Presenting new English vocabulary in the PPP lesson
Presentation in the PPP lesson is the first part of the lesson, where teachers present the new words in a simple and interesting way.
EFL students will all process new vocabulary differently. Some will use visual techniques, some aural and others through movement.
Most people use a combination of all three techniques and for this reason it is most helpful for students to hear, see and relate new English words to memorable contexts.
Methods of presentation for new vocabulary include:
- using real objects (realia)
- through mime or acting
- by drawing a picture or symbol
- showing flash/word cards
- making sound effects
- making illustrations
- using synonyms and antonyms
- putting the word into a sentence, e.g. ‘you bake a cake in the …’,
- definitions
- describing the word, remembering to avoid using any language that is more complicated than the target word.
- encouraging students to use a monolingual dictionary.
Examples of presentation in the PPP lesson
Teaching techniques
Ideas for presenting the word ‘beard’ could be:
- pointing at your chin, or if possible at a real beard on someone on the classroom;
- showing a picture of a person with a beard;
- using beards on picture flashcards when encouraging description games with the class;
- asking if the student has a beard.
Ideas for presenting the word ‘occasionally‘:
- putting the word into context, e.g. ‘I go swimming every day / once a week / regularly / occasionally’;
- explaining the word using similar phrases such as ‘now and then’, ‘not very often’, ‘sometimes’.
It is important to perform comprehension checks to ensure the students have understood all the new English vocabulary presented. They will then need time to practice and produce their vocabulary in new ways.
Check out our other resources for PPP lessons, then explore some of our lesson plans and ideas for teaching vocabulary.
Share your thoughts on presentation in a PPP lesson
How do you present new vocabulary?
Do you like to use real objects? Are you a fan of flash cards?
How do you contextualise new vocabulary?
Share your tips on presenting new vocabulary in the comments.