If you teach ESL, you know how challenging it can be to make learning new vocabulary fun and engaging for your students.
You need to teach them in a way that they easily understand and remember. Vocabulary folders are a great way to do this!
These ESL vocabulary folders are perfect because they are versatile and helpful for elementary grade kids. In this guide, you’ll discover what you need to know about vocab folders and how to create them. Let’s go!
What is a Vocabulary Folder?
A vocabulary folder is a type of organizer that helps students learn new words.
Your English language learners will enjoy using this organizer because you can customize it to suit their needs. It’s up to you how you want to set up the content in your vocabulary folders. But most folders divide words into categories like “Objects in the Classroom” or “People in School.”
A vocabulary folder helps you keep track of what your students are learning. Plus, you can use it to introduce new words and show your EL learners how to use them in sentences.
Why Use a Vocabulary Folder?
Learning a new language can be difficult for students, especially in the early stages. One way to help your students with this is by creating vocabulary folders.
It is an excellent tool to keep all the vocabulary words in one place. You can use it to offer visual support, teach, and review new terms and their meanings.
A vocabulary folder also helps them focus on the words they need for their specific projects and academic goals. Students can build a sound foundation in their English skills and improve vocabulary retention.
Another reason you should use vocabulary folders is that they are flexible enough for all levels of ESL students. You can use it as a resource when preparing for tests or vocab quizzes.
How to Make a Vocabulary Folder
Here’s a quick and easy way to make a vocabulary folder to store words and phrases you want your students to learn. It’s a helpful tool for practicing vocabulary in different contexts.
What You Need:
To do this activity, you need scissors, tape, glue, two letter-size file folders, and six letter-size pages with the vocabulary you want your students to learn.
Steps:
1. Open up the folders.
2. Turn one folder upside down.
3. Line up the folders, so the edges overlap.
4. Tape these two folders together.
5. Flip it over and add security and sturdiness tape again on this side.
6. Glue on the printables you want to add.
7. Congratulations, you have created a vocabulary folder!
Having a large vocabulary is an important skill for everyone. Vocabulary folders are a superb tool to help your ESL students learn new words without feeling overwhelmed.
If you want to create fun and engaging vocabulary folders to help your ESL learners, you can check out my School Vocabulary Folder resource.
It’s a fantastic and easy-to-use vocab guide designed to help your English learners speak English from day 1!
