Vocab experts agree that simply learning definitions is not sufficient for true learning, which requires a multi-layered approach. Such an approach should include illustration, context, and repetition.

Conversation would certainly provide all three!

One way to aid or stimulate conversation might be the use of images in conjunction with the words. For example, you could include images with your words and the conversation might focus on whether or not the students think the images appropriately reflect the meanings of the words you’ve paired them with. You could pair a word with multiple images and then ask your students which image reflects the word meaning best.

This approach would obviously prompt some “deep thinking” of the sort that experts say is necessary in word learning and if the images were good ones, that could make the conversation lively! Here’s a cool free site that gives vocabulary flash cards with photographs of the kind you might use.

I’ve seen students using Quizlet throughout the week, bragging about their scores, and cramming before the test with one of Quizlet’s several options for studying. The Amazing Flash Card Machine has been left in the dust. Because it only does one thing, everything AFCM does, Quizlet does better.

The vocabulary blog didn’t take off. We tried it for a while, but students didn’t use it to study so it wasn’t a great return on investment of time. It’s really hard to create a conversation with lots of people who don’t want to engage and/or who have alternate communication channels.

I’m looking at how to make learning games more of a conversation. Or, I’d like to be….john