Fifty Ways to Teach Vocabulary: Tips for ESL/EFL Teachers
Copyright © 2013 by Tamara Jones
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval
system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or
otherwise) without the prior written permission of the copyright owner.
Cover design by DJ Rogers.
Edited by Dorothy Zemach.
Published in the United States by Wayzgoose Press.
There Must Be
50 Ways
to Teach Vocabulary:
Tips for ESL/EFL Teachers
___________________________
Tamara Jones
___________________________
How To Use This Book
Most teachers use a textbook in class, which provides both instruction and practice – but, often, not enough
practice. Students need to practice again and again, and in different ways, not just to keep their interest but to
both learn and remember.
This book gives you ideas to help your students become proficient at learning and remembering vocabulary in
English. It can be used with any textbook, or without any textbook at all. It tells you how to adapt and extend
exercises; it gives you games and warm-ups that can be added to any class; it gives you methods to practice
both accuracy and fluency.
Not every idea will work for every student or for every class. That’s why there are fifty. We feel sure that
many of the ideas presented here will bring you results if you try them sincerely and practice them regularly.
Here is a suggested method for using this book:
1) Read through all of the fifty tips without stopping.
2) Read through the tips again. Choose five or six that you think might work for your class. Decide when you
will try them.
3) Choose different types of ideas: Some that can be done independently, and some that work along with your
textbook
4) Each time you use one of the ways, make a note about how well it worked for your class and why.
Remember that most of the tips will work best if you use them several times (or even make them a habit).
Don’t try a tip only once and decide it’s no good for your students. Give the tips you try a few chances, at
least.
5) Every few weeks, read through the tips again, and choose some new ones. Discontinue using any methods
that are not working for you.
Finally, consider trying some of the other books in our 50 Ways to Teach Them series. No one skill in English
is really separate from the others. Speaking, listening, reading, writing, vocabulary, and grammar are all
connected. Students who improve in one area will almost always improve in other areas too.
Introduction
This book is both for teachers who are new to ESL/EFL and teachers who are looking for more interactive
activities for their English classes. This isn’t an exploration of research and pedagogy, but a list of activities
and tips for making activities more effective.
Not all these ways may work for your class exactly as written. However, it is always a good idea to look at an
idea and think about how you could adapt it to fit your own context. When you read an idea, think about how
you could change it to fit your students’ ages, levels, culture, and interests. Please feel free to adapt the
activities in any way you like.
When considering trying the activities in this book, think about your course goals and objectives and which
activities would be most useful in helping you reach them. Some of these activities can be modified to
accompany or supplement a textbook; others provide opportunities to go beyond what your textbook might
provide.
This book is divided into three sections:
1. Introducing new vocabulary
2. Reviewing and remembering vocabulary
3. Assessment opportunities
Vocabulary is the foundation of successful language learning. Plainly put, ESL/EFL learners need to be
familiar with a great many words if they want to read, write, listen, or speak with ease. There are over one
million words in the English language, and students need to know at least 8,000 word families in order to
function comfortably (Schmitt, N., 2008). In fact, research by Hu and Nation (2000) shows students need to
understand 98% of the words in a text to adequately understand it, and Bonk (2000) suggests that students need
to know 95% of the words they hear to comfortably understand what someone is saying.
In addition to the sheer number of words and phrases students need to learn, what makes vocabulary
acquisition so tricky is that one “pass” is never enough. Nation (2001) argues that students need to engage
with a word between 5 and 20 times in order to learn it. In order to really “know” a word, learners need to
know, among other things, how to spell it, how to pronounce it, what other words it collocates with, what
prefixes and suffixes it takes, what grammatical patterns it fits with, and what positive or negative
associations it may have (Folse, 2004). That means, not only do teachers need to carefully select the words
that would be most useful for our students, but we also need to give them as many opportunities for varied
practice as possible.
Moreover, brain research (Caine and Caine, 2001) reveals that students learn the most easily when they are
interested and having fun. Games and activities that engage students, whether they are adults or children, will
help them create stronger memories and store these memories for longer. Therefore, the practice we provide
should not be limited to the gap fills and matching activities that our textbooks contain. Instead, in order to
help our students learn the vocabulary necessary for communication, teachers need to offer activities that are
engaging and which create powerful emotional memories of these words.
You can find the templates to use with some of the tips at: http://anglofile.com/50ways/. You are free to
photocopy and distribute these worksheets.
Bonk, W. J. (2000). Second language lexical knowledge and listening comprehension. International Journal
of Listening, 14, 14–31.
Caine, G. and Caine, R.N. (2001). Making Connections: Teaching and the Human Brain. Lebanon, IN: Dale
Seymour Publications.
Folse, K. (2004) Vocabulary Myths: Applying Second Language Research to Classroom Teaching. Ann
Arbor: University of Michigan Press.
Hu, M., & Nation, I.S.P. (2000). Vocabulary density and reading comprehension. Reading in a Foreign
Language, 13(1), 403–430.
Nation, I. S. P. (2001). Learning Vocabulary in Another Language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Schmitt, N. (2008). Instructed Second Language Vocabulary Learning. Los Angeles, London, New Delhi
and Singapore: SAGE Publications.
There must be …
50 Ways to Teach Them Vocabulary
Introducing New Vocabulary
1. Sell the Vocabulary: Tell students why they should make an effort to learn the target words. Research
proves that the biggest motivation for students to remember vocabulary is that they will use it in the future. So,
spend a few minutes explaining that the words will be useful in a particular context, like the grocery store, a
marketing meeting, or their biology class. The better you sell the words, the more likely the students are to
extend the effort to learn them!
2. Stress about Stress: There is usually no point to students learning new words if they can’t actually use
them in speech, so making sure learners can accurately pronounce the target vocabulary is key. The most
effective way to help students with their pronunciation is to have them learn the correct stress when they first
encounter a new word. In fact, incorrectly placed stress, as in syl-LA-ble instead of SYL-la-ble, causes far
more breakdowns in communication that merely swapping an /l/ for an /r/ sound. To help students feel the
stress in new words, give each student a rubber band, the thicker the better. Say the new word aloud and have
the students chorally repeat it several times, pulling on the rubber band as they say the stressed syllable.
3. Treasured Translations: For many years, teachers discouraged students from relying on L1 to L2
dictionaries, insisting that they use English / English dictionaries. However, recent research has demonstrated
that bilingual dictionaries are extremely useful for understanding new vocabulary. Rather than insist on
monolingual dictionary use, encourage your students to look up translations of words. Just be sure to caution
them about words with multiple meanings; the first translation may not be the most appropriate!
4. Vocabulary Log: Have students record new words in a vocabulary log or journal. The entry for each word
should include:
• a picture, synonym or clear definition in English
• a short example sentence
• the pronunciation (word stress, especially) of the word
• notes on antonyms, collocations or grammar idiosyncrasies, if appropriate
• a definition.
Students may need help with this, especially as they develop the habit, so when you introduce new vocabulary,
help by providing the definitions, example sentences, pronunciation, and notes. Give students time to write
everything in their books and to find a translation. This process is time consuming, but it gives students all
they need to review outside of class time and helps them quickly identify any misunderstandings or problems.
It’s really time well spent!
5. Seated Card Match: Prepare several sets of cards vocabulary cards with words on some and the
definitions or pictures on the others. (For easier organization, the target words should be on different colored
paper or printed in a different colored ink than the definitions.) Put students into pairs or small groups and
give each group a set of cards. Have them work together to match the words with their definitions. Groups can
share their answers with others until everyone is finished making the matches. Go over the answers together
and have students write words new to them in their logs. This is a nice way for students to demonstrate what
they already know and also realize what they don’t know.
6. Mark a Chart: Give each student a copy of a blank chart with 5 columns. In the first column, students can
write the target vocabulary. The remaining 4 columns should be headed: I don’t know this word at all. / I
have heard or seen this word before. / I understand this word. / I can use this word. Have students put an X
in the column which best expresses their level of familiarity with each of the words, one by one. After they
have finished marking their own charts, they share their answers with other students. If they put an X in any of
the last 3 columns (anything other than I don’t know this word at all.), they should explain what they know
about the word or where they heard or saw it. Students have a wide range of experiences and may know some
words that others don’t. This is a nice opportunity for students to learn from each other. Go through the words
as a class, and give students the opportunity to record unfamiliar words in their logs.
7. Video Vocabulary: Find a video clip on YouTube or a similar site that contains a lot of the vocabulary
associated with a specific topic. This can take some time, but the end result is worth it. For instance, if you
are teaching vegetable vocabulary, you might search for the clip about the vegetable orchestra – a group of
musicians who select vegetables from a market, carve them into musical instruments, and play them in a
concert. Play the video for the students and have them write down all the things that they see and know the
English words for. They can also write words in their language if they don’t know them in English. After
playing the video clip a few times at a regular speed, play it slowly or with frequent pauses and ask the
students to share the words they wrote in English. Check the answers as a class and have students document
the new words in their logs.
8. Switcheroo: Provide students with a picture rich with target vocabulary, or have them draw a picture. For
instance, if your students need to learn office vocabulary, give them a picture of a messy office or have them
sketch their own offices. Give students time to annotate the picture with words in their L1. Once they have
finished, they should write all the English translations they know beside the L1 labels. They can share with a
partner or in small groups to increase the number of translations they have on their papers. Check answers as a
class, and provide additional English vocabulary as needed.
9. Guessing from Context: Prepare a text with the target vocabulary underlined. Remember to keep the other
words in it fairly simple, as learners need to be able to understand most of what they read to guess the
meaning of unfamiliar words. Also, if you are writing the text yourself, include as many contextual clues and
in-text definitions (in commas, between dashes, or in parentheses) as possible while still maintaining the flow
of the text. Read it aloud. Have students work in pairs to figure out the meaning of the underlined words based
on the clues in the text. Check the answers as a class. Don’t forget to give students time to record the new
words in their logs.
10. Students as Teachers: Give each student a word from the target vocabulary list. Have them “research” it
and prepare a short presentation in which they give the synonym or definition, an example sentence, the
pronunciation, special notes on usage, and, if in a monolingual setting, the translation. Other students should be
taking notes in their logs while the presenter is teaching.
Reviewing Vocabulary
11. Moving Card Match: Prepare a set of vocabulary cards with the target words on one half of the cards and
their matching definitions or synonyms on the other half. Give each student one card and ask them to stand up,
walk around the classroom, and find the match to their word. Have students sit with their “partners” and read
aloud their word and definitions to the class. This is a great way to warm up your class and put them into new
pairs without taking up too much class time.
12. Grab It: Prepare several sets of vocabulary cards that just have the target vocabulary words on them.
Divide students into groups of no more than 8 and have them sit in circles. Spread the cards out, face up, in the
middle of each circle. Then, call out a definition of one of the target words. The students should race each
other to be the first to grab the correct word. To make the game manageable, students should be allowed only
one chance to grab a word. If they guess incorrectly, they have to sit out until a new definition is called. If a
student grabs a word correctly (check as a class), he/she gets to keep the word. When all the definitions have
been called and all the cards grabbed, the students count their cards. The one with the most cards in each
circle is the winner.
13. The Memory Game: Prepare several sets of cards vocabulary cards with words on some and the
definitions or pictures on the others, one set of cards for each group of 4-5 students. For easier organization,
the target words can be on differently colored paper or printed in a different color ink than the definitions.
Have groups shuffle their two sets of cards separately and spread them out face down, again in two groups:
target words in one group, and definitions in the other. Students then take turns turning two cards over, one
from each group, to see if they can find a pair that matches. If a student turns over a matching set, he/she gets
another turn -- but only once (otherwise, the strongest students get the most practice, and you want students to
have more or less equal practice). The student with the most pairs at the end of the game is the winner.
14. Board Game: Create a board game either by drawing it on paper or making it using the “table” feature on
your computer. (See http://anglofile.com/50ways/ for a template of a blank board game.) Write target
vocabulary words into each square. For fun, you might want to also add some “move 2 spaces forward” and
“move 2 spaces back” squares, as well. Put students into small groups and give each game pieces (if you
don’t have any, students can use coins or even small slips of paper) and dice. Students take turns rolling the
dice and moving around the game board. When one lands on a target word, he/she should make a sentence that
shows the meaning of the word. For instance, if the word is “recipe,” the student could say, I use a recipe to
make cookies but not I have a recipe. If the student makes a good sentence, he/she can stay on that square; but
if the sentence is not judged successful by the others, the student must move back to the previous square. The
student who reaches the “finish” first is the winner.
15. Shout It Out: Prepare a list of target vocabulary and the definitions. (If the words are relatively new to
students, you could write the vocabulary on the board.) Write all the students’ names on the board. Read a
definition at random. Give students some time to call out the correct word. Students get only one chance to
call out a word. If they shout out the wrong word, they must wait quietly until a new definition is called. If a
student correctly identifies the word, he/she gets a point next to his/her name. The student with the most points
at the end is the winner.
16. Line Up: Write all the vocabulary words on the board. Divide students into 4 or 5 teams and have them
line up in their teams facing the board. Assign each team a whiteboard marker color or chalk color. (You can
also give each team a number, if you don’t have colored markers or chalk.) Start with the first person in the
line of the first team. Give him/her a little time to choose a target word and make a sentence that shows its
meaning. If the sentence shows the meaning, the word is stressed correctly, and the grammar around the word
is accurate to the best of the student’s ability (for instance, if the word is a noun and the student has correctly
used the plural form), cross off the word from the board in the team color. If the word sentence is not good or
there is a problem with the pronunciation or grammar of the word, the word remains on the board. Whether or
not the student was successful, he/she moves to the back of the team line when his/her turn is over. Then, move
on to the first person from the second team line and give him/her a chance to choose a word and make a
sentence. After all the words have been crossed off the board, the team whose color appears the most
frequently is the winner. It is true that this game does limit the number of students speaking at any given point.
However, even when it is not their turn, the others will still be engaged planning their sentences and listening
to their teammates and competitors to see if they can identify and fix an error.
17. Vocabulary Circles: Prepare a list of conversation questions that are designed to prompt use of a specific
target vocabulary word. Write the questions on the board or give each student a copy of them. (To make it
easier for your students, you could put the word you want them to use in parentheses after each question.)
Divide the class in half and tell them to form two concentric circles, so that the first half of the class makes up
the inner circle and the second half makes up the outer circle. The inner circle should face out and the outer
circle should face in – so each student is looking directly at a partner from the other circle. Set a timer for 1
minute (or more) and have the students discuss the first question on the list so that they both get a chance to use
the target word, if possible. After the timer goes off, the inner circle stays in place, but the outer circle moves
clockwise one position, so students each face a new partner. Set the timer again and have the students discuss
the second question on the list and attempt to use the target vocabulary. Continue until all the questions have
been discussed.
18. Spelling Ball Toss: Bring a ball to class. Have all students stand up. Start by saying one of the target
vocabulary words aloud. Toss the ball to a student. He/she should spell the word. If it is correct, he/she can
say a new word, toss the ball to a different student, and have a seat. If the spelling is not correct, he/she
remains standing and tosses the ball to another student, who attempts to spell it correctly. Continue until
almost all students are sitting down (but don’t leave just one or two students standing alone, or they will feel
bad). Often we forget that spelling is an important part of “knowing” a word, so giving students chances to
practice this is important.
19. Line Up Races: Divide your class into fairly large groups (10 or more works best, if possible). Call out
the “topic” of the race. For instance, if your target vocabulary is related to school supplies, you might say,
Number of pencils in your bag. Students very quickly line up in their groups from the person who has the
most pencils in his/her bag to the person with the least pencils. Check the answers of the group that lines up
first to make sure they really have lined up in the correct order and give the team a point if they have. Then,
call out a new topic and have them race again. This works well with concrete vocabulary students can count.
Variation: To practice alphabetizing, give students pictures of target vocabulary and have them race to stand
in line so that all of the words are in alphabetical order.
20. Surveys: Write the target vocabulary on the board. As a class or in pairs, have students create surveys
comprised of questions containing target vocabulary. For instance, if you are teaching vocabulary associated
with hobbies, students could write questions like Do you collect stamps? or What is your favorite board
game? Students then circulate within the class asking the others the questions on their surveys and recording
the responses. If you have access to an English-speaking population, have students leave the class and survey
the others in the community. At the end of the question and answer time, students summarize the results of their
surveys for the whole class.
21. Play Dough Game: Prepare a set of vocabulary cards with the target words. (This activity works best
with concrete nouns.) Divide students into groups of no more than six. Give each group a piece of play dough
or modeling clay. Have one student from each group come to the front of the room and show them all the same
card. They should then return to their group and, without speaking or making any gestures, make the object out
of the clay. The first team to correctly identify the target word gets a point. Then, a different student from each
group comes to the front of the room to see a new card with a different word. Continue until you have run
through all the vocabulary words you want to review. The team with the most points is the winner. Variation:
This game can also be played by having the students draw the words on paper instead of using clay.
22. The Hot Seat: Divide students into groups of four or five. One student from each group turns his/her back
to the board. Write a word from your target vocabulary on the board so all the other students can see it. The
students then try to give their group member not facing the board clues about it. The students should not say
any part of the word (for instance, if the word is ice skates, the students cannot use the words ice or skate),
and they should not use gestures. The first person to correctly identify the word earns a point for his/her team.
Then, a different person from each team turns his/her back to the board and you write a different word. The
team with the most points at the end is the winner.
23. The Dice Game: Prepare a list of 12 target vocabulary words. Divide students into pairs or small groups
and give each group a copy of the 12 words and a pair of dice. Students take turns rolling the dice and making
sentences with the word that corresponds with the number they roll. For instance, if a student rolls 7, he/she
makes a sentence with the word beside the number 7 on the list. (Students choose whether or to use one or two
dice before they roll.) If the word is used and pronounced correctly and the meaning is demonstrated in the
sentence, the student can cross the word off the list and write his/her name next to it. If the sentence is not
correct, the student can’t cross off the word. Then, the next person gets a chance to roll the dice. If the word
next to the number is already crossed off, that person loses his/her turn, and the dice go to the next student. The
game ends when all the words are crossed off and the student who has written his/her name the most
frequently is the winner. (Note that you can buy special dice in some shops that go higher than the number 6;
you could also use three dice to create a list of more than 11 words.)
24. What They Said / What They Meant: Prepare several conversation questions that are designed to
prompt the use of specific vocabulary words. (To make it easier for your students, you could put the word you
want them to use in parentheses after each question.) Give each student a copy of the questions and put them
into pairs or groups of 3 or 4. Give groups time to discuss the questions. As they do, circulate with a notepad.
Listen and write examples of when the target vocabulary was used correctly and also of any mistakes you hear
with the vocabulary. After students have finished discussing, put two columns on the board, one with a √ and
one with an X. Read the examples aloud. Have students identify if the usage was successful usage or
unsuccessful, and write the sentence in the correct column. If the vocabulary word was used incorrectly, elicit
the correction from the class.
25. Vanishing Words: Write 10 target vocabulary words from a lesson on the board. Give students a minute to
look at them. Erase the words one by one in random order while students watch. Then, tell students to write
the words they remember seeing. They can compare their lists with a partner. Then show the students the list
again, and have them write sentences that show the meanings of the words they didn’t write on their lists. This
fun memory test is another great way to practice spelling!
26. Soap Opera Skits: Start by reviewing what a soap opera is and brainstorming as a class some common
(silly) plot twists in soap operas, such as love triangles, identical twins (evil and good), amnesia, and family
disputes. Write the target vocabulary on the board and divide students into groups of 3 or 4. Give students
some time to write a short soap opera scene that contains 5-7 words from your target list. After all groups are
prepared, have them act out their skits in front of the class.
27. Find a Word: When reviewing vocabulary lists, have students identify a word that they really want to
remember. Have them share the word with a partner and explain why they chose it. Then, have students find a
word that they don’t understand yet and share that with a partner. Students can also identify a word they think
sounds funny, one they like saying, or one that reminds them of something. This activity is an easy way to
provide multiple passes through the vocabulary list.
28. Flyswatter Game: Write the target vocabulary words on the board. Divide the class into three groups and
give each a different colored flyswatter. Call all the students to stand at the front of the room and have each
group send forward a representative with the team’s flyswatter. Read aloud a definition for one of the words
or a sentence with the word omitted. The flyswatter holders race to swat the corresponding word. Each
person only gets one chance to swat the word, and they should hold their flyswatters in place once they have
made their choice. If a person is correct, he/she earns a point for his/her team. Then the team representatives
quickly give the flyswatters to a different team member to give each student a chance to play. The team that has
the most points at the end is the winner. Variation: This game can also be played with vocabulary cards
spread out on a large table. Have the class form two teams, and line up on opposite sides of the table, facing
each other. Call out a word, definition, or even a sentence that uses the word, so that students hear the word in
context. The first students in line slap the correct word with their flyswatter. If a person slaps the correct card,
remove the card from the table. Continue until all cards are gone. Using flyswatters works better than having
students slap cards with their hands, so no one gets hurt!
29. Transformations: Prepare a list of vocabulary words that have multiple forms. Create a chart with the
headings noun, verb, adjective, and adverb. Arrange students in groups and give each group one of the words
from the list. Instruct the groups to use dictionaries to complete the chart listing all the forms of the word that
they can find. (They may be able to find more than one word for a given category). This is a good activity for
higher-level students, and it gives them practice with dictionary use.
30. Picture Sentences: Prepare a collection of interesting or provoking pictures from magazines. Write the
target vocabulary words on the board. Students can work in pairs or alone. Give each pair or student a picture
and ask them to write 5 sentences about the picture using 5 of the target vocabulary words. Students can share
their sentences with the class or a partner, and also hand them in to you for feedback. Variation: Have students
keep their pictures hidden from the others until they are finished. Then, display the pictures at the front of the
class. When students read out their sentences, the other students guess which picture is being described.
31. Pick a Card: Prepare a gap fill or similar kind of vocabulary review worksheet. Give students time on
their own or in pairs to complete it. When it is time to check the answers, divide the class into groups. Choose
a student from the first group to give the answer for the first question. If it is correct, the student can choose a
card from a regular deck of 52 cards, and the team gets the number of points that the student draws. For
instance, if a student draws a 10 of hearts, the team gets 10 points. (An ace is worth 1 point. Jacks are worth
11. Queens are worth 12. Kings are worth 13 points. For a shorter game, you can also remove the jacks,
queens, and kings.) Then, choose a student from a different team to answer the second question. Continue until
all the answers have been checked. The team with the most points is the winner.
32. Memory Pictures: Prepare a PowerPoint slide or overhead transparency with a picture containing a large
number of the target vocabulary. For instance, if the students are learning kitchen utensils, find a picture of a
messy kitchen. (The Internet is a great source of these kinds of pictures, especially Google images.) Show the
picture to the students for one minute. Then, hide it and give them time to write all the words for items they
can remember. After a few minutes, show the picture again and check answers as a class. If you want to make
it a game, give students 1 point for each word they wrote and an additional point for correct spelling. The
student who has the most points at the end is the winner.
33. Categories: Prepare a list of target vocabulary. (This works best with more abstract vocabulary and
words that do not fit into clear categories.) Arrange the class into small groups. Give each group the same
vocabulary list and have them discuss ways to categorize the words. After a few minutes, have them share
their categories with the class.
34. Snap: Prepare for each student one set of vocabulary cards with only pictures. (This activity is easiest to
organize if the sets are printed on different colored paper.) Put students into pairs and sit facing each other.
Have them put their cards face down in a pile in front of them. On the count of three, both students should turn
over the top card and place it face up on the table. If the cards are the same, the first student to correctly
identify the vocabulary word gets to keep both cards. If they are different, the students count to 3 again and
turn over another card. If the students turn over the whole deck and still have cards left, they simply shuffle
them and start again. Play continues until all the card matches have been claimed.
35. Dominoes: Prepare several sets of domino vocabulary cards. These cards should be divided in half: On
the left half have a vocabulary word, and on the right half have a definition or picture, though not the
corresponding definition of the picture. Make sure all of the words have a matching definition or picture.
Divide the class into groups of 3 or 4 and give each group a set of cards. Have students shuffle and deal all of
their cards. Begin the game by having the first student place a card in the center of the group. The next student
looks through his/her cards to see if he/she can find a matching definition for the word on the card or a word
to match the definition on that card. If the student can make a match, he/she puts the card beside the card in the
center, connecting it with the side of the card it matches with. (See Figure 1.) If the student cannot make a
match, the turn goes to the next person. The winner of the game is the first student to get rid of all of his/her
cards.
Figure 1: Dominoes cards
36. The M&M Game: This is a good activity for reviewing several different thematic units of vocabulary.
Prepare a list of different topics for which the students have studied the vocabulary. Write the list on the
board, designating each topic a different color of M&M or similar multicolored candy. Arrange the class into
groups of 3 or 4 and give each student a handful of candy. Have the students organize their candy by color and
tell them that in their conversation, they have to use one vocabulary word associated with the corresponding
topic for each candy they have. For example, if a student has 4 red candies, and red is the color for “travel,”
he/she must use 4 vocabulary words associated with travel. Each time a student uses a word, he/she can eat
the candy.
37. Who/What/Where Skits: Write a list of target vocabulary on one side of the board. On the other side of
the board, as a class brainstorm a list of occupations, objects, and places. There should be at least one
occupation and object for every student, and at least one location for each group. Divide students into groups
of 3 or 4. Give each student an occupation and an object, and each group a location. Groups then work to
write a short skit that contains 5-7 of the target vocabulary words. The characters in the skits should have the
assigned occupations, and the skit should also mention their objects. The skits should take place in the group’s
assigned location. Once the groups are ready, they can perform their skits in front of the class.
38. Correction Relay: Prepare a text containing several target vocabulary words. There should be errors
with these words; for instance, they should be misspelled, wrongly collocated, or the grammar associated
with these words should be incorrect. Put the text on a PowerPoint slide or overhead projector transparency
so that it can be projected on to a white board or onto a big piece of white paper fastened on the wall. Divide
the class into groups of 3 or 4 and give each group a different colored marker. Show the text on the white
board or paper. Have one student from each group stand at the text, at the same time, until they can identify and
correct one of the errors. As soon as a student corrects an error, he/she gives the marker to a teammate and sits
down. The game ends when all of the mistakes have been corrected. The winner is determined by counting the
corrections for each color; the winner is the team that corrected the most.
39. The Spinner: Create a spinner containing target vocabulary words. The spinner can be a circle cut into a
number of “pie pieces.” In each pie piece, write a vocabulary word. (See Figure 2 for a finished spinner; see
http://anglofile.com/50ways/ for a blank template of a spinner.) Divide students into pairs or small groups and
give each group a spinner. Have students open a paperclip so that it is in an “L” shape. Poke half of the “L”
through the center so the other half rests under the paper. Secure the part of the paperclip under the spinner
with tape, if you want. Thread a second paperclip over the upright part of the “L.” Students take turns spinning
the paperclip around the spinner. When a student lands on a pie piece, he/she makes a sentence with that word.
If the sentence is correct, the student claims that pie piece by writing his/her name on it. If the sentence is
incorrect, the student loses the turn. Then, play moves on to the next student. If a student spins and lands on a
pie piece already claimed by another student, he/she loses the turn. The game finishes when all the pie pieces
are claimed. The winner is the student who has the most pie pieces.
Figure 2: A Game Spinner
40. Write It Right: Prepare a list of target vocabulary. Divide the class into 2 or 3 groups. Call one
representative from each group to the board and give each a marker or chalk. Read one vocabulary word
aloud and have the representatives race to write it. The first student who spells the word correctly gets a point
for his/her team. The representatives then pass the marker or chalk to a different team member and sit down.
The winner of the game is the team with the most points.
41. Words on the Wall: Prepare a text containing a lot of the target vocabulary. (This activity works best with
words that take tight collocations or which appear commonly within linguistic chunks, such as phrasal verbs
or idioms.) Select several words from the text and write them on big slips of paper. Tape the papers on the
wall. (If you have a large class, you might want to create several sets of the words and tape them in various
groups around the class.) Students stand in small groups at the papers while you read the text aloud. Students
pull the words off the wall as they hear them. To follow up, have students put the words in order and recreate
the text.
42. Who/What Am I? Prepare two sets of vocabulary cards with words or pictures on them. Attach 1 card to
each student’s back so he/she can’t see it. Have students stand up and walk around the room asking the other
students yes/no questions about what is on their backs. For example, if you are teaching sports vocabulary,
you could put famous athletes on the students’ backs. They could ask questions like, Do I play my sport
outside? Do I play on a team? Do I use equipment? Limit them to 1 or 2 yes/no questions per person to
create more movement in the class. Once they have determined who/what they are, they sit down. When all
students are finished guessing what is on their backs, they can find their partners the people with the same
word or picture on the card, by looking at each other’s backs
43. Prefix Hollywood Squares: Create a Hollywood Squares stage using either a PowerPoint template
available online (Google Hollywood Squares template for several options) or by using 9 index cards with
pictures of celebrities on one side and prefixes, such as bio-, de- ex-, or pro-, on the other. Tape the cards to
the board in a 3 x 3 grid. Divide the class into 2 groups, the “X” team and the “O” team. The first group
chooses a celebrity and then gives the meaning of the prefix as well as an example word (or 2 or 3, you
decide) containing the prefix. If the student is able to correctly complete the task, the celebrity card is taken
down and the team gets to put an X or O in that square. If the sentence is not correct, the celebrity card is
returned to the space. Then the next team has a turn. The goal of the game is to make a straight row of either 3
X’s or 3 O’s.
44. Stand for your Word: Prepare a text containing a lot of the target vocabulary. Give each student a word,
phrase, or word category to listen for. For instance, if the students are studying furniture, ask some students to
listen for furniture commonly found in the living room, some students to listen for furniture found in the
kitchen, and others to listen for furniture found in the bedroom. Give each student a copy of the text so they can
follow along while you read it aloud. Have the students stand up and shout out or hold up papers showing the
category every time they hear one of “their” words.
45. Vocabulary Jeopardy: This game works well when you are reviewing several vocabulary topics at once.
Make a set of Jeopardy index cards. There should be 5 cards for each topic with target vocabulary words on
one side and numbers from 1 to 5 on the other. Ideally, the easier words would have lower numbers on them.
Tape the cards on the wall, number side facing out, so they line up in columns by category (See Figure 3).
Divide students into teams. Ask the first student from the first team to choose a category and point (number)
value. Read the word on the back of the card for that category. Give the student 5 seconds (or more or less) to
use the target language in a sentence that shows the meaning of the word. If he/she is successful, his/her team
gets the number of points on the front of the card, and the card is put aside. If he/she is unsuccessful, the card
is taped back on the wall. Then the first student from the second team gets a turn. The game continues until all
the words have been taken off the wall. The winning team is the one with the most points.
Figure 3: Jeopardy Game in Progress
Assessing Vocabulary Acquisition
46. Sentence Writing: Write a list of the target vocabulary words on the board. Instruct students to choose 5
– 10 words, however many you want to assess, and write sentences that clearly show the meaning of the word.
Grade the sentences for accuracy and use.
47. Recording and Transcriptions: Set a timer for 1 minute and have students record a spontaneous
monologue that uses a set number of vocabulary words. This can be done in class using tape recorders or
voice recording software on a computer. It is most convenient, however, for students to use their cell phones,
if available, to make a short recording. Tell students to listen and transcribe their recording. Then, either in
class or for homework, students should find any vocabulary errors and correct them on their transcription in a
different colored ink. Grade the transcription corrections by giving each student 100% for doing the
assignment. Subtract 5% for each vocabulary error they did not correct or corrected incorrectly.
48. Hunt for Vocabulary: Prepare a text that contains a large number of the words you want to test. Under the
text, list questions designed to help students identify the words from the text. For instance in a text about
extreme weather, you might ask questions like What word means “not having any rain for a long time”? or
What word means “when the ground moves”? Grade students on the accuracy of their answers.
49. Oral Quizzes: Write all the target vocabulary words on the board. Provide the class with an activity they
can work on quietly without your help. Call 2 students to your desk or a semi-private place where they can
easily see the board. Set a timer for 2 or 3 minutes. Have the students carry on a conversation in which each of
them uses 3 of the words. (They have to use a total of 6 words in the conversation; marks are not given for
repeated words.) Grade the accuracy and pronunciation of the words. See http://anglofile.com/50ways/ for a
template of a grade sheet.
50. Presentations: Prepare a list of target vocabulary and designate 3 - 5 different vocabulary words for each
student. Instruct the students to plan and practice a presentation using their words. Grade the presentation on
the accuracy and pronunciation of the words. See http://anglofile.com/50ways/ for a template of a grade sheet.
Bonus tip!
51. Circulate and Correct: Having an activity with a lot of group work can be a bit disorienting for teachers.
We may not know what we should be doing while the students are working together. However, this is a good
chance to circulate and correct vocabulary errors. We can correct by recasting (saying the correct version of
the mistake) or by restating (saying the mistake again but as a question) or by using metalinguistic cues
(saying, for example, You need the third person singular or explicitly (saying exactly what was wrong and
explaining how to correct it). Experts don’t agree on which is the “best” way to correct, so it is probably wise
to use a variety of these methods. The most important thing to remember is that the student needs to
acknowledge the correction by producing an accurate version him/herself. That way, it will be remembered
more easily for next time.
*****
If your students are motivated, or if they need further practice, consider recommending our companion title for
students, Fifty Ways to Practice Vocabulary, by Dr. Belinda Young-Davy, that gives students techniques and
advice in critical areas of vocabulary acquisition: Finding and Learning New Words, Flashcards, Practicing
and Remembering Vocabulary, and Vocabulary Games. (Self-study guides for students of English are also
available in the areas of reading, listening, speaking, and writing.)
Other titles in our 50 Ways to Teach series include Speaking, Listening, Reading, Writing, Grammar, and
Young Learners. Look for 50 Ways to Teach Teenagers coming at the close of 2013.
50 Ways to Practice Vocabulary
Finding and Learning New Words
1. Make smart choices. You don’t need to learn every English word that you see or hear. Choose words that
will be useful to you. For example, choose academic vocabulary if you are studying for a college entrance
exam. However, choose conversational vocabulary and words for directions, food, hotels, and transportation
for travel.
2. Look a word up twice. First, use a bilingual dictionary to look up the word and get a general idea of the
meaning. Next, look the word up in an English-only dictionary. An English-only dictionary will give you a
more specific definition and idiomatic usages. It will also show grammatically accurate and useful example
sentences. This will show you how to use the word in addition to just the meaning.
3. Learn how to say it. Use an online dictionary with a pronunciation feature when you look up a new word.
Practice pronunciation, especially word stress.
4. To increase your vocabulary, use a magazine. Choose a magazine with many pictures in it. Pick a page
and label every object in the picture in English. Look up words you don’t know. You can also photocopy the
page and label the photocopy. Use the unlabeled picture to ‘test’ yourself later.
5. Keep an English vocabulary notebook with you at all times. Write down new words that you see in
advertisements; read in a book or magazine; or hear spoken by teachers, friends, on TV, etc. Every day, go
through the notebook and decide which words are the most useful. Then study those words.
To read the next 45 tips – and one bonus tip – pick up the book at any major retailer of ebooks or visit our
website for purchasing information.
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About the Author
Tamara Jones has been an ESL instructor for 17 years. She has taught in Russia, Korea, England, the USA,
and Belgium, where she is currently an instructor at the British School of Brussels. Tamara holds a Ph.D. in
Education from the University of Sheffield in the UK. She is the co-author of Q Listening and Speaking Level
4, Oxford University Press.
About the Series
Teaching English as a second or foreign language is full of challenges: How do you hold students’ interest?
How do you ensure that they get enough practice to really learn? The Fifty Ways to Teach Them series gives
you a variety of drills, games, techniques, methods, and ideas to help your students master English. Most of the
ideas can be used for both beginning and advanced classes. Many require little to no preparation or special
materials. The ideas can be used with any textbook, or without a textbook at all. These short, practical guides
aim to make your teaching life easier, and your students’ lives more rewarding and successful.
Note: We have priced these 50 Ways to Teach Them very cheaply, because we want education and learning to
be available to as many people as possible. However, our authors are highly qualified professionals who
work hard to create these books. If these books are useful to you, please recommend them to your friends – but
please do not share them freely. Our authors will continue to write excellent and cheap books for you if they
make a little money. That way, we all win. Thank you for your support! If you have comments or suggestions
(such as ideas for future books that you would find useful), feel free to contact the publisher at
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