Remember More Vocabulary

In today's activity we are going to look at a way to help you record, remember and build up your vocabulary. To do this we are going to use a simple tool called Bubbl.us which you can use to create 'mind maps' or what some people call 'spidergrams' or 'vocabulary webs'.

These are graphs which show relationships. They are very useful tools to help you think about and arrange words or ideas as well as to show the relationship between those ideas or words. we are going to use them today to help us look at relationships between words and help us remember them.

Task:

• To get started go to: http://www.bubbl.us and click on 'Start Brainstorming'

• You will then see a bubble in the centre of the page that says 'Start here' click on it and enter the theme for your first 'vocabulary web'. For this web we will use the topic of 'Entertainment'. Click on 'Start here' and replace the text with the word 'Entertainment' then pres enter. Another bubble will appear below it.

• Click on the next bubble and add a type of entertainment, e.g. 'video games', then click back on the word entertainment and press enter again, you should get a second bubble, add another form of entertainment in this bubble. Keep adding and building up words around the central theme. You can drag the words to arrange them.

• Once you have 5 or 6 words around your central thee start to add words that are connected to each form of entertainment. Again, you do this by clicking on the word and pressing enter on your keyboard

• You can then add words that are connected with each of those words. Keep adding as many words as you can.

• Once you have added as many words as you can, click on 'Save'. You will then have to create a free account.

• You will need to create a user name and password and have an email address.

• Once you have created an account you can save your vocabulary web, give it a name and start creating more on different themes. You can go back and click 'Load' to see the vocabulary maps you have created and add new words as you learn them.

This is a great way to remember, review and extend your vocabulary and it can help you to build up your own theme related dictionary.

I hope you enjoy this activity and find it useful. Come back tomorrow for more EFL ESL activities.

Related links for teachers:

• Animating vocabulary
• A Tool for Comparing Words
• Guess the Word
• Play Games and Improve Your Vocabulary
• Exploiting Image Sequences
• Develop Your Vocabulary
• Vocabulary Sequences

Best

Nik Peachey