'Wall dictionary'
This is a good way to help kids learn and review their vocabulary. It really helps them with the alphabet and spelling.
Procedure
1. Prepare a colorful piece of paper which can be used as a background for the wall dictionary.
2. Sew 26 pockets on it (or use glue/sticky tape) and label each pocket with a letter of the alphabet.
3. Ask the children to prepare sets of letter cards by writing the 26 letters on some small pieces of paper. They put their letters into the pockets as soon as they can.
4. We can use this wall dictionary at any time to practice spelling.
5. For example, divide the class into three or four groups. They listen to words and then choose letters from the pockets to spell the words.
Of course, you can make several wall dictionaries so that students can play at the same time without fighting.
Same, opposite or different dictation
This is an activity for advanced or, at least, upper intermediate students.
Dictate to the students pairs of words (e.g. hold/embrace, high/tall) and ask them to classify the pairs as Same, Opposite or Different. Once you have finished dictating the pairs of words, the students should compare their choices with their partner and explain their reasons, especially the pairs classified as different (why are they different?) or same (are they always synonyms? Are there slight differences in meaning and connotation? Are there differences in collocation). If you wanted, students could use dictionaries to check ideas.
After the students have discussed the words, elicit the pairs to the board and deal with spelling, pronunciation and meaning.
This activity can be done to introduce vocabulary that will be found in a text, listening activity or song lyrics, but also for reviews. So, you find words in the text, and think of partners for them for the S.O.D. dictation.
The activity is demanding but it is an excellent way to explore vocabulary and shades of meaning.
Vocabulary box
A small box, such as a shoe box, is a very useful tool in the classroom - it can become a vocabulary box. You also need some small blank cards or pieces of paper.
1. At the end of each vocabulary lesson - for example 'Houses and Homes' - either you or the students should write words from the lesson on different cards. So, you may end up with ten words on ten cards - bedroom, kitchen, roof, window…- and these cards are then placed in the vocabulary box. If you have time, and with better classes, you, or the students, may write a definition of the word on the reverse of each card.
2. This vocabulary box can then be used at any time to review the vocabulary studied over the weeks.
3. You could simply pick words from the box at random, give the definition and ask for the word. This can be done as a simple team game.
4. Or you may try something more active. For example, when you've had this vocabulary box for a month or two months and there are quite a lot of cards in there, you might say to the students 'OK, collectively I want all these cards divided into nouns, adjectives and verbs … Go! You have three minutes'. Or, you might say 'OK I want all these cards divided into lexical sets … Go!'. Or, you might say 'Each corner of the room is a different lexical set - that one's furniture, that one's medicine, that one is food and that one is sport. Put the cards in the right corner, you have one minute to do this…Go!'. Then they're all running around trying to get their words in the right corner. This could also be done in teams, giving each team a handful of words to sort.
This box just becomes so flexible in how you can use it. It could be at the end of the lesson. For example 'You can't leave the classroom until you've defined two words that are in the box'. Vocabulary boxes are fantastic and they take so little time but provide so many activities.