Vocabulary Teaching Strategies: Engaging Elementary Students

This report examines various vocabulary teaching strategies designed to enhance vocabulary acquisition and reading comprehension in elementary students. The report focuses on four key strategies: the use of graphics to provide visual support for new words, the implementation of vocabulary games to make learning fun and interactive, the integration of art activities to reinforce word meanings, and the use of stories to provide context and engagement. The report highlights the importance of these strategies in engaging young learners and making vocabulary learning a fun and memorable experience. Several references are provided, including studies and books, to support the findings and provide a comprehensive overview of the topic. The report emphasizes the need for teachers to adopt innovative and engaging methods that cater to the preferences of tech-savvy students, ultimately improving their reading and writing skills.

RUNNING HEAD:VOCABULARY TEACHING STRATEGIES
VOCABULARY TEACHING STRATEGIES
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Teachers face multiple challenges while teaching. This is the case specially in the
elementary or primary section of a school, because children of tender age level are often
reluctant to learn. They are more interested in playing. Often, they can not be friendly to teachers
and can not cope with the environment of the school. This is because, children feel more
comfortable with known faces and atmosphere. They are able to learn, if they are set free and
allowed to play, experiment and explore. Hence prudent strategies are required to teach children.
The purpose of this study is to find out several teaching strategies discussed by experts to teach
junior learners vocabulary make them engaged in reading.
Strategy: 1 Use of Graphics
According to Neuman& Wright(2014), elementary students always enjoy watching
colorful visuals. Hence, learning by creating visuals should be one of the strategies. Van Oers&
Duijkers(2013), elaborates that, students like to visualize what is described in their textbooks.
Hence, in a smart class for elementary students each word they learn should be supported by
some kind of animated graphics. According to Gonzalezet al. (2014) asjunior students enjoy
watching animated graphics, and remember the names of the cartoon characters they watch
during their leisure time, they will be eager to learn new words, if each of them are backed up by
engrossing visuals and moreover, they will easily remember words learnt through this graphical
method.
Strategy: 2 Playing vocabulary Games
According to Elyet al. (2014),the best way to learn vocabulary is to play interesting
games like board games containing puzzles, quizzes like Banana Race, in which, students are
made to watch visuals that they see in everyday life and made to pronounce and spell it correctly.

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In this case children are divided into small groups and for each group there is one question
regarding one visual. The answer is of course a word that they have learnt. Each group are made
to pronounce and spell and they receive one point in turn and the highest scorer will receive a
prize. According to Carter& McCarthy, (2014), this is another way to make learning vocabulary
a fun. Some consider this to be one of the most effective ways to teach children, because, quiz in
groups do not only help children to learn new words, it will also develop team spirit, and grow
competitiveness among children.
Strategy: 3 Use of Art
According to Coyle& Gómez Gracia, (2014), this is another interesting way to teach
children new words,revise the words learnt and enrich their vocabulary to support and enhance
the quality of their reading. This strategy can be applied in two different ways. Firstly, the most
common way, which is to tell everyone to be prepared with paper, pencil and color and draw the
words pronounced by teacher along with their spelling. And the best there drawing will be
rewarded.
Paris& Hamilton, (2014), has suggested an amazing way to apply this strategy.
According to him, children can be dividend into groups. One representative from each group will
be called by the teacher, and the teacher will tell the word in his or her ears, which the
representative has to draw on the blackboard. Other children from the same group have to guess
the word. This game can be played in different levels. For higher levels, one of the
representatives have to depict the word thorough multiple picture for example if the word is
marinate then the student needs to draw church and couple with wedding dress to signify-
“marry” and a” “net”. Though this just help them to guess the pronunciation only, the group will
get marks only, if they are able to guess the word and spell, it correctly.Paris& Hamilton, (2014),

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consider this one of the best ways to teach vocabulary, as this helps in enhancing wit and
drawing skills as well. Again, as it is played in groups, children will learn to collaborate and
coordinate with each other, and a better understanding will be developed among them.
Strategy: 4 Use of Stories:
Junior learners will always love to listen to stories, either the communication is oral or
through audio recorder. According to Oxford, (2013),due to the increase in the demand for audio
stories among the children, it will be better if the story telling is through audio devise. Some
experts consider that, a student will require no one’s help to learn vocabulary through audio
stories. Expert argues that, a teacher should be there to maintain discipline while children will
listen to engaging audio stories. The stories will be short as long stories may make the children
bore and they may forget the new words learnt through the story. After the story completes, the
teacher will ask questions regarding vocabulary and provide hints. This will help the children
guess the word and pronunciation.
According to some experts, the fun or learning gets doubled when, this strategy is applied
through playing games. Children could be divided into small groups. Each of the group should
be asked several questions regarding vocabulary. If one group is unable to answer, the questions
can be passed to other groups as well. After a group can guess the word and punctuation the
teacher will guide them to write the correct spelling. According to some, For the next level of
this game, the students will not only guess the words, but also make sentences with the word
guessed by them. The group which will be able to guess highest number of words and make good
sentences with them will be declared winner. Like other vocabulary games played in groups, this
game will also develop, team spirit, understanding, cooperation and competitive attitude.

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In the conclusion, it can be said that there are several other strategies, but all of them are
not effective to make learning vocabulary a fun, and help the students memorize all the words
easily. The strategies, which engage the students the most and compatible to the tech-savvy
children of digital era will be most impactful to increase the vocabulary of the students and
enhance their reading and writing skills as well.

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References
Thesis
Boonkongsaen, N. (2013). Factors affecting vocabulary learning strategies: A synthesized study.
Naresuan University Journal: Science and Technology (NUJST), 20(2), 45-53.
Saengpakdeejit, R. (2014). Strategies for dealing with vocabulary learning problems by Thai
university students. Silpakorn University Journal of Social Sciences, Humanities, and
Arts, 14(1), 147-167.
Book
Oxford, R. L. (2013). Teaching & researching: Language learning strategies. Routledge.
Carter, R., & McCarthy, M. (2014). Vocabulary and language teaching. Routledge.
Journal
Van Oers, B., & Duijkers, D. (2013). Teaching in a play-based curriculum: Theory, practice and
evidence of developmental education for young children. Journal of Curriculum Studies,
45(4), 511-534.
Neuman, S. B., & Wright, T. S. (2014). The Magic of Words: Teaching Vocabulary in the Early
Childhood Classroom. American Educator, 38(2), 4-13.
Paris, S. G., & Hamilton, E. E. (2014). The development of children’s reading comprehension. In
Handbook of research on reading comprehension (pp. 56-77). Routledge.
Gonzalez, J. E., Pollard-Durodola, S., Simmons, D. C., Taylor, A. B., Davis, M. J., Fogarty, M.,
& Simmons, L. (2014). Enhancing preschool children's vocabulary: Effects of teacher

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talk before, during and after shared reading. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 29(2),
214-226.
Ely, E., Kennedy, M. J., Pullen, P. C., Williams, M. C., & Hirsch, S. E. (2014). Improving
instruction of future teachers: A multimedia approach that supports implementation of
evidence-based vocabulary practices. Teaching and Teacher Education, 44, 35-43.
Coyle, Y., & Gómez Gracia, R. (2014). Using songs to enhance L2 vocabulary acquisition in
preschool children. Elt Journal, 68(3), 276-285.
Min, Y. K. (2013). Vocabulary Acquisition: Practical Strategies for ESLStudents. Journal of
International Students, 3(1), 64-69.

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