Methods and Principles of Teaching Vocabulary

   Paragraph Writing: On an example topic about geography the teacher may ask the students to write a paragraph in their own words on the major geographical features of Turkey. They can do this from memory, or they can use the reading passage in the lesson as a model.

   Clearly the Direct Method is a shift away from the Grammar Translation Method. One of its positive points is that it promises to teach the language and Not about the language. More advantages can be listed as follows:

• It is a natural method which teaches language the same way the mother tongue is acquired. Only the target language is used and the learning is contextulaized.
• Its emphasis on speech made it more attractive for those who have needs of real communication in the target language.
• It was one of the first methods to introduce the teaching of vocabulary through realia. [32,58]

 
 

2.2.2 Audio-lingual method 

     This method of Language Learning is also called the Aural-Oral Method. This method is said to result in rapid acquisition of speaking and listening skills. The audio-lingual method drills students in the use of grammatical sentence patterns. When this method was developed it was thought that the way to acquire the sentence patterns of the second language was through conditioning or helping learners to respond correctly to stimuli through shaping and reinforcement.

The Audio-lingual Method is based on the following principles:

• Speaking and listening competence preceded reading and writing competence.
• Use of German is highly discouraged in the classroom.
• The development of language skills is a matter of habit formulation.
• Students practice particular patterns of language through structured dialogue and drill until response is automatic.
• Structured patterns in language are taught using repetitive drills.
• The emphasis is on having students produce error free utterances.
• This method of language learning supports kinesthetic learning styles.
• Only everyday vocabulary and sentences are taught. Concrete vocabulary is taught through demonstration, objects, and pictures. Abstract vocabulary is taught through association of ideas.
• The printed word must be kept away from the second language learner as long as possible.

            Types of activities using Audio-lingual method:

     1. Dialog Memorization: Students are given a short dialog to memorize then they must use mimicry and applied role playing to present the dialog. Examples of dialogs that could be used are included in the materials section. 
Objective: Experiment with language and non-verbal elements (eg. gesture) to achieve an effect for a particular purpose and audience.

     2. Backward Build Up: Provide students with the the sentence fragments found in the materials section. Students repeat each part of the sentence starting at the end of the sentence and expanding backwards through the sentence adding each part in sequence. [31,45]

     Objective: Participate in a variety of shared language experiences.

     3. Transformation Drill: The teacher provides a question which must be transformed into a statement. An extension of this activity is to have the students make a question out of a statement.

     Objective: Select from a range of word choices and use simple sentence patterns to communicate ideas and information. Appendix C

     4. Complete the Dialog: Have the students fill in the blanks in the dialogs provided. The proper English word must be inserted into the text. This activity is much like a cloze activity.

     Objective: Make connections between text, prior knowledge, and personal experiences.

     5. Dictation: Using any piece of literature at the students' reading level, read the piece aloud several times. Have the students write down what they hear. The idea is to write what they have heard as literally as possible.

     Objective: Listen purposefully to determine main ideas and important details.

     6. Flashcards: Using flashcards with words that are relevant to them brainstorm other words about the word on the card. A new word could be chosen each day. Objective: Make connections between text, prior knowledge, and personal experiences.

     7. Chain Drill: A chain of conversation forms around the room as the teacher greets or questions a student and that student responds then turns to the next student and greets or asks a question of the second student and the chain continues. 
Objective: Participate in shared language experiences.

     8. The Alphabet Game: The teacher picks a category, such as the supermarket. Then the first student says, "I am going to the supermarket. I need a few apples." (The first student names something beginning with A.) The second student says, "I am going to the supermarket. I need a few apples and I need a few bananas." The game continues in this manner with each consecutive student adding an item beginning with the next letter after repeating the items named before their own. Objectives: Participate in shared listening experiences. Share ideas and experiences in large and small groups. [31, 53] 
 
 

2.2.3 Suggestopedia 

     Suggestopedia is a teaching model developed by a Bulgarian, Dr. Georgi Lozanov, at the University of Sofia in Bulgaria in the 60's. Dr. Lozanov was a pioneer in that Suggestopedia was the first of the various cutting-edge brain friendly learning techniques which are utilized in progressive classrooms today.

     There are two phases incorporated in this approach: 
Students learn new information very quickly and efficiently in a state of light relaxation accompanied by Baroque or classical music. This new material which has been acquired 3 to 5 times faster than with traditional learning techniques, is now stored passively in the brain. It is then activated by means of creative, interactive and communicative learning techniques, i.e. grammar games, role play, etc. which contribute not only to recall and retention but also to the communication skills and personality development of the students. [32,78]

     WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF THESE APPROACHES?

• You will address the learning needs and styles of every student in your class.
• You will guarantee a higher and faster success rate among learners.
• You will increase retention and recall of material and long-term memory.
• You will instill higher confidence and self-esteem in your learners.
• You will promote the creativity as well as the learning and social competence of your students.
• You will create a pleasant, cooperative and fun learning environment in your classroom.
• You will have motivated students coming to your classes -- students who have rediscovered the joy of learning. And motivated students make motivated teachers!!

 

2.2.4 Grammar-translation method 

    The grammar-translation method of foreign language teaching is one of the most traditional methods, dating back to the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It was originally used to teach 'dead' languages (and literatures) such as Latin and Greek, and this may account for its heavy bias towards written work to the virtual exclusion of oral production. It is based on translation from one language into another. Students work individually, student-student interaction is missing. Students are given grammatical rules and they memorize them. Later they should apply the memorized rules into other examples in form of translation. Students mostly work with literary texts focused on culture.

    Very little attention is paid to content of texts, which are treated as exercises in grammatical analysis. Vocabulary and grammar are emphasized but students only memorize native language equivalents for foreign language vocabulary words. Reading and writing are the prioritized skills, there is almost no attention paid to speaking, listening, pronunciation. Classes are taught in mother tongue with little active use of the target language. Correcting errors is considered to be highly important. The aim is to be' able to read literature written in the target language. Sub-aim is to develop students' minds through good mental exercise. Role of the teacher is very traditional - teacher is the authority.

     The major characteristic of the grammar-translation method is, precisely as its name suggests, a focus on learning the rules of grammar and their application in translation passages from one language into the other. Vocabulary in the target language is learned through direct translation from the native language, e.g. with vocabulary tests such as:

the house = das Haus 
the mouse = die Maus

     Very little teaching is done in the target language. Instead, readings in the target language are translated directly and then discussed in the native language, often precipitating in-depth comparisons of the two languages themselves. Grammar is taught with extensive explanations in the native language, and only later applied in the production of sentences through translation from one language to the other, e.g. Do you have my book? = Hast du mein Buch? 
Ich weiß nicht, wo dein Buch ist. = I don't know where your book is. [38, 8]

     As Omaggio describes is, testing of the students is done almost exclusively through translation: "students had learned the language well if they could translate the passages well." Appendix D 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

3. Approbation

    Writing this research paper under the title “Methods and principles of teaching in foreign language teaching and learning” we identify that it demands the building up the system of principles which may make it easy for teachers and students to deal with. It is connected with all branches of the language. In this research we have observed only one part of huge process - the way of teaching vocabulary, by other words, we tried to deduce the main principles of teaching vocabulary.

     Acquiring a large vocabulary can benefit you in school, at work, and socially. It will enable you to understand others' ideas better and to have the satisfaction of getting your thoughts and ideas across more effectively. Of course, you already know thousands of words, and you will continue to learn more whether you work at it or not.

     The fact is that many of the words you know were probably learned simply by coming across them often enough in your reading, in conversation, and even while watching television. But increasing the pace of your learning requires a consistent, dedicated approach. If you learned only one new word a day for the next three years, you would have over a thousand new words in your vocabulary. However, if you decided right now to learn ten new words a day, in one year you would have added over three thousand to what you already know, and probably have established a lifetime habit of learning and self-improvement.

         The research paper allows us to investigate different principles and methods of teaching vocabulary in FLTL which we used on our lessons while the practice.

      The contents of this research paper help us to use different methods on the practicing of teaching English. 

     3.1 Aim and conditions of approbation, descriptions of learners 

         In pedagogical practices, foreign language learners have to work in creative and modern ways to cross disciplinary boundaries, incorporate the study of all kinds of material in addition to the strictly literary, and promote wide cultural understanding through research and teaching. It is time for all language programs in all institutions to reflect this transformation.

        The aim of our approbation is to know on practice the requirements to the teaching foreign language vocabulary in modern secondary schools, the basic principles of teaching vocabulary in FLTL, looking for interesting and effective ways of teaching and learning foreign language vocabulary in accordance to time in order to make lessons effective, productive, valuable, interesting on each stage of the teaching process.

     Everything depends upon the abilities of learners. They prefer to work in different ways, especially when the teacher perfectly use the principles and various methods.

     When the way of introducing and making lesson is interesting and colorful, all the materials always memorized. From our point of view the suggested principles and methods of teaching vocabulary includes all for improving language skills: Reading, Writing, Speaking, and Listening.  It means while we use principles and methods of teaching vocabulary we can improve one or several of these skills in group work.           

     We had practice in gymnasium by Syrbay Maulenov. The condition for teaching and learning the foreign languages and in this school English are done: they have computer classes, interactive board, multimedia complexes and other technological equipments for English lessons. Conditions of approbation directly depend on who the learners are, their present level of language proficiency, teacher and learner goals and expectations, the teacher’s teaching skills and the level of proficiency in the target language, available instructional recourses, the content and conditions of the group.  

     3.2 Stages of approbation 

     Systematic instruction refers to a carefully planned sequence for instruction, similar to a builder’s blueprint for a house. A blueprint is carefully thought out and designed before building materials are gathered and construction begins. The plan for systematic instruction is carefully thought out, strategic, and designed before activities and lessons are developed. Systematic instruction is clearly linked within, as well as across the five major areas of reading instruction (phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension). For systematic instruction, lessons build on previously taught information, from simple to complex, with clear, concise student objectives that are driven by ongoing assessment. Students are provided appropriate practice opportunities which directly reflect instruction.

     Using of some techniques systematically helped students to work out the habit for different activities. In this way we tried to follow the structure of the lesson which we had built from the beginning of the practice. First of all each lesson we started with warming-up activity, that usually was done to remind the useful vocabulary which they have already studied. Each work was planed and we had to plan our lessons in order to make them meaningful. Planning the lesson play the greatest role in teaching and studying English. It is an integral part of the whole teaching process. In that school we were practicing in 9^th form. The class is deepened studying English language. There were 9 pupils in our group. They showed their skills, their knowledge. For them lessons were interesting, they were eager to have the lessons of English.  
 

     3.3 The  results of approbation 

    In our assignment we tried to show how teacher could help children to develop their knowledge of vocabulary through the experiencing some principles for teaching vocabulary. we believe that the most effective way for learning and studying foreign language is systematical practice of using vocabulary in speech. The motivation of students also plays the key role in process of learning and using of different unusual ways of teaching helps to increase the motivation for children.

    From the observation we noticed that encouraging the student and the correct treatment of errors help students to participate actively and break barriers in speaking. However, the lack of time makes it difficult to put into practice all these principles toward the all students. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Conclusion 

     Vocabulary is an important part of the English teaching process. It is supposed to be a very effective communicative device as it carries the highest level of importance within peoples´ verbal interaction.

     However, language itself is not only individual lexemes put together, but it is necessary to follow a set of grammar rules to assure correct comprehension of speaker’s intention.

     Therefore, vocabulary together with grammar rules acquisition plays significant role in foreign language teaching. The purpose of research paper is to find out the appropriate principles and methods for teaching vocabulary. 

The first part is devoted to the theory of vocabulary teaching and present techniques in the classroom.

     Practical part was realized  in the classroom using different approach for each. The main goal is to assess the relationship between teaching approach and students’ final knowledge,focusing on vocabulary load. Hypothesis proved during the practical part -- grammar-translation students tend to use rather narrow range of

language with problems to integrate it within context, - conscious learning of rules does not lead to language acquisition, - communicative approach prepares students for real communication, students are not anxious about experiments with language and they are able to respond the context well.

     We presented the development in language teaching area. We used the method of comparison, studying and analyzing scientific literature, method of processing and interpretation data, observation of the process of teaching and learning foreign languages at school, descriptive method we  investigated and found out and prove  the importance, the peculiarities, types and ways of using technological equipments in teaching and learning foreign languages.

     In conclusion, first, teachers should prepare themselves for the following principles and methods of teaching vocabulary in FLTL, cause foreign language training will be more efficient.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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