SỞ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO ĐỒNG NAI
Đơn vị: Trường THPT Chuyên Lương Thế Vinh
Mã số:

SÁNG KIẾN KINH NGHIỆM
HOW TO TEACH VOCABULARY
EFFECTIVELY
Người thực hiện: TRƯƠNG MỸ LINH
Lĩnh vực nghiên cứu:
- Quản lý giáo dục 
- Phương pháp dạy học bộ môn: Tiếng Anh

- Lĩnh vực khác: 

Năm học: 2014-2015
SƠ LƯỢC LÝ LỊCH KHOA HỌC
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I. THÔNG TIN CHUNG VỀ CÁ NHÂN
1. Họ và tên: TRƯƠNG MỸ LINH
2. Ngày tháng năm sinh:04/10/1968
3. Nam, nữ: Nữ
4. Địa chỉ: 82 Đặng Đức Thuật, P. Tam Hiệp, Biên Hòa, Đồng Nai
5. Điện thoại: 3813378 (NR); ĐTDĐ: 0918405412
6. Fax: E-mail: [email protected]
7. Chức vụ:
8. Nhiệm vụ được giao: Giảng dạy và chủ nhiệm lớp chuyên Anh
9. Đơn vị công tác: Trường THPT Chuyên Lương Thế Vinh
II. TRÌNH ĐỘ ĐÀO TẠO
• Học vị cao nhất: Thạc sỹ
• Năm nhận bằng: 2007
• Chuyên ngành đào tạo: Phương pháp giảng dạy

formal for important purposes.
All in all, vocabulary is the core of language learning. It is important
for language comprehension and expression. Moreover, on a more
advanced level of language learning, e.g. as a student majoring in
English, a fluent and impressive use of vocabulary in examinations
can be the standard to distinguish the excellent students from the good
ones. Vocabulary could be used as an instrument to measure learners’
language ability as well as their fluency.
However, it is not easy to gain vocabulary at all. It is painstaking,
demanding lots of efforts. Most language learners have a question
“How do they study vocabulary efficiently and effectively?”
Everything has its own difficulty, and learning vocabulary is no
exception. There are some common obstacles that language learners
often encounter when they learn vocabulary.
The first is retention problem. Vocabulary is hard to learn by heart and
easy to forget. Some students said, “Vocabulary just can’t go inside
my head” or “Water off the duck’s back.”
The second difficulty that students cope with is the inability to use the
words that have been learned. Students may find some words
confusing. How to use words in correct contexts seems to be a big
problem.
The difficulty that often crops up very early in students’ learning
process is that they are exposed to a vast amount of vocabulary. It is
hard to prioritize a suitable range of vocabulary over the rest at certain
stages of learning.
Thus, it is both the importance of vocabulary in language learning and
the problems the students may encounter when learning vocabulary
that enhance the approach to teaching vocabulary effectively.
II. RATIONALE OF THE STUDY
• Research has long shown that vocabulary plays a critical role in learning

vocabulary is taught in the classroom; these include using multiple
methods of instruction and actively engaging students in word learning.
Any word that is introduced should continue to be provided in a variety
of contexts to reinforce and enrich students’ understanding (Beck &
McKeown, 2004).
• The value of building vocabulary through word study
According to Put Reading First (Armbruster, Lehr, & Osborn, 2001),
children need to develop strategies that include using word parts to figure
out the meanings of words in text and also using context clues. According
to Aranoff (1994), word structure helps to determine the meaning of an
unfamiliar word that is derived from the same stem as a familiar word.
Students benefit when they are taught to use and analyse word parts such
as prefixes, suffixes, and roots (Dale & O’Rourke, 1986; Nagy & Scott,
2000). In fact, research has shown that if students know the meaning of
the four most frequently used prefixes, they will have useful clues about
the meaning of approximately two-thirds of all English words containing
prefixes.
• The value of exposing students to nuances of language
According to Beck and McKeown (1988), instruction that offers rich
information about words and their uses enhances students’ language
comprehension and production. Effective instruction should integrate
instructed words with other knowledge, including how words relate to
one another and how words relate to real-world and personal experiences
(Nagy, 1988).
III. IMPLEMENTATION
1. Subjects
• The process was implemented from Grade 10 to Grade 12.
• 32 students of the English class of Luong The Vinh Gifted High school
took part in the study. They were chosen as the participants of the study
because:

the course of a lesson.
+ Teachers can have a brief discussion about part of speech of some words
to help students increase their understanding of the definition and word use
and point out some words with different parts of speech and with more than
one meaning.
+ Students are encouraged to use the words in their speaking and writing.
- Match the meaning:
+ Teachers help students process the meanings of the words from the
lesson, interact with the words and relate them to their own experiences.
+ Students have to think about the meaning of each choice before choosing
the answer indicated by the clue.
- Synonyms and Antonyms:
+ The exercises help students expand their vocabulary, revisit and discuss
the synonyms and antonyms given in the Definitions.
+ Teachers encourage students to use some of the words in sentences and
relate them to their own experiences.
+ Teachers have students begin a Vocabulary Notebook in which they can
write the meaning of the new words and add to them as they learn more
about the words.
- Completing the sentence:
+ The exercises remind students of some words with more than one
meaning. Students are exposed to a variety of contexts that represents as
fully as possible the semantic range and application of the word.
+ Teachers guide students to figure out the intended meaning by using the
context clues. The tip is that context clues in sentences can be before or
after an unfamiliar word or sometimes a single word located within the
same sentence.
- Word association:
+ The exercises are comprised of sentence completions and questions, each
containing a highlighted word in the lesson, which helps students continue

pairs, Idioms, Theme-based vocabulary… the students realized that their
language skills were improved. Using word pairs could help their talk
sound more like a native speaker, which is aim for those who want to
master English. Quite much the same as word pairs, idioms, proverbs are
also familiar terms to English learners. Mastering them is difficult, and
knowing how to use them properly in correct contexts is more difficult.
That the students have learned them carefully and are able to use them
appropriately is the sign that they has started to gain mastery in English.
It is theme-based vocabulary that enables the students to start up and
maintain conversations in every topic. Life is a diverse range of topics,
and a good knowledge about theme-based vocabulary is important for the
students’ speaking and writing.
The students understand thoroughly and profoundly certain features of a
new word, such basic features as pronunciation, part of speech, literal and
figurative meanings. Then focus should be directed to the usage. The
students know how to combine words, learn and remember new
vocabulary by their phrases; not learning single words, for remembering
phrases is much easier.
The synonyms and antonyms also help the students to build up a
vocabulary reservoir that is well-organized. Moreover, organizing all the
words learned according to their similar and contrast meanings help save
tremendous amount of time and efforts for revision since one word can be
related easily to others.
Making good use of a vocabulary notebook is a helpful tool that makes
the students’ writing easier and more interesting.
Some of the students won prestigious prizes in many English contests
especially the National Contest. These students have gained ample and
good vocabulary resources that help them much in standardized tests or
exams.
V. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

• Leung, C. B. (1992). Effects of word-related variables on vocabulary
growth repeated read-aloud events. In C. K. Kinzer & D. J. Leu (Eds.),
Literacy research, theory, and practice: Views from many perspectives.
Forty-first Yearbook of the National Reading Conference (pp. 491-498).
Chicago, IL: The National Reading Conference.
• McKeown, M. G., & Beck, I. L. (1998). Leaning vocabulary: Different
ways for different goals. Remedial and Special Education, 9(1), 42-46.
• Nagy, W. E. (1998). Teaching vocabulary to improve reading
comprehension. Newark, DE: International Reading Association.
• Nagy, W. E., & Scott, J. A. (2000). Vocabulary processes. In M. L. Kamil,
P. G. Mosenthal, P. D. Pearson, & R. Barr (Eds.), Handbook of reading
research (Vol. III, pp. 269-284). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum
Associates.
• Seneschal, M. (1997). The differential effect of storybook reading on
preschoolers’ acquisition of expensive and receptive vocabulary. Journal
of Child Language, 24(1), 123-128.
• Stahl, S. A., & Fairbanks, M. M. (1996). The effects of vocabulary
instruction: A model-based meta-analysis. Review of Educational
Research, 56(1), 72-110.
• Whipple, G. (Ed.). (1925). The twenty-fourth yearbook of the national
society for the study of education: Report of the national committee on
reading. Bloomington, IL: Public School Publishing Company.
APPENDIX
SAMPLE LESSON
 INTRODUCING THE WORDS
Read the following Russian folktale about some clever forest animals.
Notice how the highlighted words are used. These are the words you
will be learning in this unit.
Long ago, when the world was as fresh and new as a daffodil in
springtime, the animals faced a serious problem. Troublesome Bear was

there was trouble in the forest, Eagle found a way to put an end to it. this
time, Eagle clutched a document in his sharp claws. “As we all know,”
Eagle thundered, “Bear can’t hurt anyone or destroy anything when he’s
asleep. This statement,” he said, waving the document, “requires Bear to
sleep from October to April every year. I hope you will all sign it!”
What a great idea! The animals read the document and added their names
to it. True, it didn’t get rid of Bear permanently, but it gave them
temporary relief. At the very least, the animals could look forward to
peace and quiet for six months of every year.
The myth doesn’t say how the animals gave their signed document to
Bear or what his reaction was to it. Who knows? Maybe he liked the
animals’ suggestion, for one thing is certain: Bear has been sleeping away
half the year ever since!
 DEFINITIONS
You were introduced to the words below in the passage. Study the
pronunciation, spelling, part of speech, and definition of each word. Write
the word in the blank in the sentence that follows. Then read the synonyms
and antonyms.
1. blunder (v) make a foolish or careless mistake; to move
clumsily and carelessly
I saw the hiker through the woods.
(n) a serious or thoughtless mistake
I was terribly embarrassed by my
SYNONYMS: (v) to err, foul up, bungle, goof; (n) an error, blooper
ANTONYMS: (v) to triumph, succeed; (n) a success, hit
2. cancel (v) call off or do away with; to cross out
with lines or
other marks to show that something cannot be
used again
Maybe the principal will classes if it

use
Why did you the offer?
SYNONYMS: deny, discard, junk, scrap, decline,, dismiss
ANTONYMS: take, accept, receive, welcome
9. scuffle (v) fight or struggle closely with
A witness saw the two men in an alley.
(n) fight or struggle
Police officers were called in to break up the
SYNONYMS: (v) tussle, roughhouse, battle, brawl; (n) a fistfight, clash
10. solitary (a) living or being alone; being the only one
The old man led a life.
SYNONYMS: single, sole, lone
ANTONYMS: sociable; several, many, numerous
11. temporary (a) lasting or used for a limited time
A blow to the head can cause a loss of memory.
SYNONYMS: short-term, passing, brief,, momentary
ANTONYMS: lasting, long-lived, permanent
12. veteran (n) a former member of the armed forces; an
experienced
person
The army listened attentively
(a) having much experience in some job or field
The actress will play a reporter.
SYNONYMS: (a) expert, professional, experienced, skilled, accomplished
ANTONYMS: (n) a beginner, newcomer, novice, rookie
 MATCH THE MEANING
For each item below, choose the word whose meaning is suggested by the
clue given.
1. The roommate you have for only a month is a one.
a. continuous b. temporary c. fragile d. solitary

2. tried to hide the blooper
a. document b. myth c. blunder d. scuffle ______
3. not a single cent
a. temporaryb. fragile c. solitary d. veteran ______
4. witnessed the fight
a. myth b. blunder c. document d. scuffle ______
5. very important records
a. veterans b. documents c. myths d. blunders ______
6. a collection of ancient stories
a. documents b. myths c. veterans d. blunders ______
 ANTONYMS
Choose the word that is most nearly opposite in meaning to the word or
phrase in bold. Then write your choice on the line provided.
1. renew my subscription
a. cancel b. blunder c. scuffle d. distribute ______
2. accept the marriage proposal
a. scuffle b. reject c. blunder d. distribute ______
3. a novice mountain climber
a. temporary b. fragile c. continuous d. veteran ______
4. collect the homework sheets
a. reject b. document c. distribute d. cancel ______
5. a sturdy device
a. temporary b. solitary c. veteran d. fragile ______
6. a permanent filling
a. veteran b. continuous c. temporary d. solitary ______
 COMPLETE THE SENTENCE
Choose the word for the list that best completes each item below. You may
have to change the word’s ending.
blunder – cancel – continuous – distribute – document – fragile
myth – reject – scuffle – solitary – temporary – veteran

answers the question. Pay special attention to the word in bold.
1. A person might emerge from a scuffle
a. with spaghetti and meatballs. b. with scrapes and bruises
c. with dollars and cents d. with hugs and kisses
2. Someone who has blundered would
a. feel embarrassed. b. be confident
c. feel proud . d. be rewarded.
3. A solitary tree would probably
a. have needles b. be chopped down.
c. change color in the fall. d. stand alone.
4. A continuous loud noise might
a. be hard to hear. b. stop and start
c. be soothing d. be annoying
5. Which of the following is a document?
a. an old friend b. a telephone call
c. a marriage license d. a good meal
6. If I cancel my piano lesson,
a. I don’t go b. I play very well
b. I repair the piano c. I arrive late
7. A temporary problem is one that
a. lasts a long time b. goes away
c. no one can solve d. anyone can solve
8. In a veteran’s closet you might find
a. a skateboard b. a party dress c. a box of marbles d. an old uniform
9. When a teacher distributes a test
a. he or she grades it b. he or she loses it
c. he or she passes it out d. he or she collects it.
10. Which of the following is usually fragile?
a. a hammer b. a pair of scissors c. a light bulb d. a padlock
11.Someone who has been rejected

 SHADES OF MEANING: Similies
I. Carina doesn’t understand some of the things that her pen-friend,
Grimelda, says. Help Carina by matching the idioms with their
definitions.
1. Sleep like a log
2. Smoke like a
chimney
3. Treat someone
like dirt
4. Eat like a horse
5. Drive like a
lunatic
6. Get on with
someone like a house on fire
7. Look like death
warmed up
8. Spend money
like it’s going out of fashion
a. very pale / ill
b. madly / wildly
c. really well
d. a lot, continuously
e. freely, without a care
f. soundly, very deeply
g. very badly
h. a lot at one time
II. What advice would you give in these situations?
1. My best friend smokes like a chimney. How can I get her to give up?
2. My best friend’s girlfriend treats him like dirt. It’s making him really
unhappy.

9. as busy as a bee busily occupied with many (usually enjoyable) activities,
10.as changeable as the weather unpredictable
11.as clean as a new pin very clean and tidy, with no dust or dirt (a room)
12.as clear as a bell clearly and easily heard
13.as clear as crystal / day(light) obvious, easy to realize / understand (situation)
14.as clear as mud not at all clear or easy to understand (used ironically)
15.as cold as ice very cold
16.as cool as a cucumber calm and controlled at a time of upset, difficulty
17.as cunning as a fox sly, planning secretly to one’s own advantage
18.as dead as a doornail completely dead
19.as deaf as a post extremely deaf (used humorously)
20.as different as chalk from / and cheese very different in appearance, character
21.as drunk as a lord / newt very drunk
22.as dry as a bone very dry, containing no moisture
23.as dull as ditch water very boring
24.as dark as pitch / ink very black / dark
25.as easy as ABC / pie / anything easy to do / solve
26.as fit as a fiddle in good physical condition, active
27.as flat as a pancake very flat; sth that does not arouse the expected interest
28.as fresh as a daisy lively; looking and feeling fresh
29.as gentle as a lamb very gentle (used of a person or larger animal)
30.as good as gold very well-behaved
31.as greedy as a pig very greedy
32.as happy as a king /a lark/ the day is long in a carefree, contented mood;
having no worries
33.as hard as nails physically tough; without feeling, ruthless in
dealing with others
34.as heavy as lead very heavy
35.as keen as mustard extremely eager
36.as large as life in person, in the flesh

- physically strong; insensitive to criticism
65. as true as steel totally loyal, reliable and dependable
66.as warm as toast pleasantly warm and cosy (fingers or toes when well
clothed in winter)
67.as weak as a baby / kitten very weak (after illness)
68.as white as a sheet / chalk pale due to illness; pale after a shock or fright FURTHER PRACTICE
I. Match the words in the lists to make compound nouns or
well-known phrases, some of which may need a hyphen.
1. Book a. fat
2. Stag b. crossing
3. Dark c. hole
4. Puppy d. party
5. Zebra e. tears
6. Pigeon f. eyes
7. Crocodile g. whistle
8. Dog h. worm
9. Wolf i. collar
10.Cat’s j. horse
II. Put these animal names into the correct sentences. You may
have to change the form of the word, and/or add a hyphen.
whale sardine rat wolf horse parrot wild
goose
butterfly fly frog bird dog
1. Wouldn’t you just love to be a on the wall when Sarah tells
him it’s all over?
2. Could I have some water, please? I’ve got a in my throat.
3. Even the great cellist, Dmitri Radovic, admitted to having in

in cages are certainly not free, but at least they are fed regularly
and protected from danger and extinction. Do you think it is right
for us to use animals for our entertainment?
3. What are the possible grounds for becoming a vegetarian, and
which of them most appeals to you?
Người thực hiện
Trương Mỹ Linh
SỞ GD&ĐT ĐỒNG NAI
Đơn vị: Trường THPT Chuyên
Lương Thế Vinh
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CỘNG HOÀ XÃ HỘI CHỦ NGHĨA VIỆT NAM
Độc lập - Tự do - Hạnh phúc
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Biên Hòa, ngày 20 tháng 05 năm 2015
PHIẾU NHẬN XÉT, ĐÁNH GIÁ SÁNG KIẾN KINH NGHIỆM
Năm học: 2014-2015
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Tên sáng kiến kinh nghiệm: HOW TO TEACH VOCABULARY EFFECTIVELY
Họ và tên tác giả: TRƯƠNG MỸ LINH
Đơn vị: Trường THPT Chuyên Lương Thế Vinh
Lĩnh vực:
- Quản lý giáo dục  - Phương pháp dạy học bộ môn: 
- Phương pháp giáo dục  - Lĩnh vực khác: 
Sáng kiến kinh nghiệm đã được triển khai áp dụng: Tại đơn vị  Trong Ngành 
1. Tính mới (Đánh dấu X vào 1 trong 3 ô dưới đây)