Teaching vocabulary

From my experience with online English tutoring and now also teaching at Maple Bear, I have learned that teaching vocabulary is much more than simply explaining the meaning of new words. What I find essential when teaching lexis is working with meaning, form, and use. From the vocabulary session and the self-study reading, I realised how important context is. When words are taught in isolation, students often forget them quickly, but when they appear in a story, dialogue, or topic they are already familiar with, they understand them more deeply and remember them longer. I noticed this especially during my online lessons, where students learned faster when the vocabulary was connected to their own experiences.

In my teaching, I focus on recycling vocabulary regularly so learners truly internalise it. I also try to include speaking or writing tasks where students must actively use new words, not just repeat them. Teaching lexical chunks—instead of individual words—helps students sound more natural and confident. During the micro-teaching session, I learned how much clear lesson stages, modelling, and examples support learners' understanding.

At Maple Bear, I see how young learners respond particularly well to multisensory and playful activities. Because of this, my approach to teaching vocabulary combines structure with creativity: first exposure, then guided practice, and finally independent use. My goal is to make vocabulary learning meaningful, memorable, and enjoyable for all learners.