6. Word formation Vocabulary items, whether one-word or multi-word, can often be broken down into their component 'bits'. Exactly how these bits are put together is another piece of useful information - perhaps mainly for more advanced learners.
You may wish to teach the common prefixes and suffixes: for example, if learners know the meaning of sub-, un- and -able, this will help them guess the meanings of words like substandard, ungrateful and untranslatable. They should, however, be warned that in many common words the affixes no longer have any obvious connection with their root meaning (for example, subject, comfortable]. New combinations using prefixes are not unusual, and the reader or hearer would be expected to gather their meaning from an understanding of their components (ultra-modern, super-hero). Another way vocabulary items are built is by combining two words (two nouns, or a gerund and a noun, or a noun and a verb) to make one item: a single compound word, or two separate, sometimes hyphenated words (bookcase, follow-up, swimming pool). Again, new coinages using this kind of combination are very common.
A good modern dictionary should supply much of the information listed in this unit when you look up a specific item.
Stages in teaching vocabulary There are two stages in teaching vocabulary: presentation or explanation, retention or consolidation.
The process of learning a word means to the pupils:
1.Identification of concepts, i.e. learning what the word means.
2.Pupil’s activity for the purpose of retaining the word.
3.Pupil’s activity in using this word in the process of communication in different situations.
Accordingly, the teacher’s role in this process is:
1.To furnish explanation, i.e. to present the word, to get his pupils to identify the concept correctly.
2.To get them to recall or recognize the word by means of different exercises.
3.To stimulate pupils to use the words in speech.
