How You Can Use the Lexical Approach to Study English
The lexical approach is not new anymore. Yet some people have not heard of it. My studies tell me that it is more effective than studying grammar. I have not given up teaching grammar, but I teach it as a support to lexical studies."So what is it?" you might be asking. Well, it is a way of learning language through words and groups of words. The groups are:
- words (e.g., book, pen)
- phrases (sometimes called polywords ; examples are by the way, inside out)
- collocations (words that frequently go together and sound natural)
- groups of words with a basic meaning (I'll think about it, Would you like...?, If I were you...)
- sentence starters ( What I mean is..., The fact was...)
The first thing is to do a lot of intensive and extensive listening and reading in English. Your reading should support the primary skill: listening. (You can practice intensive listening below with the phrasal verb story in the video. )
Compare English to your language in a chunk-by-chunk basis rather than word-by-word (which only tends to confuse students). This is why the grammar translation method is unworkable (are you still using the grammar translation method?)
In the lexical approach, you should repeat activities, and review lots, so previous learned material is not forgotten. I repeat the same story for listening practice two or even three weeks in a row with my students. I recommend listening to a story on this site three or four times in a week. Then start a new story, and listen to the old one again a week or two later.
Guess the meaning of new vocabulary from context. This is a strong vocabulary builder and skill builder. Only look up a word in a dictionary after the third or fourth time you hear (read) it.
Notice and record the larger language chunks, and memorize them. Make a lexical approach notebook for this. Read it once a day.
Have fun working with the lexical approach.
Rusty Swimmers
Phrasal Verb List1. Come along to go somewhere with someone
2. Let off to not punish someone who has committed a crime or done something wrong; or not to punish severely
3. Mess with to become involved with someone or something that's dangerous
4. Patch up to try and improve your relationship with someone after an argument.
5. Rust away to be gradually destroyed by rust
This text will be replaced
Micheal cannot see. He loves swimming, and wants to go every week. His friend Larry always asks him to come along to the pool and they swim together. Once Larry did not ask Micheal, and the next day Micheal was very angry. Larry went to visit Micheal and Micheal tried to hit him. Larry told Micheal not to mess with him, becuase he had studied Karate. Micheal just said 'Ha!, You haven't practiced in years! Your skills are just rusting away!' Larry just shrugged and left. They both felt bad about what they did. A few days later, they patched things up. Larry thinks Micheal let him off, and Micheal thinks Larry let him off. Now they swill together without fail.
Practice Using these verbs yourself!
Do you want to practice using the phrasal verbs in this story yourself?
Write a story here, and I will edit it and record it for you. Free!!
I encourage you to copy my ideas in your own story, too. Then share it!
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