At TESOL International in Philadelphia, I gave a brief presentation on how to get students to learn words on word lists.
Here is a summary:
Students make FLASHCARDS.
vOn one side of the card students print the word.
vOn the other side of the card, they provide
o a definition -drawing, translation, dictionary definition, or personal example.
o a pronunciation note –with transliteration, IPA, or their own symbols.
Students USE the flashcards in class activities.
vStudents sort the words by:
o part of speech
o number of syllables
o intonation patterns
o alphabetical order
o any category of meaning
vStudents take turns picking up a card and asking:
o How do you say this word?
o What does it mean?
o How do you spell it?
vStudents pick up a word card and then generate meaning with the word by:
o writing the word in a sentence
o drawing a scene in which the word is used (emergency: a hospital)
o saying the word in a role-play
Students review the word cards ON THEIR OWN to:
o practice spelling.
o practice pronunciation.
o remember definitions.