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Vocabulary is not only a group of letters which forms words but they are oral and written definitions of the world around us. Vocabulary has a meaning as long as it has a reciprocal for the learner. It should imply a structural or/and conceptual response that fits in the learner’s world. First, vocabulary is introduced with it’s meaning that the learner first comes across. Then through lifetime, he can match it’s other conceptual and deeper meanings as he is engaged to these concepts. His world expands and the more things/states/actions he meets, more definitions and layers of definitions he will need to name them. Visual demonstration shouldn’t be more than enough in teaching vocabulary. Explaining vocabulary in words should start as soon as you can explain the word by using student’s previously learnt vocabularies. For every level of learners, vocabulary can be explained by using sentences suitable to the level, synonyms and antonyms, if any of them are known. As teaching is graded according to the level of the student, using visuals should be minimized or be the last resort as the level increases. Of course we can point out them if they are already in the teaching area but teacher shouldn’t try to create pictures for everything. For very young learners and low levels, it’s better to aid vocabulary teaching with visuals, gestures and mimes. Whereas when teaching high levels, adults or Business English learners, i don’t think you need to draw banknote pictures on the board to explain the meaning of the term ‘currency’. If it’s time to learn what currency is, their level requires them to have known the words ‘country, money, US Dollar, and -at least- the money of their own country’. It would be an insult to the students’ thinking ability to show them pictures while they can understand the verbal explanations of the words. It may cause a barrier in students’ ability of analytical thinking when we lean on visuals too much. The second group of young learners who are above nine years old have ability in conceptual thinking, while they have left involving in structures, shapes, imitating to younger ones. So they would like to figure out meanings by trying out their language to imagine and guess with what they have in their hands, rather than just seeing it’s picture in teacher’s hands. Anyway when you show the visual to elicit vocabulary, if they don’t know the word, they will start to think the word in their native language, not in English. Using visuals is encouraged to make teaching easy and to decrease the teacher’s talking time. But teacher talking time is not a bad thing. If it’s not a native speaking country, most probably lessons are the only sources and times that the student is exposed to English language. When and how will he be exposed to English, if not in the classrom? First we should put some inputs to expect oupput from the student. The lesson being student-centred shouldn’t mean student time must exceed teacher talking time. Teacher talks to serve students, not for himself. These students don’t know English. We can’t expect them to create language before we give linguistic instruments to them. We should feed their receptive skills in order to get productive skills. Teacher’s speaking targets listening skill of the student. Teacher should adjust his speaking level of language suitable to the student. Even if student can’t understand, he will be familiar with the language and getting used to it by repetition and trials. For the appropriate level, it is better to try telling anything in English, rather than showing a visual. Which skill is addressed with showing pictures? It doesn’t improve any skills. We should use visuals because we have to, we shouldn’t be in favour of using them. While teaching vocabulary, eliciting the definition from the student is an approach in some teaching methodologies in the name of increasing the student talking time. Again our expectations should be graded. It doesn’t have a point to wait for three minutes to take out the words ‘lion’ and ‘giraffe’ out of ten 20-50 years old students. The vocabulary chosen should start from the relevant ones to the student’s life to be effective, so he will be able to name things he sees in his routine life and he can start to use language. Teaching him imaginary or irrelevant things that even once in his lifetime he won’t witness any, will make it difficult to memorize and keep the vocabulary because of not using it. Instead, teacher should adapt the stories for him so he can make a prior connection to. Multinational companies tailor their products to the local needs and interests to increase sales. They have different colors, tastes, sizes and shapes…etc. for different regions or cultures. Second language teacher should do the same to sell his product. Let the student get into his own real life in English. Ask him to tell the temple in his village or town, what they do there, ask about his local food, games which he plays with his friends in the street,…etc. So he will start to think, name and speak his reality in English. Creative writing sessions reinforce usage of vocabulary, but it is only enough to keep the words in short-term memory to pass the exam. Having a second language is something like that, if you are not immersed in the language, you forget. What is the use of learning what an alligator is, if he can’t answer ‘how old are you?’, unless alligators are living in his backyard?
