For Beginning Learners

Learning how to decode vocabulary in text

15 minutes

graphic of an overhead projector

A: Sight Words

  • Show overhead, Sight words.
  • Discuss what sight words are and which words are best taught as sight words.
  • Tell the trainees how the sight words lesson could progress after the homework was given (i.e. the use of Known and Want to Learn envelopes.)
  • Discuss some of the optional activities/review activities as discussed in the tutor training manual.
  • Handout, 100 Key Words as a sample of some useful sight words that the learner may opt to learn.

Other considerations: Developing Context

5 minutes

  • Show overhead, Developing a context for vocabulary development.
  • Ask trainees which sentence has the most meaningful context.
  • Tell trainees that, in the first sentence, we know that dangerous is probably an adjective but we have no context, or no clues, to even determine if dangerous has a negative or positive connotation.
  • Ask trainees if they think the second and third examples provide enough information for learners to understand what the word dangerous means. Is there a sentence that they could create which would better demonstrate what the word means? Discuss.

B: Phonics: Letter–Sound Relationships

5 minutes

  • Define phonics.
  • Do Activity 2: A Korean phonics lesson with the trainees (see below).
  • Briefly discuss the phonics vs. sight word approach and reiterate the idea that the approach should reflect the needs and preferences of the learner.
  • Show overhead, Phonics and highlight the basic steps in introducing a new sound.