In this guide
Cambridge Veritas · Original TESOL self-study resources
Understand the idea
Choose a presentation technique that makes the intended meaning visible. Realia can clarify concrete objects; mime can clarify actions; a short situation can clarify abstract meanings. A picture alone may be ambiguous, so check the interpretation.
What you will practise
- Explain the key idea in “Pictures, realia, mime and definitions” using a concrete example.
- Choose a teaching response that fits the learner and the purpose.
- Identify evidence you could collect to evaluate that response.
A closer look at the teaching
A presentation technique should remove ambiguity rather than simply entertain. Some actions are easy to mime; others need a short scenario because the direction or intention matters. After demonstrating, contrast the target with a plausible alternative. A successful explanation is one that lets learners identify a new example, not merely copy the teacher’s gesture.
Vocabulary teaching aims to make expressions available for understanding and use. A translation can provide access to meaning, but learners may also need pronunciation, a grammatical pattern, collocation and a sense of context. Select a manageable set of items for a clear purpose. Plan how to convey and check meaning, how to record a useful example and how to revisit the language. A successful first presentation is the start of word learning rather than its completion.
In the classroom
Learners confuse “borrow” and “lend”.
Before choosing an activity, identify what the learner needs to understand or communicate. Separate the language demand from other demands such as reading instructions, managing equipment or speaking to a large group.
A teaching sequence you can adapt
Use these stages as a starting point for this topic. Keep the language goal visible, and change the support when learner responses show a different need.
- 01
Select expressions that learners need for a meaningful task and identify the most relevant aspects of word knowledge.
- 02
Convey meaning through a suitable context, visual, object or concise explanation and check the likely confusion.
- 03
Model the spoken form and record a useful chunk or example alongside the spelling.
- 04
Move from supported retrieval into a message-focused task, then schedule a later review with new cues.
Show a second example and ask learners to explain which feature makes it an instance of the target word.
A common mistake to avoid
Do not assume every learner interpreted a picture or mime in the same way.
When reviewing the activity, distinguish what you observed from what you inferred. Use the task outcome and a fresh example to decide whether another explanation, a different scaffold or more independent practice is needed.
Adapt it for your learners
Make the task accessible.
Provide a small illustrated or contextual word bank, and rehearse the expressions before asking for independent use.
Extend the thinking.
Ask learners to compare collocations or register choices in new contexts and justify which expression fits.
Keep the intended outcome consistent when comparing responses. Record which support was available so you do not confuse a supported performance with the same task completed independently.
Try it, then compare.
Take a moment to make your own decision. Compare your reasoning with the example, then adapt it for a teaching context you know.
Try it in a teaching context
Demonstrate the contrast using an object.
Your questions, answered.
What is a common mistake with Pictures, realia, mime and definitions?
Do not assume every learner interpreted a picture or mime in the same way.
How can I check whether the teaching worked?
Show a second example and ask learners to explain which feature makes it an instance of the target word.
How can I support learners who find the task difficult?
Provide a small illustrated or contextual word bank, and rehearse the expressions before asking for independent use.
How can I add a useful extra challenge?
Ask learners to compare collocations or register choices in new contexts and justify which expression fits.
Quick revision
- The key idea: Choose a presentation technique that makes the intended meaning visible.
- The context to remember: Learners confuse “borrow” and “lend”.
- A useful next step: Demonstrate the contrast using an object.
For your teaching portfolio: keep a brief plan, a note of what learners actually did and one change you would make next time. Use anonymous examples.
Take the module self-checkSources and authorship
This module maps to the supplied syllabus PDF, Teaching vocabulary (4 pages). The study notes, examples, application tasks and self-checks on these pages are original Cambridge Veritas resources.
View the supplied PDF ↗ · Publication reference: source chapter
Written by Cambridge Veritas. Updated .
Use these resources for preparation and reflection. Browser self-check results are for personal study and do not award a qualification or replace observed teaching practice.