Vocabulary Instruction: A Source-Based Approach www.ablongman.com/nilsen

1. Vocabulary Instruction:A Source-Based Approachwww.ablongman.com/nilsen By Alleen Pace Nilsen and Don L. F. Nilsen

2. ASSUMPTIONS OF OUR SOURCE-BASED APPROACH TO VOCABULARY INSTRUCTION: • WE ARE TEACHING THINKING SKILLS—A RECOGNITION OF PATTERNS AND RELATIONSHIPS. • STUDENTS NEED TIME TO ABSORB THE MEANINGS OF WORDS AND TO MAKE CONNECTIONS—THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE PLAN ACTIVITIES AND A HANDS-ON APPROACH. • IT IS BETTER FOR STUDENTS TO FEEL SUCCESSFUL THAN UNSUCCESSFUL

3. WORKING IN LITTLE GROUPS IS A GOOD WAY TO GIVE STUDENTS PRACTICE IN SAYING THE WORDS. • WE PURPOSELY INCLUDE A MIXTURE OF WELL KNOWN AND NEW WORDS. • OF COURSE READING IS A GOOD WAY TO IMPROVE ONE’S VOCABULARY, BUT MOSTLY CHILDREN LEARN ONLY A SINGLE MEANING. THE LEMONY SNICKET BOOKS DIFFER IN THAT THE AUTHOR, DANIEL HANDLER, LOVES TO PLAY WITH WORDS AND OFTEN GIVES SEVERAL MEANINGS, E.G.

4. The Grim Grotto Ch. 7 begins with • Theword lousy like the word volunteer, the word fire, the word department, and many other words found in dictionaries and other important documents, has a number of different definitions depending on the exact circumstances in which it is used” (139). • Then he goes on to give examples:

5. “bad” as are the sinister smells coming from Lousy Lane and the lousy journey the children had while climbing Mortmain Mountain. • The medical definition of “infested with lice,” which he may have to use if Count Olaf’s hygiene grows worse. • The somewhat obscure definition as when it means “abundantly supplied” as is Count Olaf with treacherous plans, the Queequeg submarine with metal pipes, and the whole world with unfathomable secrets.

6. Alphabet

8. Animals vs. Humans

9. Chains and Chain Reactions

10. Decks

11. Eggs

12. Eyes

13. Farm Animals

14. Forks

15. Hands

16. Sewing

17. Skeleton and Bones

18. Sports

19. Sticks

20. Straw

21. Tails

22. Tape

23. Tools

24. Tongue

25. Train

26. Watery Animals

27. References: Belois, Nathan. “Conceptual Metaphor Theory in the L2 Classroom.” Tempe, AZ: Unpublished MA Thesis: Arizona State University, 2007. Boers, Frank. “Expanding Learners’ Vocabulary through Metaphor Awareness: What Expansion, What Learners, What Vocabulary?” in Eds. M. Archard and S. Niemeir. Cognitive Linguistics, Second Language Acquisition, and Foreign Language Learning. Berlin, Germany: Mouton de Gruyter, 2004, 211-232. Nilsen, Alleen Pace, and Don L. F. Nilsen. Vocabulary Plus High School and Up: A Source-Based Approach. New York, NY: Allyn and Bacon, 2004. www.ablongman.com/nilsen Nilsen, Alleen Pace, and Don L. F. Nilsen. Vocabulary Plus K-8: A Source-Based Approach. New York, NY: Allyn and Bacon, 2004. www.ablongman.com/nilsen