Building Vocabulary
in an Adult EAL
Conversation Group
Heather McIntosh + Ann Tigchelaar
October 2014
What’s In a Name?
Print your first name on the front and full name on the back.
Explain to your partner:
- how you say and spell your name (other spellings)
- what your name means
- who named you and why you were given your name
- if your name is popular in your culture
- nicknames you have
Building Vocabulary … What
we will be talking about today:
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Assessing Needs
Where to start
How to present vocabulary
How to practice vocabulary
Group Task
How to remember vocabulary
Wind down
ASSESSING NEEDS

Imagine you are working with a group of
newcomer learners. How would you decide
what to teach?
WHERE TO START
Turn to your partner:
Have you ever bought clothing that you
weren’t happy with?
What was the problem?
What did you do?
Describe what happened.
Is it the same in your country as it is in
Canada?
Target vocabulary

refund

store policy

an in-store credit

too short / tight / loose
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receipt

sale item
Listen to a conversation between a store clerk
and a customer who wants to return a pair
of pants.
What’s the problem?
What does the customer want?
What is the store policy?
DEBRIEF
Why did we start with pair questions?
How did we elicit the target words?
Why did we use a listening activity?
How did we choose the words?
CHOOSING VOCABULARY
 select
5 – 6 common high frequency words
Receipt
other forms – bill
 show in context – in a dialogue, in a brochure,
in a (news) story
 focus on how to use the words, not just what
they mean
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HOW TO PRESENT
NEW VOCABULARY
TARGET VOCABULARY

refund

store policy

an in-store credit

too short / tight / loose

receipt

sale item
Receipt
How do we say it?
Silent ‘p’, stress
How do we write it?
receipt
What does it mean?
A piece of
paper which
shows you have
paid for
something
Receipt (cont’d)
How do you use it in a sentence?
“Do you have your receipt?”
(noun)
“I lost my receipt.”
(noun)
“I couldn’t find the receipt?”
(noun)
What word(s) go with ‘receipt’?
get a receipt
give a receipt
keep your receipt
would you like your receipt?
What word(s) go with ‘too …’?
too tight / loose / short / long
PARTICIPANT TASK
receipt
credit
store policy
refund
sale item
too …
How do you say it?
How do you write it?
What does it mean?
How do you use it?
What does it make you
think of?
What word(s) go with it?
HOW TO PRACTICE
FIRST STEP ACTIVITIES

Designed to have learners recognize
(read, hear) the target words in a
controlled context:
◦ Low stress – no pressure to produce
◦ ‘ A hundred ways to do the same thing’
SECOND STEP ACTIVITIES

Designed to have learners produce
(say, write) the target language in a
controlled context
◦ No pressure to create language; use of
target language is limited and supported
◦ Focus on accuracy
THIRD STEP ACTIVITIES

Designed to have learners use the
language in a natural way to accomplish
a real life purpose
◦ Learners choose what to say in a
prescribed context
◦ Focus is on fluency, not accuracy
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
Look at the dialogue.
Choose 5 - 6 words to focus on.
Each group will be given one part of the
lesson to develop and ‘teach’.
Introducing the topic
Presenting the vocabulary
First step practice
Second step practice
Third step practice
REMEMBERING WORDS
Think about how you learned another
language. Share with a partner.
STRATEGIES
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Association
Mnemonics
Vocabulary cards
Post-it notes
3-point approach
Vocabulary log
Choose 1-2 words and use them in daily
life
WIND DOWN
TASK: PAIR CROSSWORD
Work with a partner to review the
important words of the day.
RECAP
What we discussed today:
- where to start
- how to present
- how to practice
- how to remember
Final thoughts on building vocabulary
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Recycle, recycle, recycle

Think of ways students can practice the
words – through listening, speaking,
reading, writing

Use real contexts, real objects, visuals
Thank you!
Heather McIntosh
[email protected]
Ann Tigchelaar
[email protected]