(Skkn 2023) some techniques for 12th graders at yen thanh 2 high school to effectively deal with synonym and antonym questions in the national high school graduation examination

- The teacher holds the word list containing the words students have learned - The teacher gives each student a card Bingo board with 9 squares containing synonyms/ antonyms of the words

SỞ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO NGHỆ AN

TRƯỜNG THPT YÊN THÀNH 2

SÁNG KIẾN KINH NGHIỆM

Some techniques for 12th graders at Yen Thanh 2 high school to effectively deal with synonym and antonym questions in the national high school

graduation examination

Môn/ Lĩnh vực: Tiếng Anh

Người thực hiện: Võ Thị Thanh Hoà

Tổ: Ngoại ngữ

Điện thoại: 0986.790.277

NĂM HỌC: 2022 - 2023

2 Some principles of teaching Synonyms and Antonyms 4

2.1.Reality of students‟ ability to do synonyms and antonyms exercises

in the researcher‟s school

6

2.2.Feasibility of motivating students through techniques to teach

synonyms and antonyms tasks

3.1.3 Time limitation to tackle the games and show the results 8

3.1.5 Selecting target synonyms and antonyms 9

3.2 Some tips to help students effectively do the synonym –

antonym questions in the national high school graduation exam

9

3.2.4 Pay attention to prefixes and suffixes 10

3.3.3 Synonym/ Antonym matching game 13

3.3.4 Writing 3 synonyms/ antonyms and passing around 14

4.The survey on the urgency and the feasibility of the recommended solutions

35

4.2 The content and method of the survey 35

4.4.The survey results on the urgency and feasibility of the

proposed solutions

38

4.4.1.The urgency of the proposed solutions 38

4.4.2.The feasibility of the proposed solutions 39

3 Suggestions for further study 41

PART 1 INTRODUCTION

1 Rationale

Practice demonstrates that vocabulary is the foundation of learning any new language for the goal of communication Learners will be unable to effectively communicate or convey their ideas unless they have a large vocabulary As a result, learning vocabulary becomes extremely essential for students It is true that students are hesitant to learn vocabulary, and because of this, students have difficulty taking tests, particularly the high school graduation examination

Recently, an English test of the high school graduation examination has included

50 challenging questions ranging from simple to complicated form to check students‟ ability in four levels: recognition; understanding, low application and high application There are merely four questions in totally 50 questions relating to closest/opposite meaning of words/phrases However, as can be seen, in reading comprehensive questions, there are also some questions relating to this type If students are equipped with techniques on how to deal with this type of exercise, they can have better results in their tests, especially this examination

The type of question "Find synonyms - antonyms” is relatively difficult and confusing in vocabulary lessons for students This significantly affects the results

of the high school exam One of the greatest reasons for this situation is that students do not have enough motivation doing this type of exercise When confronted with synonyms and antonyms in exam preparation, the majority of them become discouraged and uninterested Another cause for this is due to students‟ lack of a wide range of vocabulary from their early age As a result, they have a difficulty comprehending and guessing the meaning of vocabulary questions

From the aforementioned fact, it is urgent for teachers to make discoveries and innovative methods to improve the overall quality of teaching in order to assist students in making significant progress in language practice in real-world situations thanks to a vast knowledge of vocabulary acquired during English classes More practically, it stimulates them to perform better on tests, particularly the National High School Graduation Examination That is the reason why the

study was carried out, entitled „Some techniques for 12 graders at Yen Thanh 2 high school to effectively deal with synonym and antonym questions in the national high school graduation examination‟

2 Aims of the study:

The study aims at suggesting some techniques to motivate 12th graders to participate actively in synonym and antonym activities, thereby helping them to effectively deal with synonym and antonym questions in the national high school graduation examination

PART 2 CONTENT

I THEORETICAL BACKGROUND

1 An overview of synonyms and antonyms

1.1 What are synonyms?

Synonyms are words that have similar meanings, while antonyms are words that

have opposite meanings In other words, synonyms are words that can be used interchangeably in a particular context, while antonyms are words that are opposites of each other in meaning For example, the words "happy" and "joyful" are synonyms, while the words "happy" and "sad" are antonyms Understanding synonyms and antonyms is important for vocabulary development, as it allows students to broaden their vocabulary and express themselves more precisely in both written and oral communication It is also a key skill tested in standardized exams, such as the National High School Graduation Examination

A synonym is a word, morpheme, or phrase that means exactly or nearly the same

as another word, morpheme, or phrase in a given language For example, in the English language, the words begin, start, commence, and initiate are all synonyms of one another: they are synonymous The standard test for synonymy is substitution: one form can be replaced by another in a sentence without changing its meaning Words are considered synonymous in only one particular sense:

For example, long and extended in the context long time or extended time are synonymous, but long cannot be used in the phrase extended family (Wikipedia) According to the language dictionary, synonyms are words that mean the same or are almost identical Synonyms divided into two categories are complete synonyms and incomplete synonyms The first type is words with exactly the same meaning, used equally and interchangeably in most cases The second type are words with the same meaning but still differ somewhat expressive shades (denoting emotions, attitudes ) or how to act When using these words, we have to consider the choice accordingly

1.2 What are antonyms?

The term antonym (and the related antonymy) is commonly taken to be

synonymous with opposite, but antonym also has other more restricted meanings Graded (or gradable) antonyms are word pairs whose meanings are opposite and which lie on a continuous spectrum (hot, cold) Complementary antonyms are word pairs whose meanings are opposite but whose meanings do not lie on a continuous spectrum (push, pull) Relational antonyms are word pairs where opposite makes sense only in the context of the relationship between the two meanings (teacher, pupil) These more restricted meanings may not apply in all

scholarly contexts, with Lyons (1968, 1977) defining antonym to mean gradable antonyms, and Crystal (2003) warning that antonymy and antonym should be regarded with care (Wikipedia)

Antonyms are words with opposite meanings Similar to synonyms, we also have two types of antonyms that are complete antonyms and incomplete antonyms From the concepts mentioned above, there are some points we need to keep in mind as follows: Whether the words are considered synonymous or completely opposite, there are differences between them and cannot be used interchangeably

in any case Therefore, besides teaching and learning the meaning of words, we need to pay attention to the context in which synonyms or antonyms can be used

2 Some principles of teaching synonyms and antonyms

Here are some principles for teaching synonyms and antonyms:

*Start with basic vocabulary: Before teaching more advanced synonyms and

antonyms, it is important to ensure that students have a strong foundation in basic vocabulary This can be done through various activities such as word matching exercises, picture-based vocabulary games, and reading comprehension tasks

*Use context: Understanding the context in which a word is used is crucial for

identifying synonyms and antonyms Teachers should provide examples of how different words can be used in different contexts and encourage students to look for contextual clues when identifying synonyms and antonyms

*Provide visual aids: Using visual aids such as diagrams, flashcards, and mind

maps can help students visualize relationships between words and remember them more effectively

*Learn word families: Encouraging students to learn words in families (e.g

happy, happiness, happier, happiest) can help them identify synonyms and antonyms more easily

*Join active learning: Instead of simply providing students with a list of

synonyms and antonyms, teachers should encourage students to actively engage with vocabulary through activities such as word games, writing exercises, and discussions

*Encourage the use of a thesaurus: Introducing students to a thesaurus can help

them expand their vocabulary and find synonyms and antonyms more easily Teachers should show students how to use a thesaurus effectively and encourage them to use it in their writing

*Reinforce learning: Regularly reviewing and revisiting synonyms and antonyms

is important for helping students retain new vocabulary Teachers should

incorporate regular vocabulary quizzes, games, and activities into their lessons to

of synonyms and antonyms and are expected to use them correctly in their written and spoken communication This can be a challenging task, but students are motivated to learn as passing the final exam is important for their academic and professional future As a result, both teachers and students work hard to ensure that students have a strong understanding of English synonyms and antonyms

2 Disadvantages

The practical situation of teaching and learning English synonyms and antonyms at Vietnamese high schools in general and at Yen Thanh 2 high school in particular can present some disadvantages One of the main issues is that teachers may not have an effective teaching method for synonyms and antonyms, which can make it difficult for students to learn and retain the information Another issue is that students may struggle to remember the meaning of synonyms and antonyms in a monotonous way, especially if they are not exposed to English language and culture on a regular basis Furthermore, because Vietnamese and English have different cultural backgrounds, it can be hard for average-level students like Yen Thanh 2 high school graders who mainly come from poor families to guess the real meaning of synonyms and antonyms, which can further complicate the learning process Finally, students may not be provided with suitable strategies to cope with synonyms and antonyms questions on standardized exams, such as the National High School Graduation Examination Overall, these factors can create a challenging learning environment for students and make it difficult for them to master English synonyms and antonyms

III THE STUDY

1 Methodology

1.1 Participants

The subjects of the study were 72 students from class 12A8 and 12A11 of Yen Thanh 2 high school including both male and female ones They participated in the study in 10 weeks from the beginning of the second semester of the school year

2021 – 2022 In my observation and assessment, their English proficiency at the beginning of the study was at the low level

The techniques were used in the warm-up part of every lesson, and typically carried out for 7 to 10 minutes to stimulate students After the activity, teacher summarized the games, gave marks or awarded small prizes to the winners to encourage them

1.2 Instrumentation

In terms of study instruments, the researcher used two main kinds: questionnaires for the surveys and multiple choice tests Besides, class observations were also used to supplement the above instruments

1.3 Data collection procedures

Firstly, the pre-questionnaire was administrated at the end of the first semester to measure „input motivation‟ and gather information about the reality of studying synonyms and antonyms The participants had one day to think carefully and give their answers After collecting the pre-questionnaire, the researcher taught the students in 10 weeks by using games as techniques to inspire students‟ studying synonyms and antonyms at the start of every lesson At the end of the study, the post-questionnaire was used to obtain the students‟ attitude towards this application and their motivation for learning English Apart from the questionnaires, class observations were made before and during the treatment

Lastly, a multiple choice test was conducted before and after the study to get

qualitative data explaining the changes

2 Findings of the study

2.1 Reality of students’ ability to do synonyms and antonyms exercises in the researcher’s school

The result from the pre-questionnaire revealed that students‟ ability to use synonyms and antonyms was rather low Only 32% knew how to do synonyms and antonyms exercises fluently, whereas 33% found it difficult Especially, 35% said they were impossible to distinguish synonyms from antonyms

Furthermore, the pre-test results suggested that the students‟ ability to do synonyms and antonyms tasks significantly lower than had expected Only a little more than half of the students gained fair and average marks, over 40% got weak marks and even no students owned excellent mark

With regard to the practical situation of learning English synonyms and antonyms

in grade 12 at Yen Thanh 2 High School, the survey results stated that teaching and learning synonyms and antonyms were not frequently improved at Yen Thanh 2 High School More than half of the students complained that the synonyms and antonyms exercises in tests and exams were extremely perplexing and challenging Also, 40% affirmed that synonyms and antonyms lessons were also boring and not stimulating This proved that most students lacked motivation to participate in synonyms and antonyms activities and lacked knowledge on how to successfully cope with English synonyms and antonyms exercises in tests and exams

These aforementioned figures showed that it is really urgent to change the teaching method and suggest some thought-provoking techniques to teach synonyms and antonyms in order to motivate the students in learning and fulfill effectively opposite and closest words exercises

2.2 Feasibility of motivating students through techniques to teach synonyms and antonyms tasks

Considering the research literature and the results taken from the questionnaires, the pre-test and the survey, the researcher finds it possible to insert techniques into lessons to motivate students There are some reasons for the feasibility of applying techniques to helps students effectively deal with synonyms and antonyms exercises

Firstly, according to the data of the pre-treatment survey, there were 70% of the respondents saying that they realised the significance of learning synonyms and antonyms to prepare for the national high school graduation examination Besides, 80% of the students wanted their teachers to give them synonyms and antonyms tasks through exciting techniques, while nearly 70% of them argued that they never have any exciting activities to join in synonyms and antonyms lessons

Secondly, the data analysis after the application of techniques to teach synonyms and antonyms revealed that students‟ ability and motivation to do synonyms and antonyms e x e r c i s e s had changed positively The percent of students who know how to do synonyms and antonyms tasks increased by 69,5% while the number of the students with find it impossible to distinguish synonyms from antonyms reduced by 9,7% The results of the post-test went up by over 80% with fair and average marks, while the figure for the weak marks decreased by below 15% Especially, there were about 8% students gaining excellent and good marks, which

is an unexpected miracle

Finally, an English format test of GCSE has included 50 challenging questions ranging from simple to complicated form to check students‟ ability in four levels: recognition, understanding, low application and high application There are merely

four questions in totally 50 questions related to closest/opposite meaning of words/phrases However, as can be seen thoroughly, in reading comprehensive exercises, there are at least 2 more questions related to this type Therefore, the total number of synonyms and antonyms questions in the national high school graduation exam is also very significant If students are equipped with appropriate techniques on how to deal with this type of exercise, they can surely have better results in their tests, especially the next GCSE

In fact, based on the practical situations of most students in grade 12 at Yen Thanh

2 High School, most of the students are assessed in low and average levels Hence, the research only pays attention to techniques used to teach synonyms and antonyms with the ability in recognition and understanding levels for students to gain the level of average marks

3.1.2 Interaction

Types of interaction in a game are indispendable and flexible according to different games Besides, students can work in which types depend on the aims and the requirements of the games

Here are some prevalent classroom interaction patterns:

 Individual work

 Pair work

 Group work

 Full-class interaction

3.1.3 Time limitation to tackle the games and show the results

We should make sure that we are providing your students with ample time to complete the game After being assigned tasks, students will have a suitable amount of time to deal with them In order for students to complete the game, we should allow students to do tasks in a sufficient amount of time

After completing the tasks, students are asked to show the results to the class In fact, suggested games are applied in warm-up part at the beginning of the lesson Therefore, students should be allowed to play the game from 7 to 10 minutes in length

3.1.4 Assessments

The aim of suggested games is to stimulate students‟ involvement and excitement, and to decide which team is the winner; hence, it is necessary to make a fair assessment When grading students‟ results, we should consider accuracy

Sometimes, with the activities needing the collaboration of the whole class rather than the competition among individuals, pairs or groups, the teacher does not necessarily give marks to each of the groups Instead, the teacher can give them some lovely and meaningful rewards in recognition of their active involvement

3.1.5 Selecting target synonyms and antonyms

Synonyms and antonyms presented in the games are reasonably chosen related to the topics or units that students are studying in textbook at that time By this way, students will effectively revise vocabulary and deal with assigned synonym and antonym exercises after class with lots of motivation

3.1.6 Procedure

Giving procedure aims at concretizing the process of the game, which certainly assists the teacher and students to follow smoothly Procedure with obvious steps helps to avoid unworthy confusedness among the teacher and students during the games

3.2 Some tips to help students effectively do the synonym –antonym questions

in the national high school graduation exam

Here are some test-taking strategies that can help students effectively approach synonyms and antonyms questions:

3.2.1 Identify root words: Many English words have roots that can help students

identify synonyms and antonyms

Ex: Identify the synonym of the word "abate."

A expand B strengthen C diminish D boost

"Abate" comes from the Latin word "battuere," meaning "to beat." Knowing this,

we can eliminate answer choices that are obviously unrelated to beating, such as

"expand", "strengthen" and “boost” The correct answer is C "diminish."

3.2.2 Look for context clues: Sometimes, the context of a sentence can provide

clues to the meaning of a word

Ex: Find synonyms of the underlined phrase

She simply took it for granted that the check was good and did not ask him any

questions about it

A looked it over B accepted it without investigation

C objected to it D permitted it

The phrase idiom takes it for granted (i.e., taking something for granted) will

probably be difficult for many students with little knowledge of idioms However,

students can guess the meaning thanks to the suggestions in the sentence: “the check was good and did not ask him any questions about it” will directly suggest

to the Idiom that we are looking for meaning

The sentence means “She didn't ask him any questions about the check because she just assumed it was valid”

The correct answer is B: “accepted it without investigation”

3.2.3 Use process of elimination: On standardized exams, students can often

eliminate answer choices that are obviously incorrect, even if they don't know the meaning of all the words This can increase the likelihood of guessing correctly

Ex: Identify the antonym of the word "enhance" in this sentence:

Many women prefer to use cosmetics to enhance their beauty and make them look

younger

A improve B maximize C worsen D enrich

Students may not know the meaning of "enhance" but they can eliminate answer

choices that are obviously synonyms, such as "improve ", “enrich” and

"maximize"

The correct answer is C “worsen”

3.2.4 Pay attention to prefixes and suffixes: Many English words have prefixes

and suffixes that can change the meaning of the word For example, the prefix

"un-" can change a word from a positive to a negative meaning (e.g "un-"happy"un-" vs

"unhappy")

3.2.5 Use a thesaurus: Students can use a thesaurus to find synonyms and

antonyms for unfamiliar words This can help them to better understand the meaning of a word and answer questions correctly

Ex: Identify a synonym of the word "enormous"

A thesaurus can provide synonyms for "enormous," such as "gigantic," "huge," and

"immense." The correct answer may depend on the specific context of the question

Some suggestions on synonym and antonym websites:

 http://wordhippo.com/

 http://antonym.com/

 http://synonym.com/

 http://thesaurus.com/

3.2.6 Directly replace the given options on the underlined

Students can replace the provided answers on the underlined words with their own knowledge to find the most logical explanation, and then select the right option

Ex Identify the antonym of the word "distractions"

I find it hard to work at home because there are too many distractions

A attention B unawareness C unconcern D carelessness

We can easily grasp from our own experience that there are many things at home

that can distract us from work: TV, phone, noise… to confirm speculations about

distractions

The correct answer is A “attention”

3.3 Suggested techniques to teach synonyms and antonyms

3.3.1 Synonym/ Antonym Bingo Game

a Aim:

- Help students to get motivated at the start of the lesson and eager to do

synonyms and antonyms exercises related to the topic they are studying

- Help students to more clearly define their goals and spread the vocabulary learning spirit especially English synonyms and antonyms

b.Time: 8 minutes

c Interaction: individual work

d Procedure:

Step 1: The teacher introduces the rule of the game

- The teacher holds the word list containing the words students have learned

- The teacher gives each student a card (Bingo board) with 9 squares containing synonyms/ antonyms of the words in the teacher's list

- The teacher asks students to work individually to find corresponding synonyms/antonyms for the word the teacher reads and mark it with a cross

- The teacher reads the words in turn If the student finds 3 words forming a vertical/horizontal/diagonal line or finds 4 points in the 4 corners, the player shouts

“Bingo” and wins

- The teacher notes that students do not mark the word that the teacher reads, only its synonyms/antonyms

Step 2: Students work on the game

Step 3: Students show the results or the teacher collects them from students

Step 4: Students and the teacher give comments, feedback and declare the winners (marks or gifts are given to students if necessary)

Step 5: The teacher provides tips to do synonyms and antonyms exercises for

students (as mentioned in part 3.2 above)

Step 6: The teacher assigns synonyms and antonyms exercises to students to fullfil

at home

Step 7: The teacher checks students’ homework and corrects the answers in the following lessons

- The teacher asks each student to make comments on the others‟ homework

- The teacher makes comments on the students‟ homework and may give marks

Step 1: The teacher introduces the rule of the game

-The teacher prepares a power point lesson thoroughly containing the words students have learned

-The teacher asks students to play the "Do the Crossword" game in groups to discover the synonyms or antonyms of the given words in an example sentence to finish the crossword

-The teacher gives groups 5 points for each accurate answer The group that discovers the crossword's key word will receive 20 points The group with the most points at the end will be the winner

Step 2: Students work in groups on the game

Step 3: Students answer the questions behind the numbers they choose

Step 4: Students and the teacher give comments, feedback and declare the winners (marks or gifts are given to students if necessary)

Step 5: The teacher provides tips to do synonyms and antonyms exercises for

students (as mentioned in part 3.2 above)

Step 6: The teacher assigns synonyms and antonyms exercises to students to fullfil

at home

Step 7: The teacher checks students’ homework and corrects the answers in the following lessons

- The teacher asks each student to make comments on the others‟ homework

- The teacher makes comments on the students‟ homework and may give marks

3.3.3 Synonym/ Antonym matching game

Step 1: The teacher introduces the rule of the game

- The teacher instructs students to choose a card containing the words students have learned

- The teacher has students stand up and move around the classroom to locate their partners who have the equivalent synonyms

- The teacher sets the time for students to finish the game

- The teacher may ask students to pair up and write more synonyms for their words if they finish the game in a short time

Step 2: Students work in full class and in pairs on the game

Step 3: Students try to match up with their partners who have synonyms

Step 4: Students and the teacher give comments, feedback and declare the winners (marks or gifts are given to students if necessary)

Step 5: The teacher provides tips to do synonyms and antonyms exercises for

students (as mentioned in part 3.2 above)

Step 6: The teacher assigns synonyms and antonyms exercises to students to fullfil

at home

Step 7: The teacher checks students’ homework and corrects the answers in the following lessons

- The teacher asks each student to make comments on the others‟ homework

- The teacher makes comments on the students‟ homework and may give marks

3.3.4 Writing 3 synonyms/ antonyms and passing around

Step 1: The teacher introduces the rule of the game

-The teacher has a list of target vocabulary scattered around a piece of paper

-The teacher divides the class into groups of 4

-The teacher hands out one copy for each group

-The teacher asks students to write down synonyms or antonyms for any 3 of the words given and then pass the paper to their group mates

-The teacher requires students to repeat till there are no words left on the paper -The teacher sets the time for students to finish the game

Step 2: Students work in groups on the game

Step 3: Students try to write as many synonyms as possible

Step 4: Students and the teacher give comments, feedback and declare the winners with the most synonyms/antonyms (marks or gifts are given to students if

necessary)

Step 5: The teacher provides tips to do synonyms and antonyms exercises for

students (as mentioned in part 3.2 above)

Step 6: The teacher assigns synonyms and antonyms exercises to students to fullfil

at home

Step 7: The teacher checks students’ homework and corrects the answers in the following lessons

- The teacher asks each student to make comments on the others‟ homework

- The teacher makes comments on the students‟ homework and may give marks Note: This activity involves cooperation and is quite stress-free even for low level

or struggling students As they choose the words themselves, they can pick up the ones they know and feel more confident about Also, they can spot some new words and copy it while working with their group mates

Step 1: The teacher introduces the rule of the game

- The teacher holds the word list containing the words relating Unit 10 that students have learned

- The teacher gives each student a card (Bingo board) with 9 squares containing antonyms of the words in the teacher‟s list

- The teacher asks students to work individually to find corresponding antonyms for the word the teacher reads and mark it with a cross

- The teacher reads the words in turn If the student finds 3 words forming a vertical/horizontal/diagonal line or finds 4 points in the 4 corners, the player shouts

“Bingo” and wins

- The teacher notes that students do not mark the word that the teacher reads, only its antonyms

Teacher‟s word list

common, preserve, secure, sea creatures,

in danger, vanish, protect, variety, damage

Antonyms Bingo Board

Step 2: Students work on the game

Step 3: Students show the results or the teacher collects them from students

Step 4: Students and the teacher give comments, feedback and declare the

winners

Results: The winner - DUONG - gets mark 10 (the fastest to shout BINGO)

The winner - LIEN - gets mark 9 (the second fastest to shout BINGO) The winner - BAO - gets mark 8 (the third fastest to shout BINGO)

Step 5: The teacher provides tips to do antonyms exercises for students

 Identify root words

 Look for context clues

 Use process of elimination

 Pay attention to prefixes and suffixes

 Use a thesaurus

 Directly replace the given options on the underlined

Step 6: The teacher assigns antonyms exercises to students to fullfil at home

Choose the word(s) OPPOSITE in meaning to the underlined word(s) in each

of the following questions

Question 1: You can see different kinds of rare animals in this park

A priceless B half-cooked C common D limited

Question 2: Each year about fifty hundred species of plants and animals are already being eliminated

Question 3: The African rhino is an endangered species and needs protecting

A extinct B dangerous C secure D indefensible Question 4: The seashore was much polluted because of the amount of waste left

there All this rubbish is killing fish and other marine life

Question 5: We should do something to protect animals which are on the verge of

extinction

A at stake B in danger C in security D in risk

Question 6: Life on Earth is disappearing fast and will continue to do so unless

urgent action is taken

A vanishing B damaging C polluting D appearing

Question 7: We have to apply effective measures to save many plant and animal

species from extinction

A conserve B preserve C hunt D protect

Question 8: Humans depend on species diversity to provide food, clean air and

water, and fertile soil for agriculture

A uniformity B arrival C appearance D variety

Question 9: Hunting for meat and burning forests for soil cause destruction to

wildlife

A organization B protection C damage D elimination

Step 7: The teacher checks students’ homework and corrects the answers in the following lessons

- The teacher asks each student to make comments on the others‟ homework

- The teacher makes comments on the students‟ homework and may give marks

Key for the homework:

1.C 2.D 3.C 4.D 5.C 6.D 7.C 8.A 9.B 3.4.2 Antonym crosswords game for Unit 11 (Books) - 12A11

Step 1: The teacher introduces the rule of the game

-The teacher prepares a power point lesson thoroughly containing the words

students have learned

-The teacher divides the class into 2 big teams

-The teacher asks students to take turns to choose one of the 5 numbers and find the antonyms of the given words behind the numbers Teacher does one number as

an example for students

-The teacher gives groups 5 points for each accurate answer The group that discovers the crossword's key word will receive 20 points The group with the most points at the end will be the winner

Find the ANTONYMS for the words:

Step 2: Students work in groups on the game

Step 3: Students answer the questions behind the numbers they choose

Step 4: Students and the teacher give comments, feedback and declare the winners

Step 5: The teacher provides tips to do antonyms exercises for students

 Identify root words

 Look for context clues

 Use process of elimination

 Pay attention to prefixes and suffixes

 Use a thesaurus

 Directly replace the given options on the underlined

Step 6: The teacher assigns antonyms exercises to students to fullfil at home

Choose the word(s) OPPOSITE in meaning to the underlined word(s) in each

of the following questions

Question 1: The book is so interesting that I can't put it down

A look it up B pick it up C turn it on D turn it down Question 2: Children are keen on reading comic books

A fond of B interested in C bored with D excited about Question 3: The enjoyable thing about travelling by train rather than by car is that you can sleep or read during the journey

A unpleasant B entertaining C exciting D wonderful Question 4: When you “swallow” a book, you read it slowly and carefully from

the beginning to the end

Question 5: I‟ll buy the new novel whose plot of the story is marvelous

A reasonable B ordinary C pretty high D accept

Step 7: The teacher checks students’ homework and corrects the answers in the following lessons

- The teacher asks each student to make comments on the others‟ homework

- The teacher makes comments on the students‟ homework and may give marks

Key for the homework:

1.B 2.C 3.A 4.D 5.B 3.4.3 Synonym matching game for Unit 12 (Water sports) – Class 12A8

boost the vocabulary learning spirit especially English synonyms

b.Time: 10 minutes

c Interaction: full class and pair work

d Procedure:

Step 1: The teacher introduces the rule of the game

- The teacher instructs students to choose a card containing the words students have learned in Unit 12

- The teacher has students stand up and move around the classroom to locate their partners who have the equivalent synonyms

- The teacher sets the time for students to finish the game

- The teacher may ask students to pair up and write more synonyms for their words if they finish the game in a short time

One word is put in one card for students:

tie = draw ; eject = exclude ;

player = competitor ; advance = take forward ;

competition = contest ; adventurous = challenging

passion = interest ; begin = commence ;

really = actually ; ill = unwell ; move = transport ; cold = freezing

viewpoint = opinion ; consider = regard ; toxic = harmful ; improve = strengthen ;

famous = well-known

Step 2: Students work in full class and in pairs on the game

Step 3: Students try to match up with their partners who have synonyms

Step 4: Students and the teacher give comments, feedback and declare the winners

Results:

KHANH AND LIEN, THUONG AND OANH, THUY AND TU are 3 pairs that finish the task in the quickest time and get 3 small gifts from the teacher