Teach vocabulary in context using readings or listening excerpts. Use multiple types and sources, including fiction and nonfiction stories, jokes and dialogues. Find the new vocabulary you wish to teach in the text. Then familiarize students with it ahead of time, using photographs, a picture dictionary or line drawings on the board. Vary the methods of presenting the text, such as silent reading, choral reading, listening and reading aloud. Then repeat this using another method.
Have students practice the words soon after the initial presentation of the story or listening excerpt. For example, discuss the story using the new words, or have students write answers to questions about it. Prepare a cloze or fill-in version of the story where students supply the missing words. Many reading textbook series provide similar vocabulary practice. Continue on to actual performance, where students use the words in a communicative way. For example, give them questionnaires using the vocabulary. For writing, have them compose their own story or engage in dialogue using the vocabulary words.
Help students learn by grouping vocabulary words by meaning and by teaching word parts. For example, teach words for fruit, color or emotions at one time. Present words and their opposites or synonyms, for example "hot" and "cold," "tall" and "short." Also teach the roots, prefixes and suffixes that make up words. For example, teach the various prefixes that make a word negative, such as non- and in-. Explain the suffixes that change the part of speech of a word, such as -ly for adverbs and -tion for nouns.
Teach idioms, slang and everyday language as well as formal English. Short readings or TV or radio excerpts from the real world will contain useful language students hear every day. Special idiom textbooks make authentic language accessible to students at all levels. Include slang and two-word verbs, such as "look up." Idioms and slang present opportunities for communicative practice in which students make up their own dialogue or role-play a situation.
Emphasize fun by reinforcing vocabulary study word games, songs, spelling bees and puzzles. Make your own puzzles using online resources or find them in textbooks. Use jokes, cartoons and funny stories from magazines, newspapers and textbooks.