In this time and era, where time is of essence, it is quite common for EFL educators to take advantage of the limited time they have in order to help their students enhance their skills by combining different approaches and transforming traditional methods. At upper-intermediate levels vocabulary foundation, which is not only essential for expressing complex ideas but also for understanding context, tone, and cultural nuances in English, can be achieved by incorporating effective strategies which involve ongoing formative assessment that engages learners actively and gives them meaningful feedback. In this article, we will explore how formative assessment techniques can be harnessed to boost the vocabulary acquisition and retention of upper-intermediate EFL students.
The Role of Formative Assessment in Vocabulary Building
Formative assessment refers to the ongoing evaluation of students’ progress during the learning process. Its purpose is to provide feedback that both guides the teacher’s instruction and supports the students’ development. Alternatively, summative assessment evaluates students' language proficiency at the end of a course or learning period, providing a comprehensive snapshot of their achievement.
By integrating formative assessment into vocabulary instruction, teachers can create an environment where students feel encouraged to experiment with new words, apply vocabulary in various contexts, and receive targeted feedback on their progress. This continuous feedback cycle helps students deepen their understanding, make connections, and build confidence in using new vocabulary.
Techniques for Formative Vocabulary Assessment
1. Vocabulary Journals with Reflective Feedback
Vocabulary journals allow students to record new words, definitions, example sentences, synonyms, and personal notes on usage. In this way, vocabulary learning is personalised and becomes a regular, reflective practice instead of a one-time activity.
Implementation:
- Encourage students to keep a vocabulary journal in which they log new words encountered in readings, class discussions, or other learning resources. They should define the word, use it in a sentence, and reflect on alternative ways/contexts they might use it.
- You can review journals weekly or bi-weekly, providing targeted feedback. Feedback can focus on specific aspects, such as word usage, grammatical correctness, or variations in sentence structure.
Benefits: Vocabulary journals make learning a continuous, cumulative process. Reflection deepens retention and encourages students to take ownership of their vocabulary growth.
2. Contextual Vocabulary Practice
Learning vocabulary in context, rather than isolated lists, is essential for long-term retention. Contextual vocabulary practice integrates vocabulary with thematic writing tasks, encouraging students to use words in meaningful ways.
Implementation:
- Weekly or bi-weekly, provide students with short, themed writing prompts related to class topics, like writing a description of a favorite place or a short opinion piece on a familiar topic.
- You can provide students with a vocabulary list relevant to the prompt and encourage students to incorporate these words into their writing.
- After submission, you may give focused feedback on vocabulary usage , including correctness, appropriateness, and variety. For example, you might suggest synonyms or encourage students to try the targeted words in a different context.
Benefits: This technique builds students’ ability to choose words thoughtfully, improving both their lexical range and contextual understanding.
3. Peer Review for Vocabulary Application
Peer review provides students with opportunities to see how others use vocabulary, enhancing their understanding and giving them a chance to evaluate usage critically.
Implementation:
- Divide students into pairs/ groups for peer review sessions. Give each pair/group a checklist focused on vocabulary, asking them to evaluate their partner’s/partners’ word choices for variety, relevance, and effectiveness.
- Peers provide constructive feedback, pointing out effective word usage and suggesting improvements.
Benefits: Peer review encourages collaborative learning and exposes students to alternative vocabulary choices. It also helps them practise self-evaluation by recognizing effective language in the work of their peers.
4. Vocabulary Portfolios with Reflection
Portfolios allow students to track vocabulary acquisition over time, giving them a tangible record of their learning journey. This technique promotes self-reflection and continuous improvement.
Implementation:
- Ask students to compile a vocabulary portfolio, which includes new words, sentences, and reflections on usage across topics.
- Periodically review portfolios, providing feedback on how well students retain and use vocabulary in various contexts. Encourage students to revisit older entries and update them as they gain deeper understanding of words.
Benefits: Portfolios make vocabulary learning an evolving process, allowing students to see their progress and stay motivated. Reflection promotes self-assessment, which enhances retention and helps students internalise words over time.
Challenges and Solutions in Vocabulary Formative Assessment
Despite its benefits, formative assessment for vocabulary acquisition can present some challenges. On the one hand, students who are not accustomed to the process of receiving and giving feedback may initially find it overwhelming or they may struggle to retain vocabulary over time, which can be demotivating. On the other hand, one cannot deny the fact that balancing detailed feedback with time constraints can be challenging for teachers.
Suggested Solutions
- Feedback Focus: Limit feedback to specific aspects of vocabulary usage, such as appropriateness or variety according to the focus of your lesson each time. This keeps feedback manageable for students and teachers alike.
- Structured Revision: Encourage students to revisit feedback periodically, especially when working on cumulative tasks like portfolios or journals. This fosters self-assessment and reinforces retention.
- Consistent Practice: Integrate vocabulary assessment with regular class activities, such as journals, portfolios, or peer review, to ensure that vocabulary learning is continuous and dynamic.
- Teacher-Student One-to-One Sessions: Periodically hold short one-to-one or small-group sessions to discuss vocabulary portfolios or journals. This personalised approach can reinforce key feedback points and allow students to ask questions or discuss specific challenges.
Conclusion
By designing lessons which incorporate continuous, interactive, and feedback-driven vocabulary practice, we can help our upper-intermediate students not only prepare for exams but also develop language skills they will be asked to use later in life. Vocabulary journals, contextual writing, peer review, and portfolios encourage students to see words as versatile tools rather than static items to memorise, helping them develop the confidence and ability they need to use new vocabulary in both spoken and written contexts.
Suggested Bibliography
Brookhart, S. M. (2017). How to Give Effective Feedback to Your Students. ASCD.
Harlen, W., & James, M. (1997). Assessment and learning: Differences and relationships between formative and summative assessment. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice, 4(3), 365-379.
Nation, I. S. P. (2001). Learning Vocabulary in Another Language. Cambridge University Press.
Schmitt, N., & Schmitt, D. (2020). Vocabulary in Language Teaching (2nd Edition). Cambridge University Press.
Thornbury, S. (2002). How to Teach Vocabulary. Pearson Education.
