Learning new vocabulary can be challenging. But is teaching English vocabulary easy-peasy?
If you want to witness some serious results in your classroom you’ll be most delighted to explore this new strategy! Teaching adjectives with Instagram works wonders with teenagers and adults and here’s how:
by Melpomeni Ioannidou - Blog: Αγγλικά Στο πρώτο θρανίο!
Step 1
Introduce some instagram posts.
Obviously, these posts can’t have been selected arbitrarily. Choose posts whose description would probably include some of the adjectives you wish to teach.
For instance, in case you want to bring up the words “fluffy, fuzzy, cozy” or even adjectives like “reliable” and “dependent” you may present a picture similar to the one on the right:
Whereas the picture below would prompt adjectives such as: “diligent, determined, hard-working, committed”.
Step 2
Trigger a descriptive discussion based on each post / topic.
Your goal here is to explore the range of topic-related vocabulary your students can already come up with.
Bear in mind that a description is considered ideal when it contains certain sensory associations.
This is not about what the picture shows but more likely about the feelings it arouses.
So lead the discussion accordingly! Don’t hesitate to praise matching synonyms and in any case reward students’ motivation and involvement.
Step 3
Create a Before VS. After list on the board.
Keep notes of adjectives that were mentioned during each post discussion. Use the board to help students visualize their lexical abilities before and after the activity.
Step 4
Assign homework to consolidate and elaborate.
Ask your class to collect some posts which could be described using the new adjectives. Students should be able to get across a realistic and detailed description of a whole new level!!
Hopefully this technique will be fun and helpful in your classroom too! •
