“Without grammar, very little can be conveyed, without vocabulary nothing can be conveyed.”
Wilkins (1972)
Effective communication is certainly dependant on having good vocabulary knowledge, and no matter how perfect your grammar may be, if you don’t know the right words to use with it, nothing much can be conveyed in a meaningful way. Teenagers who develop and use ‘more’ words tend to be ‘effective’ thinkers and are able to express themselves better in different contexts. Words are the ‘building-blocks’ of language, but we also need grammar to be able to express different and precise meanings. The word ‘coffee’ on its own conveys very little meaning, but ‘I feel like a coffee’ or ‘I love coffee’ or ‘Espresso is strong, black coffee’ are examples of how grammar & vocabulary work together to make communication meaningful and successful.
A good understanding of grammar enables students to speak and write clearly and understand all different kinds of reading material. As teachers we know that these skills are invaluable especially when going out into the world or looking for a job; grammatically correct applications are fundamental. It is important to show students that a word may change form in a particular grammatical context. For example, when teaching a noun (cake/cakes) we need to present its plural form or perhaps focus on the fact that a particular word has no plural (sheep); ‘the sheep is/are ready to be fed’. The rules of English are just as important as the words!
Studying grammar means knowing how different grammatical elements can be strung together to make chains of words. Jeremy Harmer (The Practice of English Language teaching, 2007)
Just English Vocabulary booklet is designed to help students expand their knowledge of the English language and revise both vocabulary and grammar in different and stimulating contexts. The new vocabulary is presented in manageable chunks followed immediately by a series of graded practice exercises and activities. The three levels of difficulty are identified by three dots: 1 basic, 2 intermediate and 3 upper intermediate; catering for all learners. The focus is not just on single words but also on phrases and collocations. Students will also see how words are put into context and understand how they are used in real life, making the learning process stimulating and engaging.
There is focus on different styles of English at different levels, from informal to formal.
Chunks of language
Collocations, phrasal verbs, expressions, and idioms are considered ‘chunks’. ‘At the end of the day’ students will learn lots of stimulating language through chunks in meaningful contexts and also improve fluency. A wide range of idiomatic expressions have been introduced with several lexical sets. It is important to learn or be exposed to English idioms in order to improve vocabulary and aid effective communication.
Here are some examples taken from the book:
- To be a couch potato
- To be a piece of cake
- To be like chalk and cheese
- To be the apple of somebody’s eye
- To go bananas
- To spill the beans
The 27 sections can be used in any order either in the classroom, for self-study, or to consolidate vocabulary which has been presented in class. The selection of vocabulary is based on frequency and usefulness to students and presented through visuals, translations and charts to enhance understanding and retention of vocabulary and grammar in context and therefore facilitate learning. It is a well - known fact that students retain more information through visuals for the simple reason that they live in a world where they are constantly making sense of pictures, etc. Teaching vocabulary and grammar through visuals, including video, makes it more memorable. That is why Just English Grammar & Vocabulary is highly visual.
The book is divided into thematic sections which cover a wide range of everyday topics and vocabulary, such as physical appearance, weather, people and relationships, going places and much more in communicative everyday language. The themes are extensively developed and provide lots of stimulating information and activities to cater for mixed-ability classes. An example is section 16 ‘Going places’ where vocabulary related to means of transport is extended, more adjectives used to describe and different verbs associated with means of transport and new phrasal verbs are included and contextualised; the thematic approach allows students to make more and meaningful connections with the content and other subjects, therefore promoting critical thinking.
The book also includes sections on CLIL subjects such as geography, science, music and art where students can learn specific vocabulary, grammar and content related to the specific subject and write their own blogs using the appropriate vocabulary and grammar.
Through the CLIL approach, students are exposed to new ways of thinking and improve their knowledge and understanding of other subjects in a stimulating way; they learn about the content of a particular subject while simultaneously learning the target language. Global problems that include the causes of natural disasters, environmental issues and saving the environment, and climate change are some examples.
The Speaking Cards at the end of the sections help the students gain control of the language, so that they can communicate effectively. The use of the target language in ‘real-life’ situations enhances fluency and makes the learning process more meaningful and personalized.
It’s wonderful to watch your students speak and interact through English during a lesson!
Aim for the stars!
Referenze iconografiche: tawanroong/Shutterstock