My co-workers and I used to hash out the same problem over and over: How do you convince students that passing the TOEFL or IELTS isn’t enough to guarantee they can do well in university?
So many of my adult and young adult students wanted a quick way to “learn” a lot of academic vocabulary…long enough to pass their English proficiency exam. I won’t even tell you how many honestly thought they’d never need those words again and that they would not need to continue learning more not just while they were in university, but even after!
And yeah, one of them offered as proof screenshots of Americans’ social media posts, riddled with spelling mistakes, grammar errors, and a deficit of vocabulary past the third grade level. It wasn’t a pretty look, that’s for sure.
So what can we do?
Sell them on free time instead of vocabulary
These weren’t the students who practically ate academic vocabulary for breakfast. These were the students who wanted to know it but not study it. They needed a different incentive. So, for my university-bound students, I brought it back to something they could readily understand…free time. I asked them if they would rather spend most of their university years in the library studying or if they also wanted to participate in clubs (granted, they probably heard that as go to clubs), hang out with their friends, and have time for romance.
NONE were enthusiastic about having a designated spot in the library. Then I explained that they would be able to express themselves better during the required participation in their classes (which would translate to higher grades) and more quickly understand and respond to exam questions. That really got them. Knowing they would spend LESS time on homework and finish exams FASTER was a significant motivator.
What if they aren’t university-bound?
What do you tell them? THIS.
Research shows that vocabulary is one of the strongest predictors of career success. It also shows that vocabulary comes before achievement.
Yeah, before, not the other way around. In other words, people with stronger vocabularies tend to earn more money because they can understand and use complex language more easily. Very few people aren’t motivated by money, right? This will speak to your students.
Now, we all know that reading is one of the absolute BEST ways (okay, it just might be THE best way) to increase vocabulary. And we always tell our students that, right?
If your students are anything like mine, they were not bookworms in a previous life, don’t have a library card now, and can’t remember the last book they read from cover to cover without being required to. They also might be a bit suspicious that reading just ANY book will help them…and they could be right!
At this stage in their lives, they might never learn to love reading, and as much as it hurts me to say this…that’s okay! (So what if I had to say that through my teeth? I do mean it.)
Try this
Tell your university-bound students to read books and internet articles connected to what they plan to major in or even what they think they might major in. This will expose them to terminology that they will need to know once they are in university. They are likely already interested in whatever they plan to major in, so this increases their chances of doing the reading.
Tell your other students to read books and internet articles that are connected to the jobs they WANT to have…not the jobs they currently have. This is a bit like dressing for the job you want. Learn the vocabulary for the job you want. Reading trade books, research journals, biographies of leading people in the field, or even related novels will help them get where they want to be in their chosen field.
Are they still not buying it?
If you’ve tried all the suggestions I mentioned, and you’re still getting nowhere, it’s time to pivot. Find out how to implement video/audio in Part 2: Using Videos.
The Bottom Line
Here’s the thing. Students don’t care about academic vocabulary in the abstract. But they do care about what it gets them, like more free time in university and better grades with less effort. The job they actually want. A higher salary. The better life that all of that leads to.
They’re not resistant to learning vocabulary. They’re resistant to learning it without understanding why it matters to THEIR goals.
Once you connect vocabulary to what they already want, you’re not fighting their resistance anymore. You’re just showing them how to get there faster.
That’s it from me. See you in the next post!
If you’re looking for some academic vocabulary resources, check out my line of 400 must-have words ↗ for students studying for English proficiency exams.
Read more about teaching adult ESL
How to Teach Academic Vocabulary with Videos and Not Just Kill Time
Stop Pre-Teaching Vocabulary All the Time!
2 Vocabulary Games That’ll Get Even Your Skeptical Adult ESL Students Excited
3 Reasons Why Your Adult ESL Students Can’t Remember Vocabulary & What To Do About It
