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Helpful hints for effective TL vocabulary instruction - 10 Do's and Don'ts

LanguageGuide.org is an online language learning resource available in numerous languages ranging from English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Italian, German, Dutch, Turkish, Arabic, Russian, Mandarin, Japanese, to Korean. This illustrated vocabulary guide contains sound-integrated exercises at three levels -- beginner, intermediate, and advanced, and allows for independent practice at the learner's own pace. These practice exercises are appropriate for elementary and middle school students and this resource would be well suited on a teacher webpage. Thematic topics vary by language but generally include numbers, parts of the body, clothing, food, animals, weather, home, and school. There is an option menu on each screen for listening, speaking, and reading practice, as well as a quiz for students to check their comprehension. Some languages also feature a Grammar and Readings section for more advanced learners.

interesting set of tools to assist in vocabulary; could be adapted for any content area

Spanish technology terms for students; site includes quiz and worksheets. Possible use in technology literacy lesson.

Lingro is an online dictionary tool that allows users to link any URL address or uploaded document and have all words be linked to the available dictionaries in 11 languages. Once the URL address or document is linked to the Lingro dictionaries every word becomes "clickable" and linked to the program's dictionary to view either a definition in English or a translation in the other languages. This site can be used by World Language teachers and students in a variety of ways to encourage reading comprehension in L2. For teachers use, Lingro can be used for created guided practice activities with L2 readings, such as in an online newspaper or uploaded document. The teacher guides students through the target vocabulary to be learned and promote the discussion of its context use and correct translation. For student use, vocabulary lists can be created with the click of a button which can later be reviewed as flashcards or word lists with examples of use in contextual sentences. This tool aids learners with a quick reference for the meaning of words without having to interrupt a lesson or reading exercise for lengthy amounts of time.

20 uses for Wordle in the classroom or out of class. Useful for a variety of purposes and a variety of ages. Wordle also used in a study for analyzing student writing samples, to show overused words and suggest broadening vocabulary.

This is an awesome YouTube channel by Sylvia Duckworth. I would use her Chansons au Powerpoint to pre-teach vocabulary and then reinforce the learning with the music/PowerPoint combination.  Other videos offer a plethora of topics that can be used in your classroom.  Her use of GoAnimate inspires me to have my students create similar projects to tell stories.   Although in French, the ideas are easily used in Spanish and other WL classrooms. 

Build your English vocabulary while reading the news.  

This is a game for Spanish learners and native speakers. It tests your vocabulary and helps you learn new words. Students need a smart phone or an ipad or Facebook to play.

German Teachers - check this out! This site offers a variety of free apps for the beginning language learner. On these apps the learner can practice a variety of vocabulary i. e. classroom vocabulary, food, basic conversational phrases etc.

Good for expanding vocabulary

This is a slideshare where the owner provides many songs to help teach French vocabulary, tenses, and verbs. She offers detailed lessons on how to teach the music beyond just the words.

This site mirrors the English version, but all the content is in French. The quizzes after each cartoon video clip are very useful for extending vocabulary beyond the basics.

A fantastic resource for level 1 vocabulary with audio, visuals and simple sentences.

A translation tool for students when they are reading target language websites

Contact us with comments and questions about this collection. Visuals for Foreign Language Instruction web site for educational and research purposes only. Any other use of these materials, including but not limited to commercial or scholarly reproductions, redistribution, publication, or transmission, is strictly prohibited without written permission.

Visuals for Foreign Language Instruction is a free gallery of images hosted by the University of Pittsburgh's Digital Research Library. The gallery contains nearly 500 drawings of people conversing, scenes in houses and buildings, and objects commonly found in houses. You'll also find drawings scenes in cities, in stores, and in nature. The visuals are all drawn cartoon style without any text or speech bubbles. Applications for Education If you're looking for some visual prompts to use in your language lessons, take a look at the gallery at Visuals for Foreign Language Instruction. You can search the gallery by keyword or simple browse through the collection. 

Free flashcard-creating program. Can create flashcards via Web browser and free mobile app. Could be fun for making students "stakeholders" in contributing vocabulary to a course.

This website is a clearinghouse for every type of French grammar activity online, with additional cultural and vocabulary components.

This very whimsical, yet well-organized and engaging website offers a variety of activities for learning Spanish. Zachary Jones uses songs, videos, graphics, and articles to make the learning process authentic and enjoyable. One also can follow Zachary Jones on Twitter to receive Vocabulary of the Day on @ZJonesSpanish