Methods of Teaching Vocabulary

Today we learned about two approachs for teaching vocabulary:the Teach and Learn Approach and the Learning through Input Approach. You can see a Power Point presentation of the approaches here. I would like to tell you about the strengths and weaknesses of each approach as well as the approach I would use as a Junior High School English Teacher.

1.The Present and Learn Approach

First, I will talk about the strengths and weaknesses of the Present and Learn Approach.

◇Strengthes
・Students listen to explanation of a techer, learn the meaning of the vocabulary and how to use them,and they could understand the vocabularies.
・By the teacher explaning interestingly or using picture, diagram,video and so on, students could study enjoyably.I think visual aids are very useful for English lesson.

◇Weaknesses
・Tacher cannot know that whether every students can understand the lesson, at any time.There may be a case that during the lesson, student couldn't become to understand the contents and give up to learning.
・Student may confuse because there are one-side teaching and many grammars and vocabularies appear.

2.The Learning through Input Approach

Second, I will talk about the strengths and weaknesses of the Learning through Input Approach.

◇Strengths
・Student could learn enjoyably.Teacher using pictures , cards, diagrams and so on,it is easy for student to memorize.
・Students could practice pronounciations of vocabularies together or individually.They pronounce over and over,and memorize them naturally,step by step.

◇Weaknesses
・There may be students who could not catch up with the pace of the lesson.And when teacher ask the student how to ponounce the vocabulary, he/she would be not able to answer it.
・The English understanding levels of students are each different,so learning speeds are different,too.


Lastly as a junior high school English teacher I would favor a Hybrid.I think that by only the one of two methods,to make teaching is a little difficult.So I favor to keep balances of two methods.

Review of the Communicative Activity

I am going to review two of the communicative activities presented in ETM3. These communicative activities are typical in Japanese junior high school. AndI have ideas about Interview and Find someone.

・Interview
There are some conversations on handout. They are...
A:What wee you doing at ' lst night?
B:I was eating dinner.

I think when we start conversations,we need greeting. Not asking a question sudddenly, but if we start.....
A:Hello,○○!How are you?
B:Hello,△△! I'm fine.
A:What were you doing at ' last night?
B:I was eating dinner.
A:Oh,you were eating dinner!
Student could repeat ~ing sentences and practice conversation longer.

Next I am going to review about Find someone.

・Find someone...
This activity is that students look for someone who apply his/her question.There are some items, and this starts.....
A:Do you want to work in Tokyo after graduating?
B:Yes, I do.

First, after B answer the question of A, B repeats sentences one more time.
For example...
B:Yes, I do.I want to work in Tokyo after graduating.

I think it is one of the important way to pronounce English sentences.

And this idea may be a little difficult, if students learn this conversation, it is good that students make "Find some who..." sentences and ask someone.

My Family and Hometown

I went back to my hometown during this successive holidays.It was a so short stay, but good stay for me.After a long separation,I was glad to see my parents, grandfather,and so on.My family hadn'd changed,and they were fine.

Actually, I was worrying about different things,about daily life,myself or future.Besids recently I caught a cold, I was out of blood.When I went back to my hometown at night, my mother was waiting for me at the station.And we arriving at my home,there were dinner my mother made.
Talking many things with my family, I relaxed vey much.

I am only child and have grown up being supported by my familiy or many people. My hometown is a country and rice fields expands. As long as I can remember,I had seen the rural scene,so I like the scene very much.When I felt down, my hometown heals me.When I have lived in hometown, they are natural to talk wih family,that they support me,or that there is rural scene and so on.But now I think they are very valuable and precious things for me.I learn many things in this university,and next I want to support.I really thank them.

Things that don't change...my family and my hometown.They are my important things.