Contents

pp v-vii

Read this first

pp viii-x

A - The importance of vocabulary learning

pp 1-1

1 - Devote time to vocabulary teaching

pp 2-2

2 - Raise learners’ awareness of the importance of vocabulary

pp 3-3

B - Selecting vocabulary to teach

pp 4-4

3 - Prioritise the most common vocabulary items

pp 5-5

4 - Include multi-word items

pp 6-6

5 - Teach word families selectively

pp 7-7

6 - Teach occasional idioms and proverbs

pp 8-8

7 - Teach basic texting vocabulary

pp 9-9

8 - Use published vocabulary lists with caution

pp 10-10

9 - Prioritise internationally acceptable items

pp 11-11

10 - Avoid introducing lists of words that are all ’the same kind of thing’

pp 12-12

11 - Teach useful classroom vocabulary early on

pp 13-13

C - Introducing new vocabulary

pp 14-14

12 - Teach written and spoken forms together

pp 15-15

13 - Keep metalanguage (e.g., adjective) to a minimum

pp 16-16

14 - Teach first the most common form of a word

pp 17-17

15 - Teach one meaning at a time

pp 18-18

16 - Teach collocations (links with other words)

pp 19-19

17 - Teach how new words behave grammatically

pp 20-20

18 - Teach new vocabulary both in context and in isolation

pp 21-21

19 - Draw attention to problematic pronunciation

pp 22-22

20 - Draw attention to problematic spelling

pp 23-23

21 - Write up new vocabulary on the board and leave it there

pp 24-24

22 - Make sure learners write down new items

pp 25-25

23 - Make learners aware of common mistakes associated with a new item

pp 26-26

D - Clarifying meanings of new vocabulary

pp 27-27