaning and usage in particular contexts. So the factors that need to be clarified when introducing new words are expressed through:

2.1. Spelling 

2.2. Pronunciation 

2.3. Lexical meaning

2.4. Grammatical form

2.5. Use in context