English is unquestionably the most commonly spoken language in the world. About 12% of the world's populace communicates in English. People with English as their mother tongue do contribute to this statistics. However, they are far outnumbered by those who pick up English as a Second Language or ESL.
esl
English continues to be the 'lingua franca' even today and the appeal of the language never seems to be waning. People belonging to different age groups and coming from different walks of life learn English as a second language. In fact, when it comes to transactions and interactions on an international level, English is the only means of communication. No wonder that TESL or Teaching English as a Second Language curriculums are gaining worldwide popularity. You will indeed render a great service to the society (as well as to yourself) if you resolve to become a certified teacher/instructor of ESL!
esl
Requirements And Qualifications
Basic requirements and qualifications for ESL instructors vary from country to country. Some countries stick to relevant teaching qualifications of that particular country in appointing teachers of ESL, but most TESL jobs specify approved ESL certifications as the basic criteria. (Of course, ESL certifications themselves specify an undergraduate degree in English as a must).
esl
ESL certificates and diplomas issued by UCLES ( University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate ) and Trinity International Examinations Board of Trinity College, London are recognized the world-over. UCLES CELTA (Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults) and Trinity CertTESOL (Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) suffice as the initial qualifications for new teaching trainees. Diploma courses such as the UCLES DELTA (Diploma in English Language Teaching to Adults) and Trinity LTCL DipTESOL (Trinity Licentiate Diploma in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) are considered ideal for recruitment to higher positions, say, to become ESL teacher trainers.
esl
The US MA in TESOL is another widely acclaimed curriculum and qualification for TESL (as well as TEFL) jobs.
Remember, you must be at least 18 years of age to be appointed as a teacher of ESL abroad. In some assignments, the minimum age is 21 years and even more.
Job Description
The typical job responsibilities of an ESL teacher involve planning and preparing teaching materials and delivering lessons to ESL students either group wise or on one-to-one basis. (With the development of communication, i.e., the improvement of the four basic language skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing being the chief aim of TESL programs, you will be required to make the lessons interesting).
As an instructor, you will also be required to assess your students, providing them appropriate feedback. You will be required to involve your students in social and cultural activities.
esl
Career Opportunities
The present times are ripe with opportunities for those who are training themselves as teachers of ESL. If you are one of those, you will have twin choices - you may choose to remain in the US, teaching speakers of other languages to speak, read and write English or else you may go to a foreign (non-English speaking) nation and teach the natives English.
Whichever be your choice, you will stand to gain! As such, the jobs offer lucrative pay packages. A career as an ESL instructor brings you in contact with many people belonging to different cultural and social backgrounds, creating enough scope for you to develop as an individual. Overseas assignments, in addition, pack highly interesting travel-packages for the travel-freak in you!
www.teachingenglishtips.com
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Monday, August 25, 2008
What is TESOL?
What is TESOL?
TESOL is an acronym for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. This is an internationally recognized qualification that enables you to be an English language educator in countries where the native language is not English.
TESOL - Teaching English Tips
The main purpose of this diploma is to equip you, as a teacher, with the principal approaches to teaching and learning the English language. At the end of this course, you will have the necessary tools for teaching English to people who speak different languages, and you will learn to apply different teaching techniques based on different student needs and profiles.
TEFL and TESOL
The acronyms TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) and TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) can often be confusing. Both terms are used interchangeably and effectively mean the same thing. In both cases, the aim is teaching English to those whose first language is not English, worldwide.
TESOL - Teaching English Tips
A TESOL Qualification adds to your worth
* Most countries consider a TESOL certification a pre-requisite to securing a job as a teacher in the English language.
* The TESOL training program familiarizes you with systematic lesson plans, effective classroom management and efficient teaching techniques.
* Your fundamental knowledge of the language and grammar skills is further strengthened before facing a classroom of learners.
* The program brings out your best teaching skills, and the training imparted gives you hands on teaching experience.
* There is a great demand worldwide for TESOL teachers and this opens a whole new vista of career opportunities.
TESOL - Teaching English Tips
Teaching Prospects after TESOL
Although the requirements for TESOL teachers vary from location to location, the general opportunities for you as a TESOL teacher could be any of the following:
* If you are a new TESOL teacher, a private language school, where children and adults attend English classes (usually conversational), would be the best environment to kick start your career.
* Primary Schools, High Schools, Colleges & Universities around the world need qualified English teaching professionals, and a TESOL certificate will add weight to your resume.
* You may have the fortune to teach one or two-hour lessons once or twice a week in businesses.
* Private Tutoring entails one-to-one interaction with your student and is also very lucrative once you have successfully set up a group of students.
TESOL - Teaching English Tips
The icing on the cake is that you can travel and see the world while you earn. The countries that you can visit and teach English with your TESOL qualification include Japan, Vietnam, South Korea , China, Hong Kong, Thailand and Taiwan in Asia; Turkey, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Poland in Europe; and Chile, Peru, Brazil and Argentina in South America, amongst others.
Other TESOL Advantages
TESOL - Teaching English Tips
As a TESOL teacher, you will be able to avail continuous guidance, support and information long after you graduate from your course. You have unrestricted access to worldwide job databases, recruitment services, discussion forums and country guides. Internet chat rooms allow you to interact with the teaching fraternity, and share views and seek guidance. You also have access to a vast pool of resources and dynamic lesson ideas that you can download and use in the classroom.
www.teachingenglishtips.com
Technorati Profile
TESOL is an acronym for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. This is an internationally recognized qualification that enables you to be an English language educator in countries where the native language is not English.
TESOL - Teaching English Tips
The main purpose of this diploma is to equip you, as a teacher, with the principal approaches to teaching and learning the English language. At the end of this course, you will have the necessary tools for teaching English to people who speak different languages, and you will learn to apply different teaching techniques based on different student needs and profiles.
TEFL and TESOL
The acronyms TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) and TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) can often be confusing. Both terms are used interchangeably and effectively mean the same thing. In both cases, the aim is teaching English to those whose first language is not English, worldwide.
TESOL - Teaching English Tips
A TESOL Qualification adds to your worth
* Most countries consider a TESOL certification a pre-requisite to securing a job as a teacher in the English language.
* The TESOL training program familiarizes you with systematic lesson plans, effective classroom management and efficient teaching techniques.
* Your fundamental knowledge of the language and grammar skills is further strengthened before facing a classroom of learners.
* The program brings out your best teaching skills, and the training imparted gives you hands on teaching experience.
* There is a great demand worldwide for TESOL teachers and this opens a whole new vista of career opportunities.
TESOL - Teaching English Tips
Teaching Prospects after TESOL
Although the requirements for TESOL teachers vary from location to location, the general opportunities for you as a TESOL teacher could be any of the following:
* If you are a new TESOL teacher, a private language school, where children and adults attend English classes (usually conversational), would be the best environment to kick start your career.
* Primary Schools, High Schools, Colleges & Universities around the world need qualified English teaching professionals, and a TESOL certificate will add weight to your resume.
* You may have the fortune to teach one or two-hour lessons once or twice a week in businesses.
* Private Tutoring entails one-to-one interaction with your student and is also very lucrative once you have successfully set up a group of students.
TESOL - Teaching English Tips
The icing on the cake is that you can travel and see the world while you earn. The countries that you can visit and teach English with your TESOL qualification include Japan, Vietnam, South Korea , China, Hong Kong, Thailand and Taiwan in Asia; Turkey, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Poland in Europe; and Chile, Peru, Brazil and Argentina in South America, amongst others.
Other TESOL Advantages
TESOL - Teaching English Tips
As a TESOL teacher, you will be able to avail continuous guidance, support and information long after you graduate from your course. You have unrestricted access to worldwide job databases, recruitment services, discussion forums and country guides. Internet chat rooms allow you to interact with the teaching fraternity, and share views and seek guidance. You also have access to a vast pool of resources and dynamic lesson ideas that you can download and use in the classroom.
www.teachingenglishtips.com
Technorati Profile
What is TESL ?
TESL stands for 'Teaching English as a Second Language' and relates to the many English teaching certification courses being provided worldwide. Special training programs are conducted as part of these special curriculums (mostly in English speaking regions) to teach English to non-speakers of the language.
Here the expression 'non-speakers' represents people who are speakers of other languages and hence in countries where the mother tongue of the natives is English (e.g. UK, Ireland & New Zealand), TESL comes to acquire a new acronym TESOL (or Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages). In US though, TESOL incorporates both TESL and TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language).
TESL - Teaching English Tips
With English continuing to be the 'lingua franca', more and more people are trying to pick up English other than their mother tongue. People belonging to all age groups, professions, cultural and social backgrounds are flocking to learn English; no wonder that TESL is fast emerging as a promising new career.
Basic Qualifications Of A TESL Instructor
In the US, the qualification of a TESL instructor varies from state to state; however, in most cases the basic qualification is an MA in TESOL. A Bachelor's Degree with a minor in English or linguistics or in a foreign language is a must for admission to MA in TESOL. MA in TESOL comprises a graduate work in the English language on one of the classical liberal arts (literature/linguistics/media studies) and a theoretical pedagogical module at the tertiary level.
TESL - Teaching English Tips
Most elementary and state-run schools in US conduct ELL (English Language Learner) programs for children coming from non-English speaking homes. The selection of these teachers is usually based on the issuance of teaching certificates/licenses for public instruction. Of course, the issuance of these teaching certificates involve a string of exams and assessments like the PRAXIS as well as other state-sponsored exams. The instructors are also required to prove their proficiencies as teaching interns through brilliant pedagogy and command over language. Performances of interns are evaluated throughout the tenure and the professional teaching certificates are awarded only upon successful completion of the program.
Job Description Of A TESL Instructor
Teachers involved with ESL work with adults and children whose first language is not English and are yet (or are seeking to be) permanent or long-term residents. Children are helped on one to one basis to nurture their cultural and language proficiency. Similarly, special tutorials are conducted for adults at colleges, in community and language centers to sharpen their linguistic skills.
TESL - Teaching English Tips
Your job profile as a TESL instructor is not limited to teaching in classes and tutorials. The development of the teaching materials, researching with easy yet effective teaching techniques, assessment of students' progress, etc., all fall under the purview of a TESL instructor. As a result, you will be required to keep records, arrange meeting and training sessions.
In fact, there is always a bit you can do on your own. Try to win over your students and the best way to woo them is to befriend them. Play ESL quizzes with your students, encourage them to join ESL forums and see them make progress.
TESL - Teaching English Tips
Professional Help For You
You may need help as a TESL instructor. TESOL Inc., a professional organization and other large statewide affiliates such as CATESOL in California and Illinois are always there to extend a helping hand.
www.teachingenglishtips.com
Technorati Profile
Here the expression 'non-speakers' represents people who are speakers of other languages and hence in countries where the mother tongue of the natives is English (e.g. UK, Ireland & New Zealand), TESL comes to acquire a new acronym TESOL (or Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages). In US though, TESOL incorporates both TESL and TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language).
TESL - Teaching English Tips
With English continuing to be the 'lingua franca', more and more people are trying to pick up English other than their mother tongue. People belonging to all age groups, professions, cultural and social backgrounds are flocking to learn English; no wonder that TESL is fast emerging as a promising new career.
Basic Qualifications Of A TESL Instructor
In the US, the qualification of a TESL instructor varies from state to state; however, in most cases the basic qualification is an MA in TESOL. A Bachelor's Degree with a minor in English or linguistics or in a foreign language is a must for admission to MA in TESOL. MA in TESOL comprises a graduate work in the English language on one of the classical liberal arts (literature/linguistics/media studies) and a theoretical pedagogical module at the tertiary level.
TESL - Teaching English Tips
Most elementary and state-run schools in US conduct ELL (English Language Learner) programs for children coming from non-English speaking homes. The selection of these teachers is usually based on the issuance of teaching certificates/licenses for public instruction. Of course, the issuance of these teaching certificates involve a string of exams and assessments like the PRAXIS as well as other state-sponsored exams. The instructors are also required to prove their proficiencies as teaching interns through brilliant pedagogy and command over language. Performances of interns are evaluated throughout the tenure and the professional teaching certificates are awarded only upon successful completion of the program.
Job Description Of A TESL Instructor
Teachers involved with ESL work with adults and children whose first language is not English and are yet (or are seeking to be) permanent or long-term residents. Children are helped on one to one basis to nurture their cultural and language proficiency. Similarly, special tutorials are conducted for adults at colleges, in community and language centers to sharpen their linguistic skills.
TESL - Teaching English Tips
Your job profile as a TESL instructor is not limited to teaching in classes and tutorials. The development of the teaching materials, researching with easy yet effective teaching techniques, assessment of students' progress, etc., all fall under the purview of a TESL instructor. As a result, you will be required to keep records, arrange meeting and training sessions.
In fact, there is always a bit you can do on your own. Try to win over your students and the best way to woo them is to befriend them. Play ESL quizzes with your students, encourage them to join ESL forums and see them make progress.
TESL - Teaching English Tips
Professional Help For You
You may need help as a TESL instructor. TESOL Inc., a professional organization and other large statewide affiliates such as CATESOL in California and Illinois are always there to extend a helping hand.
www.teachingenglishtips.com
Technorati Profile
What is TEFL?
TEFL or 'Teaching English as a Foreign Language' programs, like TESL courses, refer to professional courses wherein non-English speaking people are trained in the English language.
The only difference in this case is that the teaching programs are conducted in 'NON-ENGLISH speaking REGIONS'. Training programs for TEFL are usually conducted in English-speaking regions (although this is not a rule) but the coaching is offered in the student's native land.
TEFL - Teaching English Tips
Career Opportunities
Truly speaking, with the growing importance of English (both written and conversational), TEFL is becoming a rewarding career option day-by-day. People trained as EFL teachers are usually appointed by commercial language schools, government departments, large companies and other renowned private and voluntary organizations like The British Council. They are also offered lucrative jobs and fixed-term contracts abroad.
Job description of a TEFL instructor
TEFL - Teaching English Tips
TEFL instructors help their students improve their English writing and speaking ability by packing their instructions with the most useful information, presenting it in an extremely interesting manner. They impart their knowledge through various TEFL lessons to develop the four basic language skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing of the learners. Consequently, the job involves a lot of researching and planning on the part of the teacher.
As an instructor, you can make use of varied course materials and a variety of audio-visual aids to assist your students. You will also need to boost their confidence by engaging them in social and cultural activities or by taking them on outings. You can also try teaching on 'one-to-one' basis. Whatever be your approach, you ought to make the learning process easy and enjoyable to ensure success.
TEFL - Teaching English Tips
Qualifications For A TEFL Instructor
As such, there is no recognized/certified organization to oversee the issuance of qualifications in general and hence there is no accepted standard qualification. The qualification of an instructor is usually decided by the organization for which the coach is to be recruited. Thus, in the European nations, an undergraduate degree and a TEFL/TESL certification is the average requirement. In USA, the basic qualification is a Master's degree in TESOL. In some nations, far less qualified instructors are appointed. Institutions like Berlitz do not recognize the CELTA / CertTESOL and train their teachers as per their own standards. (Proficiency in English is essential. Knowledge of other languages will be of immense help.)
TEFL Certification Courses
TEFL - Teaching English Tips
However, much we say that there are no set standards/ qualifications for being appointed as a TEFL coach or instructor, most commercial professional ventures are quite discriminating in their choice. TEFL certification courses and core curriculums help you develop all the positive skills and techniques that you need to become a successful EFL instructor.
Thus, you are tutored in the ways of training your students in grammar and vocabulary. Classroom management, motivating students and advanced trainings that help your students attain mastery over spoken and written English are some other tricks being imparted through these programs. In brief, the TEFL certification is a proof of your efficiency as an EFL instructor and most employers judge you on its basis.
TEFL - Teaching English Tips
Certification courses like CELTA, CELTYL, CertTESOL, etc. are conducted at a number of campuses in both UK and USA. Localized certification courses are also offered by individual organizations or institutions. You can even opt for a certification course online.
Conclusion
As a career, TEFL promises a good pay packet in addition to creating opportunities for you to visit interesting destinations. Overseas teaching ventures as a TEFL instructor help you with your career prospects. Exposure to different cultures and traditions, likewise, help you make all-round progress as an individual.
www.teachingenglishtips.com
Technorati Profile
The only difference in this case is that the teaching programs are conducted in 'NON-ENGLISH speaking REGIONS'. Training programs for TEFL are usually conducted in English-speaking regions (although this is not a rule) but the coaching is offered in the student's native land.
TEFL - Teaching English Tips
Career Opportunities
Truly speaking, with the growing importance of English (both written and conversational), TEFL is becoming a rewarding career option day-by-day. People trained as EFL teachers are usually appointed by commercial language schools, government departments, large companies and other renowned private and voluntary organizations like The British Council. They are also offered lucrative jobs and fixed-term contracts abroad.
Job description of a TEFL instructor
TEFL - Teaching English Tips
TEFL instructors help their students improve their English writing and speaking ability by packing their instructions with the most useful information, presenting it in an extremely interesting manner. They impart their knowledge through various TEFL lessons to develop the four basic language skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing of the learners. Consequently, the job involves a lot of researching and planning on the part of the teacher.
As an instructor, you can make use of varied course materials and a variety of audio-visual aids to assist your students. You will also need to boost their confidence by engaging them in social and cultural activities or by taking them on outings. You can also try teaching on 'one-to-one' basis. Whatever be your approach, you ought to make the learning process easy and enjoyable to ensure success.
TEFL - Teaching English Tips
Qualifications For A TEFL Instructor
As such, there is no recognized/certified organization to oversee the issuance of qualifications in general and hence there is no accepted standard qualification. The qualification of an instructor is usually decided by the organization for which the coach is to be recruited. Thus, in the European nations, an undergraduate degree and a TEFL/TESL certification is the average requirement. In USA, the basic qualification is a Master's degree in TESOL. In some nations, far less qualified instructors are appointed. Institutions like Berlitz do not recognize the CELTA / CertTESOL and train their teachers as per their own standards. (Proficiency in English is essential. Knowledge of other languages will be of immense help.)
TEFL Certification Courses
TEFL - Teaching English Tips
However, much we say that there are no set standards/ qualifications for being appointed as a TEFL coach or instructor, most commercial professional ventures are quite discriminating in their choice. TEFL certification courses and core curriculums help you develop all the positive skills and techniques that you need to become a successful EFL instructor.
Thus, you are tutored in the ways of training your students in grammar and vocabulary. Classroom management, motivating students and advanced trainings that help your students attain mastery over spoken and written English are some other tricks being imparted through these programs. In brief, the TEFL certification is a proof of your efficiency as an EFL instructor and most employers judge you on its basis.
TEFL - Teaching English Tips
Certification courses like CELTA, CELTYL, CertTESOL, etc. are conducted at a number of campuses in both UK and USA. Localized certification courses are also offered by individual organizations or institutions. You can even opt for a certification course online.
Conclusion
As a career, TEFL promises a good pay packet in addition to creating opportunities for you to visit interesting destinations. Overseas teaching ventures as a TEFL instructor help you with your career prospects. Exposure to different cultures and traditions, likewise, help you make all-round progress as an individual.
www.teachingenglishtips.com
Technorati Profile
Saturday, August 23, 2008
READING SKILL 2
Reading skill
Reading is the receptive skill in the written mode. It can develop independently of listening and speaking skills, but often develops along with them, especially in societies with a highly-developed literary tradition. Reading can help build vocabulary that helps listening comprehension at the later stages, particularly.
Micro-skills
Here are some of the micro-skills involved in reading. The reader has to:
* decipher the script. In an alphabetic system or a syllabary, this means establishing a relationship between sounds and symbols. In a pictograph system, it means associating the meaning of the words with written symbols.
* recognize vocabulary.
* pick out key words, such as those identifying topics and main ideas.
* figure out the meaning of the words, including unfamiliar vocabulary, from the (written) context.
* recognize grammatical word classes: noun, adjective, etc.
* detect sentence constituents, such as subject, verb, object, prepositions, etc.
* recognize basic syntactic patterns.
* reconstruct and infer situations, goals and participants.
* use both knowledge of the world and lexical and grammatical cohesive devices to make the foregoing inferences, predict outcomes, and infer links and connections among the parts of the text.
* get the main point or the most important information.
* distinguish the main idea from supporting details.
* adjust reading strategies to different reading purposes, such as skimming for main ideas or studying in-depth.
www.sil.org
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Reading is the receptive skill in the written mode. It can develop independently of listening and speaking skills, but often develops along with them, especially in societies with a highly-developed literary tradition. Reading can help build vocabulary that helps listening comprehension at the later stages, particularly.
Micro-skills
Here are some of the micro-skills involved in reading. The reader has to:
* decipher the script. In an alphabetic system or a syllabary, this means establishing a relationship between sounds and symbols. In a pictograph system, it means associating the meaning of the words with written symbols.
* recognize vocabulary.
* pick out key words, such as those identifying topics and main ideas.
* figure out the meaning of the words, including unfamiliar vocabulary, from the (written) context.
* recognize grammatical word classes: noun, adjective, etc.
* detect sentence constituents, such as subject, verb, object, prepositions, etc.
* recognize basic syntactic patterns.
* reconstruct and infer situations, goals and participants.
* use both knowledge of the world and lexical and grammatical cohesive devices to make the foregoing inferences, predict outcomes, and infer links and connections among the parts of the text.
* get the main point or the most important information.
* distinguish the main idea from supporting details.
* adjust reading strategies to different reading purposes, such as skimming for main ideas or studying in-depth.
www.sil.org
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READING SKILLS
READING SKILLS
1. Choose your reading material carefully, so that you see suitable vocabulary being used in context.
2. Start off with reading material which is not too overwhelming. either in size, or with vocabulary which is too difficult to guess the meaning from the context.
3. When reading a new book, read one page without looking at the dictionary, then summarise that page in your mind before continuing to the next page. If you cannot summarise it satisfactorily, look up a maximum of ten words in the dictionary to confirm that your guess is right. If you cannot do this, look for an easier book.
RECOMMENDED READING MATTER
NEWSPAPERS
*
Easiest for non-native speakers to understand: Quality English Newspapers, eg: The Times, The Guardian, The Telegraph, The Daily Express
*
Well-written, but often difficult due to liberal use of phrasal verbs: The Daily Mail
*
Often difficult due to slang content and phrasal verbs: The Mirror, The Sun
PUBLICATIONS CONTAINING FORMAL OR PLAIN ENGLISH
*
Encyclopaedias
*
Traditional Books
*
Books by Somerset Maugham can be read by students from intermediate upwards.
*
Books by Charles Dickens, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Agatha Christie contain a lot of difficult vocabulary and are only suitable for Advanced students.
www.musicalenglishlessons.org
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1. Choose your reading material carefully, so that you see suitable vocabulary being used in context.
2. Start off with reading material which is not too overwhelming. either in size, or with vocabulary which is too difficult to guess the meaning from the context.
3. When reading a new book, read one page without looking at the dictionary, then summarise that page in your mind before continuing to the next page. If you cannot summarise it satisfactorily, look up a maximum of ten words in the dictionary to confirm that your guess is right. If you cannot do this, look for an easier book.
RECOMMENDED READING MATTER
NEWSPAPERS
*
Easiest for non-native speakers to understand: Quality English Newspapers, eg: The Times, The Guardian, The Telegraph, The Daily Express
*
Well-written, but often difficult due to liberal use of phrasal verbs: The Daily Mail
*
Often difficult due to slang content and phrasal verbs: The Mirror, The Sun
PUBLICATIONS CONTAINING FORMAL OR PLAIN ENGLISH
*
Encyclopaedias
*
Traditional Books
*
Books by Somerset Maugham can be read by students from intermediate upwards.
*
Books by Charles Dickens, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Agatha Christie contain a lot of difficult vocabulary and are only suitable for Advanced students.
www.musicalenglishlessons.org
Technorati Profile
VOCABULARY LEARNING TIPS
The Ten Best Vocabulary Learning Tips
* Vocabulary Learning Tip One: Read, Read, Read! Most vocabulary words are learned from context. The more words you're exposed to, the better vocabulary you will have.
While you read, pay close attention to words you don't know. First, try to figure out their meanings from context. Then look the words up. Read and listen to challenging material so that you'll be exposed to many new words.
* Vocabulary Learning Tip Two: Improve your context skills. Research shows that the vast majority of words are learned from context. To improve your context skills pay close attention to how words are used. Doing a search on a word using dejanews.com (for searching newsgroups) will give you many examples of how that word is used in context. Play our Daily Context Vocabulary Quiz.
* Vocabulary Learning Tip Three: Practice, practice, practice. Learning a word won't help very much if you promptly forget it. Research shows that it takes from 10 to 20 repetitions to really make a word part of your vocabulary. It helps to write the word - both the definition and a sentence you make up using the word - perhaps on an index card that can later be reviewed. As soon as you learn a new word, start using it. Review your index cards periodically to see if you have forgotten any of your new words. Also, do a search on a word using dejanews.com (for searching newsgroups) to get many examples of how the word is actually used.
* Vocabulary Learning Tip Four: Make up as many associations and connections as possible. Say the word aloud to activate your auditory memory. Relate the word to words you already know. For example, the word GARGANTUAN (very large) has a similar meaning to the words gigantic, huge, large, etc. You could make a sequence: small, medium, large, very large, GARGANTUAN. List as many things as you can that could be considered GARGANTUAN: Godzilla, the circus fat lady, the zit on your nose, etc. Create pictures of the word's meaning that involve strong emotions. Think "the GARGANTUAN creature was going to rip me apart and then eat me!"
* Vocabulary Learning Tip Five: Use mnemonics ( memory tricks). For example, consider the word EGREGIOUS (extremely bad). Think EGG REACH US - imagine we've made a mistake so bad that they are throwing eggs at us and a rotten EGG REACHes US. Such funny little word pictures will help you remember what words mean, AND they are fun to make up. Also, find out which learning style suits you best. Everyone learns differently!
* Vocabulary Learning Tip Six: Get in the habit of looking up words you don't know. If you have a dictionary program on your computer, keep it open and handy. America Online and other internet services have dictionaries and thesauruses on their tool bars. Find them and look up any word you are not absolutely sure of. Use a thesaurus when you write to find the word that fits best.
* Vocabulary Learning Tip Seven: Play with words. Play Scrabble, Boggle, and do crossword puzzles. These and other word games are available for the computer, so you are not dependent on a partner to play. Also, try out the Franklin Electronic Dictionary that features built-in word games.
* Vocabulary Learning Tip Eight: Use vocabulary lists. For the serious vocabulary student, there are many books that focus on the words most commonly found in standardized tests, such as the SAT and GRE. There are also many interesting word sites on the Internet, many of which will send you a word a day by email.
* Vocabulary Learning Tip Nine: Take vocabulary tests. Playing games, such as the ones on this site, that test your knowledge will help you learn new words and also let you know how much progress you're making. Offline sources for vocabulary tests include SAT prep books (we recommend "10 Real SATs" by ETS), and the Reader's Digest Wordpower section. For more, check out Amazon.com or your local bookseller.
www.sheppardsoftware.com
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* Vocabulary Learning Tip One: Read, Read, Read! Most vocabulary words are learned from context. The more words you're exposed to, the better vocabulary you will have.
While you read, pay close attention to words you don't know. First, try to figure out their meanings from context. Then look the words up. Read and listen to challenging material so that you'll be exposed to many new words.
* Vocabulary Learning Tip Two: Improve your context skills. Research shows that the vast majority of words are learned from context. To improve your context skills pay close attention to how words are used. Doing a search on a word using dejanews.com (for searching newsgroups) will give you many examples of how that word is used in context. Play our Daily Context Vocabulary Quiz.
* Vocabulary Learning Tip Three: Practice, practice, practice. Learning a word won't help very much if you promptly forget it. Research shows that it takes from 10 to 20 repetitions to really make a word part of your vocabulary. It helps to write the word - both the definition and a sentence you make up using the word - perhaps on an index card that can later be reviewed. As soon as you learn a new word, start using it. Review your index cards periodically to see if you have forgotten any of your new words. Also, do a search on a word using dejanews.com (for searching newsgroups) to get many examples of how the word is actually used.
* Vocabulary Learning Tip Four: Make up as many associations and connections as possible. Say the word aloud to activate your auditory memory. Relate the word to words you already know. For example, the word GARGANTUAN (very large) has a similar meaning to the words gigantic, huge, large, etc. You could make a sequence: small, medium, large, very large, GARGANTUAN. List as many things as you can that could be considered GARGANTUAN: Godzilla, the circus fat lady, the zit on your nose, etc. Create pictures of the word's meaning that involve strong emotions. Think "the GARGANTUAN creature was going to rip me apart and then eat me!"
* Vocabulary Learning Tip Five: Use mnemonics ( memory tricks). For example, consider the word EGREGIOUS (extremely bad). Think EGG REACH US - imagine we've made a mistake so bad that they are throwing eggs at us and a rotten EGG REACHes US. Such funny little word pictures will help you remember what words mean, AND they are fun to make up. Also, find out which learning style suits you best. Everyone learns differently!
* Vocabulary Learning Tip Six: Get in the habit of looking up words you don't know. If you have a dictionary program on your computer, keep it open and handy. America Online and other internet services have dictionaries and thesauruses on their tool bars. Find them and look up any word you are not absolutely sure of. Use a thesaurus when you write to find the word that fits best.
* Vocabulary Learning Tip Seven: Play with words. Play Scrabble, Boggle, and do crossword puzzles. These and other word games are available for the computer, so you are not dependent on a partner to play. Also, try out the Franklin Electronic Dictionary that features built-in word games.
* Vocabulary Learning Tip Eight: Use vocabulary lists. For the serious vocabulary student, there are many books that focus on the words most commonly found in standardized tests, such as the SAT and GRE. There are also many interesting word sites on the Internet, many of which will send you a word a day by email.
* Vocabulary Learning Tip Nine: Take vocabulary tests. Playing games, such as the ones on this site, that test your knowledge will help you learn new words and also let you know how much progress you're making. Offline sources for vocabulary tests include SAT prep books (we recommend "10 Real SATs" by ETS), and the Reader's Digest Wordpower section. For more, check out Amazon.com or your local bookseller.
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