How to learn new words having fun

Question

I have trouble with making students (at high school) learn new words. They don't have so much eagerness to learn not only new words but anything. Not all of them though, of course. So I'm thinking that I could do some games in class but I'm lack of ideas. I just know "bingo", "crossword pazzle" and ... nothing else. So I'd like to ask you what you have done, did or are going to do in class or your ideas. I'd like my students to have fun in class and to let them know that learning English and English itself is interesting and fun!

Thank you

D

Lionel In Paris · Accepted Answer

Games are great ,keep it it light, keep it fun, make 'em laugh, they won't even know they are learning.

1) Word of the Day. Pick a word (hopefully unknown to the class) Put it in a sentence and ask if anyone can work out the meaning from the context. If they are wrong , no fuss, pass on to the next, if you get the correct definition, big smile congratulate him/her on divining the meaning. If they are all baffled try a new sentence. If after three sentences they are still baffled , define the word for them and get them to make up the sentences. Write the word on the board and leave it there 'till the next day.

2) Opposites. Whats the opposite of *****?. First one to reply wins, now they ask the question. Whats the opposite of *****?. Fast and fun, throw in a few weird / silly/ funny/ difficult words.

3) Another word for......Similar to 'Opposites' but now playing with synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic phrases, related words and contrasted words.

4) Tell me a story. You start the story off; it then passes from one person to another building as it goes. There are no limits to the hows whys and when. It will take on a life of its own. Fun and fast. When they get the idea put up a few words on the board ( weird/ silly/ funny/ difficult) and get them to include one or more in their story.

Hope this helps

Lionel

Amelie · Answer

Our teacher makes some kind of competition. She gives the explanation of a word in English. The one, who first gives the right answer, gets a card. A person, who gathers the biggest number of cards, is the winner. It turns out that if you even don’t want to learn new word, you will, because you will hear the correct answer. And it is fun!
Everyone wants to be the best. This is a stimulus. :-)

TeacherJoe · Answer

Hi Shicchan,

I teach large classes with 40 students or more, so I have to find ways to get all students to practice. For vocabulary, I have students make a list of words from the textbook or from whatever text we've been reading in class, then on the right side of the same paper, they must write a simple definition. Here's a simple example:

1. banana 1. long, yellow fruit

2. tomorrow 2. the day after today

3. radio 3. we can listen to it and hear music and live news reports

I usually have students write at least ten words for one list. Then the students ask each other the meaning of any five words out of the ten. This way, the student who answers doesn't know which word is coming next. I use a timer to see how long it takes for them to ask and answer five questions. (For lower level students, I let them answer with the number. So if the question is, "What does 'tomorrow' mean?", the student can just say "2". With advanced students, they have to say "Tomorrow means the day after today".) We do the same exercise several times, and students always do faster the second, third, and fourth times.

For more information on how to do this kind of practice for speaking or grammar, go to www.teacherjoe.us/TeachersTimedPP.html.

Anonymous · Answer

Sometimes the best way to make a student retain any information is to make all students participants of the classroom. Give them a set of words on a sheet of paper and make them write the definitions (for retention). Give them five minutes to write a short story of there (or your) choosing. Let them read there story aloud!  Additionally you could make them speak the new words they learned in class to you or to classmates when asking questions.

How to learn new words having fun

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