Chapter one. The influence of teaching vocabularies

3.2 The use of Pictured words
The small amount of research on such teaching indicates that it has a strong effect on vocabulary learning. The first decision to make when teaching a word is to decide whether the word is worth spending time on or not. If the word is a low frequency word and is not a useful technical word and not one that is particularly useful for the learners, it should be dealt with as quickly as possible. Usually when words come up in the context of a reading or listening text, or of learners need a word or phrase when speaking or writing, they need quick help which does not interrupt the activity too much. Sometimes however a teacher may want to spend time on a word.
In general, time should be spent on high frequency words or words that fill a language need that the learners have. When deciding how to spend time on a word, it is useful to consider the learning burden of the word. Hunt and Beglar in Richards and Renandya (2002: 256) discuss three approaches to vocabulary teaching and learning, they are:

1. 
   Incidental learning, learning vocabulary as a byproduct of doing other things such as reading and listening.
   
2. 
   Explicit instruction depends on identifying specific vocabulary acquisition target for learners.
   
3. 
   Independent strategy development, learners need to be taught strategies for inferring words from context as well as those which can help learners retain the meanings words they have encountered.
   

A combination of all three approaches is recommended as the basis for a vocabulary program.
Graims and Ridman (1986: 113) conclude that by learning vocabulary the learners can recognize and comprehend the context of reading and listening materials, and later asproductively as the learners can recall and use them appropriately in speech and writing. In this case, the vocabulary the learners can recognize is all the words in written and oral context and finally they can use them daily in speaking and writing.
Harmer (1991: 56) states that the teaching of English vocabulary as a second materials in the process of learning, and he says that teaching old vocabulary continuously is more important than teaching new vocabulary each day. Paul Nation (2005: 230)argues that the main problem with vocabulary teaching is that only a few words and a small part of what is required to know a word can be dealt with any one time.
This limitation also applies to incidental learning from listening or reading, but it is much easier to arrange for large amounts of independent listening and reading than it is to arrange for large amounts of teaching. Teaching can effectively deal with only a small amount of information about a word at a time. The more complex the information is, the more likely the learners are to misinterpret it.
Graims and Ridman (1986: 113) conclude that by learning vocabulary the learners can recognize and comprehend the context of reading and listening materials, and later asproductively as the learners can recall and use them appropriately in speech and writing. In this case, the vocabulary the learners can recognize is all the words in written and oral context and finally they can use them daily in speaking and writing.
Harmer (1991: 56) states that the teaching of English vocabulary as a second materials in the process of learning, and he says that teaching old vocabulary continuously is more important than teaching new vocabulary each day. Paul Nation (2005: 230)argues that the main problem with vocabulary teaching is that only a few words and a small part of what is required to know a word can be dealt with any one time.
This limitation also applies to incidental learning from listening or reading, but it is much easier to arrange for large amounts of independent listening and reading than it is to arrange for large amounts of teaching. Teaching can effectively deal with only a small amount of information about a word at a time. The more complex the information is, the more likely the learners are to misinterpret it.
A picture dictionary creates a visual link between a new word and its meaning, by using images to illustrate vocabulary. It helps you to form an association between English words and the real world.

Picture dictionaries also add variety to your studies. If English learning is starting to feel like a chore, that might be a sign that the tools you’re using aren’t quite right for you. Don’t be disheartened! There’s always time to explore new methods.

Remember that everyone learns vocabulary in different ways. Picture dictionaries are especially ideal for visual learners, who memorize ideas through images and symbols. If in your native language you tend to study this way, it’s great to apply the same method to learning English. It makes the whole process a lot less daunting and unfamiliar.

There's a good reason why print dictionaries are still a staple in many classrooms and libraries around the country. That’s because while plenty of dictionary resources are available online, a paper dictionary is a must-have tool for literacy. The mere act of flipping through its pages and discovering the meaning of a word opens up a new world bursting with unexpected learning opportunities for kids — which can play a big hand in their school success.

“With print dictionaries, students learn alphabetical order and how to locate a word,” says Maya Lê Espiritu, an elementary school teacher in Oceanside, California, and creator of MaiStoryBook. “I even give first-grade students mini versions of dictionaries to help them with spelling.”

The benefits of thumbing through a print dictionary are often overlooked in an age when kids can just turn to a smartphone to quickly define a word. But print dictionaries are more than just books filled with words and their meanings: They’re reservoirs of knowledge, promoting literacy, learning, and a deeper understanding of the world.

We recommend the new Scholastic 2019 Children’s Dictionary. Children’s dictionaries, in particular, are important because they feature age-appropriate vocabulary for your young learner. The Scholastic 2019 Children’s Dictionary uses real, engaging photographs to illustrate various words, and includes modern vernacular like “drone” and “USB.” The easy-to-read text spells out precise definitions and a brief history of each letter, too!

Order your copy today, and the five literacy and vocabulary-boosting benefits described below will be only a turn of a page away for your child.

1. They’ll experience a snowball effect of learning.

When kids leaf through the pages of a dictionary to find a specific word, they also see plenty of other new and interesting words they might not know. This adds momentum to their learning, which is especially helpful for back-to-school season! You never know what other word will catch their eye, and which ones will inspire an even deeper exploration of meaning and understanding. (Here are more strategies that boost reading skills.)

2. It gives your child’s brain a workout.

Finding words in a print dictionary exercises kids’ minds and helps them develop their problem-solving skills. To find a word, they have to consider order and sequencing, alphabetization, spelling, context, and much more!

3. Print dictionaries slow things down.

Faster isn’t always better when it comes to literacy and learning. Whether they’re reading, writing, or conducting research, when kids pause for a moment to explore the meaning of a word, they enjoy a much-needed break from the task they're working on. Even a small break in action may inspire a new line of thinking or an innovative idea upon their return.

4. They’ll be more focused.

Print dictionaries don’t have ads. More importantly, kids won’t be tempted to fall down the Internet rabbit hole by visiting their favorite websites or chatting with friends. With print dictionaries, children are often more focused and fully engaged in learning.

5. Print dictionaries fuel curiosity.

Curiosity is the cornerstone for learning, and thumbing through a print dictionary is the perfect way to fuel it. With every turn of the page, there’s a sense of randomness and serendipity that transforms your child’s print dictionary into something much more valuable than a literacy tool — it becomes a place to let go and lose oneself in learning. You might be surprised by how some words capture your child’s attention!

In teaching English Vocabulary to students at Elementary School, it will be good if the teacher used a kind of teaching aids to present the words. As Nasr observes, “ one of the fundamental principles of modern language, teaching in a new language should come by way of the ear first and then the eye…None of the senses has been developed as has been the sense of sight, more than seventy percent of our impressions come through the visual organs.” 19 According to a research done by Yulianti to observe the impact of using the aid by Harvard Business School in 1980’s. The result indicated that any kind of information received by our brain comes through our five senses. 20 Table 1.1 The percentage of using the aid for our five senses Senses Percentages Taste 1 Touch 1,5 Smell 3,5 Hearing 11 Sight 83 Total 100 It is taken from Yulianti, The Use Of Visual Aids in Teaching English Vocabulary to Pre School Pupils at Bina Nusantara Harvard: Harvard Business School, 1999, p.90 The writer can see from the table above that sight has the highest percentages. It means that picture dictionary as the visual aids is very important for the students especially at Elementary School. Sesnan says: The definition of visual aids is the name we give to something extra to use to make your teaching more effective, the word visual is connected with other words for ‘sight’, and visual aids include maps, charts, and pictures. However, there are many objects which also can be brought into the classroom for the pupils be touch or listen to, so although we sometimes call there ‘visual aids’ as well, a better term may be teaching aids, some teaching aids are sold in bookshop. 21 19 Nasr, Teaching and Learning English …, p. 123 20 Yulianti, The Use of Visual Aids in Teaching English Vocabulary to Pre-School Pupils at Bina Nusantara Harvard : Harvard Business School, 1999, p. 90 21 B. Sesnan, How to Teach English Oxford : Oxford University Press, 1997, p. 208 In this regard to the case, Nasr argues that in teaching visual aids such as picture dictionary is the name we give to something extra in preparing some aids in teaching vocabulary by using picture dictionary, as follows: 1. Each aid must make clear the purposes for which it is introduced, otherwise it may lead to confusion in the mind of students. 2. The aid must represent one point and only one point at a time, not a combination of several. thus, it creates a clear impression, avoid confusion and is likely to become a permanent equipment of the learners. 3. The aid must draw attention not to itself, but to the purposes for which it was intended. For example, pictures, or photographs, which attract more attention to them that the activity which they are explaining, should seldom use. 4. The aid should tie in with previous experiences. in this way, a minimum of explanation is needed and pupils move from one point to another. 5. The aid must be excellent from the technical point of view. Neat printing and cleanliness are absolute essentials. 6. The aid must be of a size that is convenient to handle. It should be big enough to be easily seen, but not too big for easily use. 7. The aids must be fit in with the best principles of education. It should be presented at the right time and in such manner that is used would disturb as little as possible, it most useful when it is attractive enough to stir up interest” 22 Teaching aids influence the success of teaching and learning process. The teacher will get the best goal in teaching English vocabulary if he uses the best teaching aids. Since the students give their much attention to the teaching and learning process. But, based on Nasr’s opinion above we have known that when the teacher uses teaching aids, he should consider seven principles above such as teaching aids must be fit with the principles of teaching:” teaching aids are important because they have certain features in common with real communicative events-there is a purpose to the exchange. Having students learn through visual aid maximizes the amount of words they receive.” It means that the teacher cannot use any teaching aids that disturb the principles of education. For example, the teacher cannot use ‘vulgar movie’ as visual aids in teaching English because it will disturb the students’ ethics.
Teaching vocabulary by using picture dictionary can be helful to the teacher of a foreign language in a number of different ways:

1. 
   It can brighten up the class and bring more variety into language lesson especially in teaching vocabulary.
   
2. 
   It can also arouse the students attention to gues the meaning of unfamiliar words.
   

Allen (1983: 341) describes the advantages of pictures in teaching vocabulary as follows:

1. 
   They cost little or nothing
   
2. 
   They are available even in places where no other pictures can be found
   
3. 
   They do not require space for storing and filling as picture from other sources
   
4. 
   Sometimes pupils who are poor in language can draw well. Such pupils are given chance to win prize, and prize may help them to learn
   
5. 
   When someone has drawn a picture of scene, he knows the meaning of english words that the teacher will use by talking about parts of scene.
   

The way of using pictures in the classroom instruction are:

1. 
   The teacher arranges the pictures in the blackbord or in the large paper.
   
2. 
   The teacher put some pictures in the right colum, the teacher ask the students to match them correctly
   
3. 
   The teacher puts some pictures of thing with their description underneath. Then the teacher asks the students to guess the name of the picture and its name in the book abouut the discription.
   

In the past, vocabulary teaching and learning were often given priority in second language programs, but recently there has been a renewed interest in the nature of vocabulary and its role in learning and teaching. Traditionally, vocabulary learning was often left to look after and received only incidental attention in many textbooks and language programs. Thus, although the course curriculum was often quite specific about aspects to teaching such as grammar, reading, or speaking, little specification was given to the role of vocabulary.
The status of vocabulary now seems to be changing. For one thing, the nation of a word has been “broadened” to include lexical phrases and routines, and it has been suggested that in the initial stages of learning these play a primary role in communication and acquisition.We need to see learning any particular word as being a cumulative process where knowledge is built up over a series of varied meetings with the word. At best, teaching can provide only one or two of these meetings.
The others involve deliberate study, meeting through meaning-focused input and output, and fluency development activities. The positive effects of vocabulary teaching are that it can provide help when learners feel it is most needed. This is particularly true for vocabulary teaching that occurs in the context of message-focused activities involving listening, speaking, reading and writing, and where the teaching deals with items that learners see as being very relevant for the activity.