Teaching Lexically

From the multi-award-winning Delta Teacher Development Series.

Teaching Lexically shows what a lexical view of language looks like, and explores how it differs from a more traditional ‘grammar + words’ view. It then considers what implications such a view might have for classroom practice. At the heart of Teaching Lexically are three main ideas:

•Grammar and vocabulary are both taught better in combination.
•Context is absolutely central.
•Classrooms need to be input-rich; and input needs to be useful.

Teaching Lexically contains three distinctive parts which focus in turn on theory, practice and development.

Part A provides a detailed exploration of the core ideas behind lexical teaching. The authors begin with the principles that explain how and why people learn, before presenting two competing views of language – ‘grammar + words’ (and skills) and a lexical view. They close with an in-depth exploration of how language looks when seen from a lexical perspective.

Part B contains a bank of activities that puts into practice the particular principles related to such areas of teaching as vocabulary, grammar, reading, listening, and so on. These activities are designed to be applied to any classroom material, and to help teachers build up their own repertoire of lexically-rooted techniques.

Part C addresses some of the issues and implications involved in where and how lexical teaching may be applied. It also considers how teacher training and development can become more lexically-oriented, finally suggesting ways to develop as a lexical materials writer.