Teaching Vocabulary to Beginners The IRDP Technique
A Useful for Teaching a Vocabulary Field Examples of Vocabulary fields: Colours Numbers Seasons Vegetables Musical instruments Science lab equipment Other examples?
Today, you’ll be able to: Experience this technique as a student Work out its 4 stages Apply the technique to another vocabulary field as you would in your class Explain the technique to someone else!
Input: 1 2 3 4
Listen & hold up the right number of fingers! Recognition: Listen & hold up the right number of fingers!
Discrimination Which number is it? Choose the right one! 2
Production What number is it? Say the number! 3 READ replacing elephant words: In July 2008, I was covering a Year 6 English class. The students were given a task to write about all they would do if they won the lottery. After discussing several ideas, Khalid put up his hand in frustration. “Miss,” he said, “This is boring. I already HAVE a million dollars.”
Apply the Learning Write the number you hear! 1. 2. 3. 4.
Reflection & Discussion: What happened during Step 1? What did the teacher say? What did the teacher do? What did the students say?
Step 1 is called: INPUT Why?
Reflection & Discussion: What happened during Step 2? What did the teacher say? What did the teacher do? What did the students say?
Step 2 is called: RECOGNITION Why?
Reflection & Discussion: What happened during Step 3? What did the teacher say? What did the teacher do? What did the students say?
Step 3 is called: DISCRIMINATION Why?
Reflection & Discussion: What happened during Step 4? What did the teacher say? What did the students say?
Step 4 is called: PRODUCTION Why? And why follow up with Application?
New Vocabulary Field: Shapes 1 2 3 4 Write down what tr would say for INPUT, REC, DISC, PROD. 3 4
INPUT? 1 2 3 4
RECOGNITION? 1 2 3 4
DISCRIMINATION? 1 2 3 4
PRODUCTION? 1 2 3 4
RECAP: 1 What are the 4 steps called? 2 Explain each one to your partner. 3 Why bother with the 4 steps? 4 What will you teach to your own class using this technique?