Teaching vocabulary: Lexical exploitation of texts

Introduction

Incorporating the lexical approach into your teaching practice can transform how students interact with texts.

By focusing on words, phrases, and collocations, the lexical approach emphasizes vocabulary as the building block of language.

This post explores the lexical exploitation of texts and provides practical strategies to apply the lexical approach in your English language classroom.

What Is the Lexical Approach?

The lexical approach to language teaching focuses on vocabulary acquisition rather than grammar. It emphasizes lexical chunks, such as collocations, phrasal verbs, idioms, and fixed expressions, which form the backbone of natural communication.

Proponents argue that teaching these chunks helps learners develop fluency and comprehension more effectively than grammar-focused methods. For example, instead of focusing solely on verb tenses, students learn how words work together in meaningful ways:

• Collocations: “make a decision” vs. “do a decision”
• Phrasal verbs: “break down,” “give up”
• Idioms: “spill the beans,” “hit the nail on the head”

Lexical Exploitation of Texts

When exploiting a text lexically, the goal is to mine it for useful vocabulary and expressions that students can practice and incorporate into their language use. This method not only enriches vocabulary but also helps students understand how language works in real contexts.

Steps for Lexical Exploitation of Texts

1. Text Selection
   Choose a text that aligns with your students’ language level and interests. It could be a short story, news article, song lyrics, or even a recipe.
2. Highlight Lexical Chunks
   Identify useful vocabulary and expressions within the text. Focus on:
   • Common collocations (e.g., “take a chance”)
   • Idiomatic phrases (e.g., “on cloud nine”)
   • Phrasal verbs (e.g., “put off,” “run into”)
3. Pre-Reading Activities
   Introduce key lexical items before students read the text. Use activities like:
   • Matching phrases with meanings
   • Completing sentences with collocations
   • Guessing the meaning of chunks from context
4. Text Analysis
   After reading, analyze the text to highlight how the lexical items are used. Questions can include:
   • What other words commonly go with “make”? (Collocations)
   • Can you replace “run into” with another phrase? (Synonyms)
   • Which of these expressions are formal/informal?
5. Post-Reading Practice
   Encourage students to use the lexical items through activities like:
   • Gap-fill exercises with collocations from the text
   • Dialogue creation using idioms
   • Sentence transformation focusing on phrasal verbs
6. Reinforcement and Personalization
   Help students reinforce what they’ve learned by:
   • Writing their own short texts using the target chunks
   • Recording themselves speaking naturally with the items
   • Sharing personalized examples (e.g., “Last week, I took a chance and…”)

Practical Classroom Example

Text: A short excerpt from a news article about climate change.

Target Vocabulary:

• Collocations: “raise awareness,” “take action”
• Phrasal verbs: “step up,” “call for”
• Idioms: “a drop in the bucket”

Activities:

• Pre-reading: Match phrases like “raise awareness” to definitions.
• Post-reading: Role-play a conversation using “step up” and “call for.”
• Reinforcement: Write a paragraph about a local issue using the lexical chunks.

Benefits of the Lexical Approach

1. Fluency Development: Students build confidence by learning fixed expressions used in everyday language.
2. Contextual Learning: Vocabulary is taught in context, improving comprehension and retention.
3. Practical Application: Lexical items are ready-made tools for real-life communication.
4. Cultural Awareness: By exploring idiomatic language, students gain insights into the target language’s culture.

Final Thoughts

The lexical exploitation of texts is an effective way to integrate the lexical approach into your teaching. By systematically identifying and practicing vocabulary chunks, students develop a deeper understanding of how language works. Incorporate this method into your lessons to create an engaging, fluency-focused learning environment.

More on the lexical exploitation of reading texts.