Looking for a way to get students to have fun learning new words AND remember them longer? Try these brain-based vocabulary activities.

Engaging vocabulary review Ideas & activities that can be used with K-5 students! Five fun & collaborative vocabulary instruction ideas.

Let's dive into some new options to teach vocabulary, for those who have the time and energy to pursue them. In this post and podcast, I'm sharing ten ideas for making the study of vocabulary something students might even look forward to.

Closing the gap between the language rich and the language poor is of upmost importance for educators. A proven way to shrink the literacy gap between the "rich" and the "poor" is by explicitly teaching vocabulary words. Research supports that teachers should be directly teaching 3-5 words per text selection and teaching them in a way that students "own" the words. Owning a word means you have a deep understanding of the word. You can pronounce the word. You understand it's meaning. You have the ability to use the word during conversation and in writing. An owned word is one that is a member of your personal lexicon. Vocabulary instruction is important for all kids, but it is vital for students who have under developed vocabularies. Teaching students vocabulary terms should happen before a text selection is read, and should be done using the following routine. 1. Pronounce the word, write it and read it. Always introduce a word orally first. Kids need to know how to correctly pronounce the word. Say it, and have them repeat it back to you. If the word is multi-syllabic, talk about the syllables and say the word in syllable chunks. Next, write the word. Say each sound, or each syllable as the write the word for all students to see. Example: Our new word is plain. Class, say plain. How many syllables does plain have? Lets clap the syllables in plain. How many sounds does plain have? Lets tap the sounds in plain. There are two spellings for the word plain.....plane and plain. We are going to learn about plain, spelled p....l.....a....i.....n. Plain is an adjective (which means it describes a noun). 2. Tell students what the new word means Use a student friendly definition of the new word. This ensures that students understand what the new word means. However, after a student friendly definition is given....don't be afraid to elevate a student's vocabulary by giving a more technical or advanced definition. Additionally, talk to the students about word origin. Point out prefixes, suffixes or any base words that may exist. Finally, give students a more concrete way to grasp the word by showing pictures, video clips, demonstrating an action or providing a hands on experience. It is always best to find real images to share as opposed to clipart images. Example: Plain means ordinary. Something that is plain is not flashy. Plain looks like this: 3. Say more about the word and give examples Once students have an understanding of the new word's meaning, use the word in several sentences. These sentences should help students further understand what the word is and what it isn't. Example: If I wanted to use plain in a sentence, I could say: My outfit is plain today because it doesn't have a lot of colors. Or, I enjoy eating plain yogurt that is only one flavor and doesn't have any mix-ins. 4. Ask Questions about the Word's Meaning Ask students yes and no questions about the word to really help the meaning sink in. Example: Students, are the outfits you are wearing plain? Is your bedroom at home plain? Do you like plain food, or food that doesn't have a lot of spice or ingredients? 5. Provide opportunities for students to use the word To help students truly "own" a word, they need ample opportunities to use the newly acquired term. Encourage students to use the word in writing and speaking activities. Have students write sentences using the word, or share a sentence verbally. Example: Students, I want you to think of a sentence using our new word plain. After some think time, have students hand up, stand up and pair up to share their sentence with a partner. Interested in seeing the vocabulary routine in action? Check out the following clip of explicit vocabulary instruction taking place in a kindergarten classroom. Make sure to check out this article from Reading Rockets, A Multidimensional Approach to Vocabulary Instruction: Supporting English Language Learners in Inclusive Classrooms, for eight more instructional tips regarding vocabulary instruction.

Having a wide vocabulary is a huge part of what helps students to be successful in both reading comprehension and writing. This is why vocabulary is one of the National Reading Panel’s five core elements

Every year I am shocked by my students' underdeveloped vocabulary. They struggle with reading comprehension because of their limited understanding of words. Their writing can be very drab because of their limited word choice. And when it comes time for standardized testing they often struggle with understanding what is being asked of them because of

Teachers like vocabulary strategies that make learning more meaningful and lasting. Check out these 15 Strategies to Ramp Up Vocabulary Instruction.

As teachers we know that vocabulary is pivotal in students’ success. When I was growing up, our vocabulary activities consisted of looking up definitions in the dictionary and copying them down on notebook paper. Do you think I truly understood those vocabulary words? Not. One. Bit. In order to truly understand vocabulary words and what […]

Whether you’re trying to eliminate tons of prep time, save paper, or support ELL students in distance learning, using digital vocabulary units can be extremely helpful activities for ELL newcomers. These digital units target reading,

Learn three simple things you need to teach your ESL beginners right away. These include variations of introductions, classroom surroundings and basic needs

Looking for a fun vocabulary activity? This extension is perfect for middle and high school to help encourage critical thinking and associations.

Teaching vocabulary to your gifted students is something you ay have pushed aside, but it is SO important for them! Read this second post in my series about how I teach vocabulary from start to finish!

Working with words in a variety of ways helps build vocabulary. Grab free vocabulary graphic organizers for grades 3-5 on this post!

Learn useful and engaging strategies to teach science vocabulary in your upper elementary or middle school classroom.

Games are a tried and true way to engage students. Whether teaching in-person or remotely via a live session like Zoom or Google Meets, teachers know that games, brain breaks, and icebreakers are an awesome way to get students actively involved in learning. With the ever-changing landscape of education, I thought it might be nice to compile some versatile activities that challenge students in really fun ways. Best part? These activities are very low prep and work in a variety of settings. These activities encourage students to listen, solve problems, be creative, and practice critical skills. They're designed to be easy to do with little to no prep. You can easily add one of these games to any lesson as a warm-up, closure, community building activity, or lesson extender. GAMES & ACTIVITIES ⭐How Many? Give students a category and then challenge students to see how many different things they can fit within that classification. At first students will respond with obvious ideas. However, as they brainstorm, their ideas will stretch and their creativity will grow. Students can jot their ideas down on scrap paper and earn points for each unique response when they share out. Here are some categories to get started: occupations, things that are slimy, things that roll, animal noises, articles of clothing ⭐Listen Carefully: Read a short passage out loud to students. Then, have them answer questions based on what they can remember. Make it especially fun by awarding points for every answer that students get right. You can change up this activity by reading two versions of the same story. Mix up some of the details in the second version for students to listen for. Give this activity a try with the passages in this set of FREE Brain Bursts. Add your information below and then check your inbox! ⮟⮟⮟⮟⮟⮟⮟⮟ ⭐Silly Silent Spelling: Practice spelling words in a super silly way. Explain to students that you are going to be giving them a practice spelling test (definitely NOT the real thing). Just like a typical practice test, they'll listen for the word and write it down. However, here's the catch: you're only going to silently mouth the words. Students will need to read your lips to figure out what word they will need to write down. Of course, figuring out a word from a silent cue is not easy. That's what makes this fun. Students will write down some wild guesses as they spell their way through this game. ⭐One Word: Pose a fun question to the class and have them all think of a one-word answer. Then, give every student a chance to share their responses as you call on each of them. Here are some questions to get started: --- If you were a type of dessert, what would you be? --- Where do you feel happiest? --- How would a soccer ball describe its day? --- Where is somewhere that you would like to visit? --- What would be the perfect gift for you? ⭐Mystery Item: This activity is quick and easy to play. To prepare, write 5 or 6 clues about an object. Make the clues gradually increase in their specificity. Then, read the clues to students as they jot down their guesses for the mystery item until you reveal the answer. ⭐Punchline: Start telling a joke to students, and then have them guess the punchline. Find a ton of jokes for kids here. ⭐Strike a Pose: Explain to students that they are going to pretend that they are in a photograph. They will need to imagine that the photo was taken at the height of the event. All they have to do is strike a pose after you give them a situation. For instance, you might say, "haunted house," and then students would freeze in a pose that shows them frightened or terrified. Here are a few situations to try: Dentist Office, Roller Coaster, Last Day of School, Scary Movie, Food Fight, Race ⭐Timed Writing Activities: Engage students with a creative writing prompt. Then, "amp up" the fun factor by adding a timed element. Challenge students to race the clock as they write as much as they can in a fixed time period. Find my favorite prompts here. ⭐And Then...: This is a listening game for the entire class. Students will need to listen to and add to a growing story. You'll start the story with an opener like, "At the zoo, I decided to open the lion's cage, and then..." Next, you'll call on a student to explain what happened next. That student will add one line and the phrase "and then" before selecting another student to add to the story. ⭐Listen and Draw: Students love this activity! To prepare, create a simple illustration filled with shapes and designs. Then, write out the directions for students. Have students complete the activity on a piece of paper. Read each direction to students and challenge them to replicate the illustration you instructed them to draw. (These are included in the exclusive freebie below.) ⭐Class Pet: Pretend that you have a new class pet. Explain to students that they will need to guess the type of animal. Students will need to ask questions and write their guesses on a piece of paper when they think they have figured out the new class pet. ⭐Add the Ending: Engage students as they practice writing and storytelling skills with this activity. First, students will listen to the beginning of a story that you read to them. Then, they'll take over the writing and complete the story. The story starters are a fun way to motivate students to write. ⭐Alien, Tiger, and Cat: Here's an improvisational theatre game that works in the classroom. Explain to students that they can be one of three things: an alien, a cat, or a tiger. If they choose to be an alien, they need to hold their pointer fingers next to their head (like antennae) and say "bleeb, bleeb." To be a cat, they need to rub their wrist along their face (like a cat cleaning itself) and say "meow." Finally, to be a tiger they need to push their hand forward with a claw stance and roar. On your cue, every student will choose and act like an animal. The goal is to get everyone to choose the same animal (which is nearly impossible, but fun to try). ⭐Rapid Recall: Create a list of random words. Then, read the list of words to students. As you read the words, you might have students put their hands on their heads so that you know for sure that they aren't taking notes. Once you've read the words to students once or twice, wait about a minute before letting students write down every word that they remember. (Find ready-made lists in this complete resource.) ⭐Finish the Fact: Share the beginning of a fact with students. Then, challenge them to complete the fact. Have them share their guesses before revealing the complete fact. Find a collection of random facts here. Want a free set of virtual classroom activities designed to be NO PREP and NO COPIES? Just add your name and email below. ⮟⮟⮟⮟⮟⮟⮟⮟ BONUS: Here's one more idea: ⭐Paper Airplanes: Help students practice following directions by challenging them to fold a paper airplane by following your directions. To get started, choose a paper airplane design to have students fold. Then, have students take out a piece of paper. They'll need to listen carefully to each of your directions to make their paper airplane. Wishing you tons of fun in your (virtual) classroom, Mary Beth P.S. Find a TON of ready-made activities HERE.

Basic vocabulary, like knowing prepositions, is necessary for beginning readers. Teach prepositions with this simple game.

Issuu is a digital publishing platform that makes it simple to publish magazines, catalogs, newspapers, books, and more online. Easily share your publications and get them in front of Issuu’s millions of monthly readers. Title: 100 ideas for teaching english, Author: Monica Lerma, Length: 138 pages, Page: 1, Published: 2017-10-27

Looking for esl task cards to use with your english language learners? Try these picture cards that are perfect for quick and effective language practice!

Vocabulary instruction is so critical in today’s classroom! A vast vocabulary will help students to become better readers and writers. Vocabulary is also essential to their performance on standardized tests. Helping kids to develop their vocabulary is time that is well spent in a busy classroom. I have developed a routine to teach new vocabulary

Fun and engaging ESL activities, games and worksheets in printable PDF format with full teacher's notes and answers for English teachers to use in class.

Are you looking for engaging vocabulary activities? These 10 Fun Vocabulary Activities are sure to be a hit in your classroom.

These sound experiments are fun and engaging! They're perfect science lessons for 1st graders and are aligned with NGSS for teaching sound.

The start to the school year for newcomer ELLs can be overwhelming and nerve-wracking. It is our job to set them up with tools to help them feel comfortable exploring a new language in a

Want to help the students in your French classroom use more vocabulary? Check out these French vocabulary sheets and ideas on how to use them!

Do you need parts of speech posters for your classroom? This post has several classroom décor resources to help teachers prepare an engaging learning environment.

Make word study fun and engaging for your students.

At the beginning of the year, you might be planning on doing a unit with greetings and farewells in Spanish. I wanted to share some games, videos, resources

Upper elementary classroom tips and ideas with a focus on classroom management, student engagement, & cooperative learning.

These simple tips will help you feel capable of making time and space for middle school vocabulary instruction in your classroom or at home.

Need to help your students get more hands on practice for their vocabulary words? I've got 5 fun vocabulary games you can use right away!

These vegetable bingo printables are a fun, low-prep way to teach your children about vegetables, nutrition, and gardening. Grab free veggie bingo or a classroom set!

FREE printable puzzles to teach preschoolers about antonyms and opposites. Includes 12 self-correcting puzzles with visual cues to find the matching pair of antonyms.

The Word Collector by Peter H Reynolds has quickly become one of my favorite stories of all time. It's about a young boy named Jerome, who loves words. How perfect is that for SLPs? I happen to think this book is a great jumping off point for word exploration and vocabulary development. Here are 5 ways I am using this story to build word knowledge in my students...

Download these free ESL vocabulary quizzes to print and use in your classroom.

If you are looking for Frindle teaching ideas, this is the place to visit. You'll find printables, lesson plans, and novel study samples.