Disappearing Vocabulary

Materials: White board and markers/blackboard and chalk

Description: I read this activity in a book, and didn’t believe it would work until I actually tried it! Write new vocabulary words on the board – no more than about ten at a time. Go down the list, pointing to each word as the students repeat it after you (for correct pronunciation). Go through the list once or twice for them to hear the sound of the word. Then go through the list again, just pointing to each word, but only the students say the word. After they’ve done this a couple of times, erase one of the easier, shorter words from the middle of the list. Go through the list again, but don’t skip the missing word – point to the empty spot as if it was still there. The students should still say the missing word. Then erase another word and go through the list again, still pointing to the empty spaces. Repeat until you have erased all the words, and the students are reciting the list of vocabulary words from memory, and you are only pointing at empty sports on the board.

The students will feel pretty proud of themselves at this point! As a follow-up, you can have the students reconstruct the list on the board (in the correct order and with correct spelling) by coming up and writing the words back in their spots, with help from their friends if needed. My classes really liked this, and want to do it every time we have new words!

-Abeth S.