Vocabulary Teaching in Junior Middle School

Yusheng Li /Marko

Outline

1. Introduction: the current situation of vocabulary teaching in the Junior Middle School2. A literature review

2.1 Several aspects of lexis and vocabulary teaching

2.2 Memory and storage systems

3. How to organize vocabulary teaching in Junior Middle School

3.1 The characteristics of vocabulary teaching of Junior Middle School

3.2 The procedures of vocabulary teaching

3.3 Four principles in vocabulary teaching

4. Vocabulary teaching strategies

4.1 The strategy in the presentation stage

4.2 Strategy in the application stage

4.3 Strategy in the assessment stage

5. Conclusion

Vocabulary Teaching in Junior Middle School

Abstract: It is well known that vocabulary plays a very important role in language study

because it is the essence of a language. Without vocabulary, there would be no sentence,

no text and no language. Therefore, in order to master a language well, it’s necessary for

language learners to learn vocabulary well, and teachers should pay much attention to

vocabulary teaching. But in fact, it seems very difficult to do the job well. Learners are

always troubled in memory comprehension of vocabulary. The same phenomenon also

appears in Junior Middle Schools. Many students would have difficulties in studying the

English vocabulary and that has become one of the main reasons which restricts their

English improvement. In this paper, the author focuses on vocabulary teaching in Junior

Middle School and tries to find some more effective ways in vocabulary teaching in

Junior Middle School.

Keywords: Vocabulary teaching; denotation and connotation; memory and storage

system; strategies

1. Introduction: the current situation of vocabulary teaching in the Junior Middle

School

Most Junior Middle School students (at the age of 12-15) have been learning English

since Elementary School, so they have already got some basic knowledge of English.

They have mastered 300-500 words before they enter the Junior Middle School. But

English learning in Junior Middle School is much different from that in the Elementary

School. Students are required to learn 300-400 words every term (about 30-40 new words

in a unit), so here comes the problem for the young learners – the expansion of

vocabulary. Many students devote a large amount of time and energy to the learning of

vocabulary, but they still complain that it is hard to memorize the words and there is no

way to avoid forgetting. Generally speaking, there are two problems: one is that students

treat vocabulary items indiscriminately; the other is that students learn vocabulary in an

ineffective way, such as learning a word in isolation. They often lack skills to learn

vocabulary.

English teachers of Junior Middle Schools are paying much more attention to

looking for proper teaching methods to organize their classes. They have made great

effort and have some valuable experience in vocabulary teaching. But in recent years, we

specially emphasize listening and speaking respectively in English teaching, which

separates vocabulary from listening and speaking. Many English teachers hold the wrong

view that vocabulary is the simplest thing in English learning and students can deal with

it themselves, so they ignore vocabulary teaching all the time. Usually, they would teach

vocabulary in such a rote way: teaching new words before explaining the text, explaining

new words by simply translating them into Chinese, giving some examples using the

very new word and asking students to follow reading the new words. What’s worse,

teachers seldom teach the skills of learning vocabulary, and few of them have a clear

mind to have the students develop vocabulary awareness and vocabulary building

strategies.

2. A literature review

2.1 Several aspects of Lexis and vocabulary teaching

Cairns and Redman (1986: 17-38) published their work Vocabulary and Language

Teaching in which they pointed out there are several aspects of lexis that need to be taken

into account when teaching, i.e.

Boundaries between conceptual meanings: knowing not only what lexis refers to,

but also the boundaries of words. (e.g. pen, bag, desk)

Polysemy: distinguishing between the various meanings of a single word with

several closely related meanings (e.g. head of a person, head of a line, head of the

government)

Homonymy: distinguishing between the various meanings of a single word which

has several meanings but not closely related (e.g. a file: ① used to put papers in ② a

tool that is used for cutting)

Homophony: understanding words that have the same pronunciation but the

spellings and meanings are different (e.g. some, sum)

Synonymy: distinguishing between the different shades of meaning that synonyms

have (e.g. happy, glad, pleased, excited)

Affective meaning: distinguishing between the attitudinal and emotional factors

(connotation), which depend on the speakers’ attitude or the situation. The socio-

cultural association of lexical items is another important factor.

Style, register, dialect: being able to distinguish between different levels of

formality, the effect of different context and topics, as well as differences in

geographical variation.

Translation: awareness of certain differences and similarities between the native

and the foreign language

Chunks of language: multi-word verbs, idioms, strong and weak collocations,

lexical phrases.

Grammar of vocabulary: learning the rules that enable students to build up different

forms of the word or even different words from that word (e.g. sit, sat, sitting;

possible, impossible)

Pronunciation: ability to express items in speech.

The implication of these aspects is the goal of vocabulary teaching so that vocabulary

teaching must be more than simply covering a certain number of words on a word list.

We must help learners realize this global concept of what it means to know a lexical item.

Peter Strevens (1997: 34-36) stated his theory in his book that teachers should have the

task of vocabulary teaching involved in five aspects, and the effect of teaching in a class

is closely related to these five aspects:

To teach the meaning of the lexis. As English is much different from our mother

language, the denotation and connotation of some English words might not be the

same between the two languages. The main task of vocabulary teaching is to make

the students understand the meaning of the word.

To teach how to use the word. It involves the collocation between words and

words, idioms, lexical phrases, styles, and register. Different words should appear in

different places. Take register, for example. Lexis can be classified into formal and

informal, commendatory and derogatory. So “children” is neutral, “kids” is informal,

and “offspring” is the formal form.

To teach the information of the lexis. The information of the lexis involves the

function of the word, prefix, suffix, spelling, pronunciation, etc. These are the basic

knowledge for English learners.

To teach the grammar of the lexis. The grammar of lexis means the rules to build

up different forms of the word, and also the countable noun or uncountable noun,

transitive verb or intransitive verb, and what object(s) should go after “to do” or

“doing”; whether it can have a subordinate clause or not, etc.

To teach the strategies of learning vocabulary. English teaching is not only the

teaching of English knowledge, but also training students in the capacity of learning.

That is to say, teachers should focus on the training of learning skills and learning

strategies. Some people say vocabulary cannot be taught, but it can only be learned

by students themselves. This is perhaps partially true.

2.2 Memory and storage systems

Understanding how our memory works will help us create more effective ways to

teach vocabulary. Cairns’ book (1986: 56) can offer us some insights into this process:

“It seems that new items involves storing them first in our short-term memory, and

afterwards in long-term memory. We are unable to control this process consciously but

there seems to be some important clues to consider. First, retention in short-term memory

is not effective if the number of chunks of information is over seven. This suggests that

in a given class we should not aim at teaching more than this number.”

Research also suggests that our “mental lexicon” is highly organized and efficient,

and that semantically related items are stored together. Word frequency is another factor

that affects storage, as the most frequently used words are easier to retrieve, so we can

use this theory to facilitate the vocabulary teaching by grouping vocabulary in semantic

fields.

Oxford (1990: 67-68) suggests memory strategies to help learning, and his theory

can be divided into four steps:

(1) Creating images and sounds: grouping, associating, placing new words into

context

(2) Applying images and sounds: using imagery, semantic mapping, using keywords

and representing sounds in memory

(3) Reviewing well in a structured way

(4) Employing action: physical response or sensation

These techniques can be used to greater advantage if we can make students aware of

different memory strategies.

Forgetting seems to be an inevitable factor in vocabulary learning, unless learners

regularly use the words they have learned. That means review and recycle is important,

and it would be ideal if it happens one or two days after learning the new words. After

that, weekly or monthly tests can check on them. In Wang Qiang’s book (Wang Qiang

2002: 27), she presented some figures to prove that regular review helps to maintain the

largest amount of recall:

According to the above figures, regular review helps consolidate vocabulary, and

vocabulary learning without regular review is ineffective.

Some research also shows that the learning efficiency will be better if the learner

tries to memorize words isolatable. To memorize a group of new words in six times (each

time for ten minutes) is much better than to keep on memorizing them for 60 minutes.

In addition, it would be very interesting that the memory and storage system are

closely related to learners’ emotion. The more actively the learners act in the activities,

the better the teaching effect we would have. And learners’ own need and interests play a

very important role during the learning and storing. Those things that they do not need or

are not interested in would make the learning become rote, so that those lexical items are

also difficult to store in the memory.

3. How to organize vocabulary teaching in the Junior Middle School

3.1 The characteristics of vocabulary teaching of Junior Middle School

We may summarize the characteristics of vocabulary teaching of Junior Middle

School mainly in two aspects: the learning level of the students and the textbook used in

class. The Junior Middle School students (about 14-15years old) usually have some basic

English knowledge but lack vocabulary strategies of their own, which we have discussed

in the previous part (part one). Here we go on to focus on the English textbook used in

the Junior Middle School. The English textbook we are using now would have several

characteristics as follows:

The text book provides about 300-400 new words a term, 30 new words in a unit,

that is to say, about seven new words will be taught to the students in an average class.

According to Gairns’s theory of memory and storage system, seven new words is just the

proper number, for at one time student might not have difficulties to master them.

The semantic field theory of vocabulary is widely used in the textbook. According

to the topic of different units, it provides different semantic fields. Take the textbook

“Success with English” (SE for short) for example; there is a job field which includes

“nurse, footballer, reporter, driver, photographer” in Unit 1, Lesson 3, and another food

field, which includes “Coke, French fries, potato, tomato” in Unit 3, Lesson 9.

Antonyms. The two opposite words are put together, such as “win” and “lose” in

SE 3A, Unit 2, Lesson 6.

Lexical phrases are adopted for helping learners to master them well, such as “hear

about” is put together with “hear from” in SE 3A, Unit 7, Lesson 25. No doubt this

enables the students to know the use of “hear” well.

Prefixes and suffixes. Students can also learn some formation of vocabulary from

the textbook, like “polite, politely, impolite, impolitely” in SE 3 A, Unit 4, Lesson 15.

Grammar teaching and vocabulary teaching are combined together sometimes. On

Page 16 of SE 3A, there is a grammar lesson of learning the infinitive and the –ing form

after verbs, and it’s a vocabulary lesson to learn the use of these verbs at the same time.

From all the above, we can find many familiar elements of Junior Middle School

vocabulary teaching while comparing to the theory in 2.2, which warns us that

vocabulary teaching should not be taught in such a rote way, but shall be part of the

syllabus and taught in well-planned teaching and on a regular basis.

3.2 The procedures of vocabulary teaching

According to Paulston and Bruder (1976: 35-61), vocabulary teaching is usually

processed as the following three steps:

(1) Present the lexis. The presentation aims to make the students know the

meaning, structure and use of the word. The method to present these three aspects should

be different. Here is the classification.

Meaning: real objects, gestures, pictures, make definitions, guess the meaning from

the text, forms, translation, ask and answer questions, etc.

Structure and use: make examples, do explanation, ask and answer graphic

method, etc.

(2) Apply the lexis. To apply the words as if to master them: participating in using

the word can make the words turn to the learners’ own vocabulary. Vocabulary teaching

activities should be designed to offer as many chances as possible to have the students

use the words they have just learnt. These activities should be set in a proper language

situation in order to make the students more active and avoid listening and reading in a

rote way.

(3) Estimate. After the training, it is necessary for the teachers to measure and test

the learning effect of the students. Students can summarize their learning strategies from

it and make a preparation for the later vocabulary learning.

3.3 Four principles in vocabulary teaching

While teaching vocabulary, there are four principles that we should follow,

according to Solange Moras (2002). The four principles play a role as a guide and

measurement.

Selection of vocabulary. The selection of vocabulary should be based on the

students’ demand and interest. Words related to the students’ life and experience would

make it easier for students to master them. While teaching a text, teachers should select

the important words or the keywords of the text. Meanwhile, we should choose the words

that are more frequently used.

The application principle. Vocabulary teaching shouldn’t be presented only in two

aspects --- the meaning and the use of lexis. The more important aspect is the application

of vocabulary. The application activities should be based on the characteristics of

students themselves and we should have the student master the words by using them.

Furthermore, we should encourage students to build up their own awareness of

vocabulary links. To control the frequency and quality of application practice is also

useful.

The feedback principle. It means that the assessment and test of the vocabulary

learning should be on time. The way of testing should be various, and the assessment of

learning strategies is as important as the assessment of learning effect.

Group work. Working in groups helps foster learning independence. And specially

in vocabulary work, learners can exchange knowledge and ask each other to explain

unknown items.

4 Vocabulary teaching strategies

According to the three steps of the vocabulary teaching process, which were stated in

3.2, the strategy of vocabulary teaching should be classified as three different kinds.

4.1 The strategy in the presentation stage

In the presentation stage, the main task of vocabulary teaching is to make learners

know the new words well and form a deep expression. Here are some examples:

Word net-work

Word net-work is a funny game to present words. Learners can learn new words and

review the old words at the same time. The game has three procedures:

(1) Choose a topic, such as “house”

(2) Let the students present all the vocabulary that is related to “house”

(3) Help the students classify the words in different semantic fields and clarify the

connection of these words.

Find the new words

It means we should have the students learn the new words and the use of them when

they read the very text. There are a few points:

(1) Show the text to students

(2) Provide the students with the exercise which could help them master the

collocation use of words

(3) Students read the text and finish the exercise

(4) Check the students’ exercise and summarize and explain the words or phrases in

the teaching plan.

Ask and answer

The teacher can guide students to learn the new words or phrases by asking

questions, and all the questions are connected with the very new words or phrases. Here

is the example:

T: Have you ever done any shopping?

S: Yes, certainly.

T: Where do you often shop?

S: (supermarket)

T: Who serves you?

S: (Salesgirl / shop assistant)

T: What do they usually say to you?

S: (Can I help you? / What can I do for you?)

T: How do you ask the price?

S: (What’s the price ------ ? / How much is ----- ? / How much does ----- cost?)

T: Where do you pay?

S: (The cashier’s)

Using the thermometers

These are useful for indicating different degrees in size, speed, age, distance, emotion,

etc. Students are given a list of words in jumbled order. They have to place these words

in the correct place on the thermometer. Spratt’s example (1985: 227) in his book can

give us a vivid description：

4.2 Strategy in the application stage

Activities of applying vocabulary are helpful for storing the words in memory. The

words can turn out to be the students’ own words only in this way.

Labeling

Students are given a picture. They are to write the names of the objects indicated in

the picture. A competitive element can be introduced by making the student who finishes

first to be the winner.

Spotting the differences

Students are put into pairs. Each member of the pair receives a picture, which is

slightly different from his partner’s. Students hide the pictures from one another and

then, by a process of describing, questioning and answering, discover what the

differences are.

Playing a game

Students are shown a picture or a story with many objects in it, or a series of

different flash cards or magazine pictures. They have one or two minutes to memorize as

many of the objects as they can. The cards, pictures or tray are then taken away and the

students have to say what they saw, or write down everything they can remember seeing,

then compare their answers with the rest of the class.

Using word series / semantic groups

Students construct the series following an example which is taken from Wang

Qian’s book:

Example: Cutlery: knife fork spoon

Transport: _______ ________ ______ _______

Vehicles: ________ ________ ______ _______

Furniture: _______ ________ ______ ________

Buildings: _______ ________ ______ ________

Word association

The teacher says a key word, e.g. traveling. The students then have to write down all

the words they can think of connected with traveling. They have a time limit, e.g. two

minutes. When time is up, the person with the largest number of acceptable words is the

winner.

Odd man out

The teacher writes a set of words on the blackboard and asks the students to find the

“odd man out.” For example, in the set of “cheese, eggs, oranges, bread, soap, and meat,”

the word “soap” is the “odd man out.”

Synonyms and antonyms

The students are given a list of words and asked to find pairs of words, either

synonyms or antonyms. The words in the box below are six pairs of synonyms and six

pairs of antonyms. Ask the students to find them out. Here is an example from Bo Bing’s

book (薄冰 1998: 326)

full jumper optimistic go on choose dirtyawake select wait a minute pullover pessimistic rudeclean continue hang on empty asleep lazyawful hard-working impolite terrible thin thick

4.3 The strategy in the assessment and test stage

We have several ways to assess and test the students’ learning effort besides doing

exam papers.

Drawing and describing

First, the teacher designs a picture according to the vocabulary and gives it to the

students. Then the teacher asks the students to write the suitable vocabulary in the right

place in the picture. We might pay attention to the form and grammar of the words.

Word puzzles

The game is familiar to us, and it’s thought to be useful in the vocabulary teaching

of junior middle school. Here are some examples in Liu Ruicheng’s book (2004: 56－57)

Self-estimate

Here are the standards for vocabulary self-assessment, and it has four degrees:

I can use it

correctly.

I know the

meaning, but I

can’t use it yet.

I think I know the

meaning, but I am

not sure.

I don’t know it.

Teachers might ask the students to estimate and summarize their learning effort.

Students are divided into pairs, and they can help each other to solve the problems and

the difficulties. Then those who have solved their problems should join in other groups to

help them.

The teacher’s job is to check the general effort and solve problems that students

cannot deal with.

Ask the students to design and do the very text themselves

(1) Students are divided into groups of four members

(2) Each group should design some questions using the vocabulary they learnt

before. Group members work and discuss together to present the questions. Here

is the sample of the questions:

·What’s the meaning of the phrase “as thick as thieves”

·The adjective for the noun “energy” is ?

·The negative of “helpful” is _____.

·The opposite of “careful” is ______.

·Lemons taste ______.

·In order to cook the dumplings, we have to _____ them in the hot water.

(3) Group A shows the questions, Group B tries to answer it, and the other groups

play a role as the judge. Then Group B asks Group C their questions, Group C

asks Group D, etc.

(4) The teacher selects and announces the best group; at the same time, he should

solve the problems and difficulties in the game.

5. Conclusion

People attach great importance to English learning nowadays and more and more

English teaching methods have been adopted in China. However, vocabulary teaching is

still in an inconspicuous place. We have held a wrong view for a long time that

vocabulary is the simplest part of learning English. But actually vocabulary is the most

difficult job for most students. It’s too often that we hear students complain that they

keep learning and forgetting new words. But few teachers are aware of this teaching

problem and most haven’t thought much about how to improve their teaching strategies

to make teaching more effective.

Vocabulary teaching is not an easy subject. Our English teachers should refresh their

minds and learn more about it to improve their teaching activities. There is much work

for us to do in order to make vocabulary teaching more reasonable and more effective.

This research paper is far from solving all the problems, but I hope it can offer some

useful resources to the vocabulary teaching in junior middle school. And I hope more

research work will be done to make our English teaching more and more effective.

References

[1] Christina B. Paulston & Mary N. Bruder. Teaching English as a Second Language:

Technique and Procedures [M].Winthrop Publisher, 1976

[2] Gairns, R & Redman, S. Working with Words-----A guide to Teaching and Learning

Vocabulary [M], 1986

[3] Oxford, R. Language Learning Strategies [M], Newbury House, 1990

[4] Peter Strevens. New Orientation in the Teaching of English [M].Oxford University

Press, 1977

[5] Solange Moras. Teaching Vocabulary to Advanced Students: A Lexical Approach [A].

http://www.chinaetr.com/Article_Show.asp?ArticleID=702

[6] Spratt, M. Consolidating Vocabulary [M], Cambridge University Press, 1985

[7] Majian，Phrase-Approach to Vocabulary Teaching[A],

http://www.17net.net/Article/Class2/Class43/200407/466_3.html