How to Present Vocab using Flashcards

MES-Member Joined: 27 Feb 2010 Posts: 7 Location: Korea

Hello all. I've been teaching EFL/ESL for several years now, and I was lucky enough in the beginning (as well as now) to have had some good training with the use of Flashcards. I thought I'd share them with you. Forgive me if this is redundant to any previous posts.

When you print flashcards, it's a good idea to print them with a picture side and a word side. I create a new document in Word or something, and paste Mark's flashcards on odd pages, and then type in the word (big and bold) on even pages. Because I don't use card stock, I print them on separate pages and then place them back-to-back before laminating; then I have a picture side and a word side.

First, hold the cards up in one hand (after having glanced at the first card so you know what it is). Present the picture side to the class. Say that word and have the Ss repeat it (do this three times). Now, take the card on the back - it will be the one facing you, word side - and draw it to the front. "Magically," you have seen the word for that card, so you know what it is, and you don't have to turn it around to look at it. Keep drawing them to the front and repeating them until the Ss have them down.

Now you can flip the deck of flashcards over and draw them again from back to front, looking at the picture side and presenting the word side to the class.

You need do this only one time for your Ss to understand what you are doing. The next time you use flashcards to present vocabulary, they will know what to expect.

Hope this is clear, and hope it helps!

steve

Posted: Sat May 01, 2010 5:54 am

I appreciate you writing this. im new to teaching esl/efl, and im trying to found out good ideas in teaching vocabulary. My students are not accustomed to the speaking element of learning a language, and Im trying to change that.

MES-Member Joined: 24 May 2010 Posts: 2

Just to add...

When you do type out the words for the flashcards, don`t take for granted the font that you use. Some fonts are much easier for students to read than others. I guess it would depend on how the students were taught to write, but consider how letters such as `a` and `g` look.

I use Comic Sans as my font of choice since the letters look like how the students would write the letters.

I read somewhere that lowercase letters are easier for the eye to recognize. Capital letters are blockish and all the same size, whereas the eye can read the `flow` up and over the shape of lowercase letter much more easily. Just something to keep in mind....

Enjoy your classes!

MES-Member Joined: 26 May 2010 Posts: 1

Sorry, can you please describe it once more, maybe in some other words.
I can't catch the idea!! Do you hold all cards together? If you take word card facing you - how can it be the one with a picture (was it the 1st one in a pile?)....
So if you could explaine it again it would be great!

chinesefiction wrote:

First, hold the cards up in one hand (after having glanced at the first card so you know what it is). Present the picture side to the class. Say that word and have the Ss repeat it (do this three times). Now, take the card on the back - it will be the one facing you, word side - and draw it to the front. "Magically," you have seen the word for that card, so you know what it is, and you don't have to turn it around to look at it. Keep drawing them to the front and repeating them until the Ss have them down.