Teaching vocabulary Some Multimodal Alternatives Dr. Rory Donnelly Visiting Fulbright Scholar, University of Costa Rica, Professor, Northeastern Illinois University

Outline Vocabulary development: some principles Selecting words to teach Traditional methods for learning vocabulary in L1: a critique. Four alternative strategies Summary

Vocabulary Development/ Principle 1 There are four vocabularies, not just one Reading Listening Speaking Writing

Vocabulary Development/ Principle 2 Vocabulary words need to be planted deeply, like a good tree so multimodality helps (Multimodality: using all senses to learn a word) Examples: using association, using drawing, using speaking, using writing

Vocabulary Development/ Principle 3 Methods used in first language classrooms are not very useful Writing definitions? why isn’t it useful for second language learners? Writing words in sentences: why isn’t it useful for second language learners?

Selecting words Words students need for comprehension Words that are generally useful Words that are hard to get from context

My list pelican elephant romance rhyme(s) marry/wed

Four Alternative Methods Word Webs (before) Visual vocabulary (before or after) Writing Riddles (before or after) Journal writing (after)

Word Webs romance kissing dating love boyfriend/ girlfriend not love of family and friends couple

Visual Vocabulary

Writing Riddles We are a team We both have the same sounds at the end We work in poems What word am I?

Journal Writing Here are 4 words from the poem that we read. Use them in a paragraph about the poem. pelican elephant marry (or wed) pelicant

Summary Vocabulary needs to be recycled many times First language strategies don’t work well for second language learners Multiple modalities help students “root” those words in their new language and their brain