Introduce New Vocabulary and Stay in the Target Language
There is always a lot of conversation about how to keep students in the target language. I want to share an idea about how to introduce new vocabulary and stay in the target language 90-100% of the time.
You don’t have to use the student’s first language to teach vocabulary. You can stay in the target language by using the technique I am going to show you.
Circling
I first brought you this idea in my Creative ASL Teaching Facebook page. It was offered on Tip Tuesday.
The technique is known as circling and it is a fantastic tool to get repetition in while using new terms in a meaningful way. Basically, circling is a way to make language learning meaningful.
How does it work?
Circling works because it allows teachers to introduce vocabulary and stay in the target language. Circling provides repetition. It is successful for students because it allows words to be used in real communication, by questioning and answering. Circling is the instructional practice of asking a series of prescribed questions in the target language about a statement in the target language.
Implementation
Basically, you want to use circling by introducing one vocabulary word at a time. The sentence you introduce the word in should be completely comprehensible to the students. The statement should include previous learned words and phrases.
If you are learning about transportation, start with the one word, like MOTORCYCLE.
- Show a picture of a motorcycle. Give a sentence.
- Ask a question that gets a yes/no response.
- Ask an either/or question.
- Ask a question requiring a negative response.
- Ask a question that requires a one-word answer.
- Ask an open-ended question.
Answer each question with your original statement about the motorcycle.
To follow the steps above would look like this:
- Show the picture – “Kim bought a motorcycle.”
- Ask “Is this a motorcycle?”
- Ask “Is this a car or a motorcycle?”
- Ask “Did Tommy buy a motorcycle?
- Ask “What color is the motorcycle?
- Ask “Where can Kim travel on a motorcycle?
Now students have seen the new word six times in the context of the language.
Benefits of Circling
- Circling gets students to think in the target language
- When vocabulary is introduced in context, the chance for retention increases
- Keeps the class in the target language
- Provides comprehensible input
Once you are familiar with the process of circling, you don’t have to use all 6 steps listed. Doing so may actually make students become disengaged.
Conclusion
Remember when you introduce new vocabulary by staying in the target language you are providing your students the opportunity to learn organically and be independent and creative in language use for years to come.
Share how you use the target language to teach vocab.
Join the conversation in our Facebook group.
Don’t miss out on a sale, FREEBIE, or new product. Follow Creative ASL Teaching on TpT.
