Quick answer: The simplest way to recycle vocabulary in a TEFL class is a word box: every time a new word comes up, write it on a strip of card and drop it in a shoebox. In later lessons, students pull out cards and define, transform, sort, match or build stories with the words. Little preparation, endless revision games – and vocabulary that actually sticks.
Inspired by the British Council’s classic vocabulary box activity, we are going to show you how, with just the ingredients below, you can create some excellent vocabulary recycling exercises for your TEFL class. The word box is a staple of the primary and adult classroom alike – and it deserves a place in yours.
Why does vocabulary need recycling at all?
Meeting a word once is rarely enough for a learner to own it. Words need to be met again, retrieved from memory and used in new contexts before they move into long-term memory. That is exactly what a word box gives you: quick, repeated retrieval in different ways across many lessons, with almost zero preparation. (A good learner’s dictionary, such as the Cambridge Dictionary, helps students record and check meanings between those meetings.)
There is a bonus for you as the teacher, too: because the box only ever contains words that actually came up in your lessons, every revision round is perfectly tailored to your class – no generic word lists, no wasted time on vocabulary they have never met.
What do you need to make a vocabulary box?
Ingredients
- Strips of card
- Marker pen
- Empty shoebox
- Blu tak or something similar
How does the basic method work?
Every time a new word occurs during lessons, simply write it on a strip of card and add it to the box.
In subsequent lessons you can revise these by having students simply pull one card at a time out of the box, then asking them to define the word or put it into a sentence. And there you go, instant vocabulary revision, no cooking required!
What variations keep the word box fresh?
The beauty of the word cards in a shoebox idea is the variety of other fun options you have:
- Sorting: When you have built up a number of cards, have groups of students sort them into lexical sets (group of words with the same form, function or topic) e.g. animals, or into nouns, verbs, adjectives etc. Give them a time limit to sort, and see if they can beat the time.
- Vocabulary extensions: Take out a card. Put it on the board. e.g. to employ
Ask students to identify the following in pairs:
the noun of the word on the card (employment)
the person who works (employee)
the person who hires (employer)
what you are if you don’t/can’t work (unemployed.)
Other options for different words include: the opposite, the superlative/comparative/past/past participle
Once done, you can add these vocabulary extensions to the back of the appropriate card. You have just created more options for further revision. - Definition matching game:
Post words around the room randomly. Read out a definition and students have to race around the room to read the posted words, standing under the correct one when it is found. The first student to stand under the correct one is the winner. - Story writing race: Take 10 words out at random and stick them to the board. In pairs, see who can write a story incorporating them all. Award points for appropriate use, most imaginative story and quickest to finish. Students read them out at the end.
- 20 questions; teacher vs student: The teacher pulls out a card.
The class has 20 questions to guess what the word is. Encourage a variety of questions, such as: Where do you see this typically? If they guess within the 20 questions, the class wins. If not, the teacher wins.
These ideas take little preparation and are a super way to engage, recycle and extend your student’s vocabulary knowledge. Several of them double up nicely as warmers, too – see our 5 TEFL warmers for more openers in the same spirit.
How do you fit vocabulary recycling into a normal lesson?
A word-box slot works almost anywhere in your plan:
| Lesson stage | Word-box activity | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Warmer | Pull five cards; students define or use them in sentences | 5 min |
| After a reading/listening | Add the lesson’s new words to the box together | 3 min |
| Mid-lesson change of pace | Definition matching race or sorting into lexical sets | 10 min |
| End of class | 20 questions, or story race with 10 random cards | 10 min |
Recycled vocabulary also feeds directly into speaking: pull a handful of topic cards before a conversation task and challenge students to use them – a lovely bridge into the ideas in our tips for TEFL discussion classes. If you want complete lessons with the vocabulary work already built in, our 30 ready-to-print instant TEFL lessons have you covered. And for more free activity banks to raid, the resources at American English (americanenglish.state.gov) are excellent.
Frequently asked questions
How can I adapt the vocabulary box for beginners?
Keep the words concrete and add a picture or simple drawing to each card. Play recognition games first – matching word to picture, or standing under the right card – before asking beginners to produce sentences. Little and often works best: five cards at the start of every lesson soon builds a solid core vocabulary.
Does the word box work in online lessons?
Yes – make it digital. Keep a shared slide, whiteboard or spreadsheet as your ‘box’ and add words each lesson. A random-name-picker or spinner tool chooses the card. Sorting, definitions, story races and 20 questions all work in breakout rooms or the chat box exactly as they do in class.
How many words should go into the box each lesson?
Around five to eight genuinely useful words per lesson is plenty. Choose words students will meet again rather than rare curiosities. Quality beats quantity: a smaller set that gets recycled several times will stick far better than long lists recorded once and never revisited.
When should I retire words from the box?
When the class can define and use a word instantly, move its card to a ‘graduated’ envelope. Bring graduates back once a month for a quick review round – if anyone hesitates, the card goes back in the box. This keeps the box fresh and gives students visible proof of progress.
Who said revision needed to be boring. Enjoy…
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Interested in how to teach English vocabulary?
View the Global English online TESOL courses which cover the teaching of lexis