After seeing the reaction to my first blog, all I can think is: “So—blogging ain’t my thing”.   After all, two comments in two months is not a celebratory endorsement.  So let’s see if an activity for teaching vocabulary doesn’t excite even a little more excitement.  I will even settle for feigned interest.

First, and foremost, keep it in Spanish.  Our challenge is to accustom the students to working out meaning in Spanish without reference to English.  Once they get the hang of that expectation, they will accept it and begin to enjoy practicing Spanish with their newfound confidence.  If you have reasonably high expectations, kids will reach for them and eventually exceed them.

Often, to preorganize a class discussion, I will produce a “settle-‘em-down-and-get-‘em-ready” activity at the beginning of class which revolves around the vocabulary that fits the theme of the material we are about to consider or that might be helpful in the upcoming conversations or presentations, written or spoken.

Step 1:  I present a word that is at the heart of the theme and ask the students to brainstorm words that are associated with it.  I always have specific words in mind but give the kids free range in coming up with their associations.  Let´s say the theme is “La inmigración”.  I seed the activity with the word “inmigrante” because it is a little more concrete than the theme word.

Step 2:  In sixty seconds the kids write a list of words; no full sentences or phrases yet.  This is for quick recall and stimulation of thinking.

Step 3:  I ask the students to share the words that they have in their list that have to do with legal aspects of immigration.  Thus, I begin to focus what they are to think about and, at the same time, I am asking them to think about the meaning of the words they wrote and how they might be used. This subtheme pertains to the words I really want them to deal with.  At this juncture, if they do not come up with the words I had hoped they would, I suggest them and write them along with the student offerings on the board.  The students should be adding my words and their classmates’ words to their own list.  I check comprehension quickly, particularly of my words, by asking for a quick explanation.  I shy away from synonyms because they are too abstract and they don’t really stretch the students’ ability to express themselves.

Step 4:  Using the words on the board, I check comprehension by asking the kids to group the words into categories of, say, actions on the part of immigrants, actions of the authorities, obstacles, hopes and  dreams, or whatever comes into my head as I notice patterns among the words. 

Step 5:  I assign a category or a few words to pairs or triads who must come up with the introductory paragraph for an editorial to the local newspaper using their words. 

Step 6:  They report their paragraph orally using as many of their words as possible.  The students who are listening to these reports must write down the listed words as they hear them.  After this, they are ready to tackle the work of the chapter.

This may take a lot of the period; but, at least, the class will have listened, spoken, written and read, recalled, invented and created.  Of course, now their minds are in gear, well-oiled and meshed, to engage in a serious discussion of the theme. 

If there is even one comment on this blog, I will be encouraged to write next time about evaluating student recall and use of vocabulary.

John McMullan

Aren’t words wonderful!  Take the word ‘blog’.  I can define it; I can use it as a noun; and I can use it as a verb; but really I don’t know how to blog at all.  You see this is my first blog attempt.  Wow!  An adjective too!!  Guess I will blog on.

One of the highlights of Triángulo: A Propósito is the vocabulary.  But, you say, there are so many words! Yes, I respond, so teachers and students can select which ones to emphasize, which ones to learn as passive or active vocabulary.  The ultimate goal is to make as many words as possible a part of your active vocabulary.  To make words truly yours, you have to define them, understand their various meanings and use them. 

Many words in Triángulo are just for recognition.  These are words that are infrequently used because they are regional—“chanta”—technical “sarampión” or erudite “intemperie”.  Nevertheless, all are words and words set minds free, free of the confines of imprecision and inarticulateness.  That’s why students of languages must become students of words.

To make words active, you have to cultivate them through various stages: 1) recognition—being able to define them, to explain them, to provide synonyms and antonyms; 2) intellectual—being able to talk about usage, etymology (the blog, to blog, the blogger, contraction of “web blog”); and 3) accessibility—being able to use them appropriately when you need them, to entertain with them.  For example, this blogger is writing a blog so he can blog with other bloggers. 

I have always found it difficult to plan this process into my classes consciously and conscientiously. Therefore, I work on it serendipitously as a class unfolds.  I insist on circumlocution, I insert “new” words into each lesson, I introduce different words and I instruct with activities and practice.  Obviously and above all, I insist that students speak and write only in the target language.  While vocabulary work may not always guarantee spontaneous recall or accurate usage, it does instill an awareness of the importance of words. 

It’s hard and it’s complex but overtime it’s worth the effort.  Expect kids to express, to expand and to expound. 

We’ll expound on how to do this in future blogs.

In the meantime, blog me back so we can both be better bloggers.  After all, bloggers who blog together… Well, you get the idea!

 John McMullan