In order to solidify the definition of a tier two word in your student’s mind, you must first draw a connection between the new word and one he already knows. To do this, create a simple list of tier two words. Across from the new word, list one word your students already know. For example, list the word “merchant” and next to it, write “salesman.” Ask your students to find new synonyms for the word; as they dig around for new ways to say the same thing, their understanding of the tier two word will mature.
It is estimated that the average ESL learner can pick up around 700 new tier two words each year. With this in mind, your goal as a teacher is finding ways to teach as many words as you can over a short period of time. One of the easiest methods for adding new words to your class’s vocabulary is by choosing a new tier two word each day. Have your class read the word and its definition at the beginning of class, and try to work the word into your lectures or group work for the rest of the day. At the end of each week, hand out a paper with all five daily words and their definitions.
Every English speaker understands that words have definitions, but they also understand that there are some words that mean the exact opposite of the word they have in mind. For example, the word “massive” means “very large.” Words that mean the opposite of “massive” could be “tiny,” “miniature,” “little” or “small.” Choose a tier two word and write it on your black board. Hand out pictures of animals and objects and ask your class to separate the images into groups based on which match the definition of the word, and which show the opposite. You can split your class into groups for this exercise.
One of the most effective ways a class can learn new words is by reading them in context. If you can find a simple, short text (a poem or short story) with a few tier two words included, you can split your class into groups and give them a list of the five or six words you would like them to define. Ask them to use contextual clues from the text to draft their own definition of the word, and then compare the definitions each group created. At the end of the exercise, provide the correct definition and have your class record it in their notebooks.