The Lexical Approach

1. THE LEXICAL APPROACH

"Language is
grammaticalised lexis,
not lexicalised grammar."
Michael Lewis
THE LEXICAL
APPROACH

2. The lexical approach…

THE LEXICAL APPROACH…
1.I know what it is about.
2.It disregards grammar completely.
3.The main considerations are:
words, no grammar, and emergent
language.
4.Words are never taught in
isolation.
5.I am here to…

3. Core considerations:

CORE CONSIDERATIONS:
1. Emergent language; (do not disregard it, make use of every
opportunity to feed in the language SS need)
2. Natural examples; (no artificial/dead/outdated/coursebook
language)
3. Lexis comes before grammar (we derive grammar
from/base it upon the lexis we teach, "Language is
grammaticalised lexis, not lexicalised grammar." Michael
Lewis)
4.
We never teach words in isolation.
(Collocations/colligations)
5. We should always provide context/examples.
6. It promotes learner autonomy.
7. ?

4. the Namib Desert beetle…

THE NAMIB DESERT BEETLE…
…is known to survive by collecting
water from fog thanks to its unique
back structure. An array of hydrophilic
bumps across a waxy superhydrophobic
surface collect then route droplets into
the beetle's mouth.

5. 7. SS should collect language from the air. Why?

7. SS SHOULD COLLECT LANGUAGE FROM THE AIR.
WHY?
1. SS choose their own language (that they are likely ‘to
put in their suitcases’)
2. Challenge gives SS a sense of achievement/progress.
3. Motivation stops being an issue.
4. It promotes learner autonomy. (learning outside the
classroom)
So how do we ‘collect/catch language from the air’?
What is our air? Listening/reading… texts!

6. Lead-in Judging by the pictures, what is the topic of our class?

LEAD-IN
JUDGING BY THE PICTURES, WHAT IS THE TOPIC OF OUR CLASS?
MIGRATION
Work in pairs.
1 Why do people migrate?
Think of as many reasons as you
can.
2 Would you like to migrate? If
so, why and where? If not, why
not?

7. Listening (for gist/scanning)

LISTENING
(FOR GIST/SCANNING)
MIGRATION
You are going to hear six people who have migrated talking about their
experiences. Listen and match each person with the aspect of migration (A-H)
that they mention. (There are two aspects you do not need.)
Speaker 1
С
....
Speaker 2
F
....
Speaker 3
B
....
G
....
Speaker 4
Speaker 5
Speaker 6
D
....
A
....
A. I migrated to fulfil my ambitions.
B. I encountered some negative attitudes to
start with.
C. I've felt homesick since I left.
D. I find it difficult to stay in one place for long.
E. I moved because of a relationship.
F. I wanted a better environment for my
children.
G. I was fed up with the weather.
H. I'm surprised how well my life has turned out.

8. Noticing collocations Speaker 2

NOTICING COLLOCATIONS
SPEAKER 2
We were utterly fed up with the crime and feeling of
insecurity that surrounded us and it was precisely
for that reason that we moved away.
What really worried us was the effect it might have
on the kids going to the local school. We felt it just
wasn't worth the risk.
On the other hand, it hasn't been easy coping with
the language barrier, I have to admit. At least not for
us parents. The kids integrated straight away, of
course.

9. Present, drill and own

PRESENT, DRILL AND OWN
… What really worried us was the effect it might
have on the kids going to the local school.
DRILL AND
TASTE
… What really worried us was how you would
meet
the
deadline
with
your
unbeatable
procrastication skills. Surpisingly enough, you
did, though! The position is yours!
CHANGE
AND ‘OWN’
… What really worries me is (tense, pronoun) your
green face at the end of the academic year.
… What really attracted me (verb, pronoun)
in the teaching job in the first place was the long
summer break.

10. Present, drill and own Speaker 2

PRESENT, DRILL AND OWN
SPEAKER 2
We were utterly fed up with the crime and feeling of
insecurity that surrounded us and it was precisely
for that reason that we moved away.
What really worried us was the effect it might have
on the kids going to the local school. We felt it just
wasn't worth the risk.
On the other hand, it hasn't been easy coping with
the language barrier, I have to admit. At least not for
us parents. The kids integrated straight away, of
course.

11. Notice, present, drill and own

NOTICE, PRESENT, DRILL AND OWN
Speaker 4
Speaker 5
I love lots of things about my
I guess you could call me a rolling
country: the food, the sense of
stone,
humour, the newspapers, lots of
expression - I mean, I've been
things. Actually, I have to admit
abroad for so long I don't know all
it was the climate I couldn't
the
stand any longer. I just found
unfortunately
the
typical
short
grey
days
and
the
if
people
latest
still
slang.
I'm
expatriates
one
use
that
You
see,
of
those
who
spends
totally
two years working in this country
depressing. Mind you, the heat's
and three years working in that. I
sometimes a problem here and
don't think I could ever go back to
then I dream of going home. But
my home country because, quite
that's only the odd day here and
honestly, I just wouldn't fit in. I'd
there. Mostly it's fine.
be completely out of touch.
continual
rain

12. Noticing collocations Speaker 2

NOTICING COLLOCATIONS
SPEAKER 2
We were utterly fed up with the crime and feeling of
insecurity that surrounded us and it was precisely
for that reason that we moved away.
What really worried us was the effect it might have
on the kids going to the local school. We felt it just
wasn't worth the risk.
On the other hand, it hasn't been easy coping with
the language barrier, I have to admit. At least not for
us parents. The kids integrated straight away, of
course.

13. practise

PRACTISE
Speaker 4
Speaker 5
I love lots of things about my
I guess you could call me a rolling
country: the food, the sense of
stone,
humour, the newspapers, lots of
expression - I mean, I've been
things. Actually, I have to admit
abroad for so long I don't know all
it was the climate I couldn't
the
stand any longer. I just found
unfortunately
the
typical
short
grey
days
and
the
if
people
latest
still
slang.
I'm
expatriates
one
use
that
You
see,
of
those
who
spends
totally
two years working in this country
depressing. Mind you, the heat's
and three years working in that. I
sometimes a problem here and
don't think I could ever go back to
then I dream of going home. But
my home country because, quite
that's only the odd day here and
honestly, I just wouldn't fit in. I'd
there. Mostly it's fine.
be completely out of touch.
continual
rain

14. practise

PRACTISE
I guess
fed up with the crime
it just wasn't
for that reason that
Mind
worried us was
I have
worth the risk.
I just
easy coping with
integrated
straight away
I'd be
to admit
were utterly
I couldn't stand any longer.
it hasn't been
you,
You see, unfortunately
the odd day here and there.
it was the climate
you could call me a…
What really
I'm one of those typical expatriates who
it was precisely
wouldn't fit in.
that's only
completely out of touch.

15. check

CHECK
1. …were utterly fed up with the crime
2. …it was precisely for that reason that …
3. What really worried us was …
4. …it just wasn't worth the risk.
5. …it hasn't been easy coping with …
6. …integrated straight away.
7. I have to admit…
8. …it was the climate I couldn't stand any longer.
9. Mind you,
10. …that's only the odd day here and there.
11. I guess you could call me a…
12. You see, unfortunately I'm one of those typical expatriates who…
13.I just wouldn't fit in.
14.I'd be completely out of touch.

16. You have one minute to answer the questions using the collocations. Your partner has to notice how many/which ones you have

PRODUCE
• YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE TO ANSWER THE
QUESTIONS USING THE COLLOCATIONS. YOUR
PARTNER HAS TO NOTICE HOW MANY/WHICH
ONES YOU HAVE USED AND IF YOU HAVE USED
THEM APPROPRIATELY.
1.
What is your attitude
towards the flow of
immigrants in Moscow?
2. How can emigration benefit the
country people immigrate to?

17. The Lexical Sequence

THE LEXICAL SEQUENCE
1.Do the reading/listening task.
2.Ask students to NOTICE collocations. (their
choice ‘to put in their suitcases’)
3.Present, comment on, discuss the meaning.
4.Ask to use the phrase in their examples
WITHOUT changing it (Drill and taste it).
5.Ask SS to change parts of the
phrase/construction to OWN it.
6.Analyse the construction/collocation
vertically (CONTEXT+applicability).
7.Practise.
8.Produce.
9.REVISE FREQUENTLY!
THE RESULTS WILL AMAZE YOU!

18. It’s a collocation, isn’t it?

IT’S A COLLOCATION, ISN’T IT?
How would you complete the following phrase?
to tell you the __________
You had no problem completing it because you have
heard or seen this expression so many times that
you could predict what word follows. As a result of
repeated encounters we become primed to expect
certain words to occur after certain words.
Try to complete these strings of words. Then
compare with your partners. Did they get the same
word(s) as you, i.e. are their primings the same as
yours?
1. it sets a good __________
2. is not hard to __________
3. a pack of __________
4. as a matter of __________
5. coming down with _________
6. a change of __________
7. I find it pretty __________
8. It’s never too __________
9. It all fell into __________
10. has fallen into __________
11. people put too much _______
12. It does not really ________
To check which words are most common in the above examples, use
www.netspeak.org a web tool designed to do just that.
Make sure you put an ellipsis (…) after every incomplete phrase. For example:
to tell you the truth…

19. How can anyone remember all of that? Collocation forks

HOW CAN ANYONE REMEMBER ALL OF THAT?
COLLOCATION FORKS
1. Guess from the first letter
3. Highlight the impossible
collocation
2. Guess from the collocations
4. Make up a story

20. Revise… revise… revise!

REVISE… REVISE… REVISE!
give or _________.
give or take… meaning?
1. This activity should take you three minutes, give or take.
Law and order
Part and parcel
Slowly but surely
Kiss and make up
Last but not least
Peace and quiet
Hustle and bustle
Spick and span
Wining and dining
1. Paul and Nicole often argue but they always kiss and make up.
2.Last but not least, we would like to thank our family and friends for always
being there for us.
3. The government had to call in military forces to maintain law and order.
4. Sleepless nights and dirty nappies are part and parcel of being a parent.
5. We’re looking forward to some peace and quiet in the countryside after the
hustle and bustle of the city.
6.Slowly but surely he gained confidence and is now top of his class.
7. After four hours of washing and cleaning my house was spick and span and
ready for her arrival.
8. My husband is out tonight, wining and dining his clients from Japan.

21. The who

THE WHO
Michael Lewis
Leo Selivan
Hugh
Dellar
Andrew
Walkley

22. Outcomes Advanced

OUTCOMES ADVANCED

23. The who

THE WHO
1. Lewis, M. (1993). ’The lexical approach: The state of
ELT and a way forward.’
2. Lewis, M. (1997). ’Implementing The lexical approach:
The state of ELT and a way forward.’
3. Hugh Dellar and Andrew Walkley (2016)
‘Teaching Lexically’
4. Hugh Dellar and Andrew Walkley ‘Outcomes’
https://www.lexicallab.com/
5.
Leo Selivan (2018) ‘Lexical Grammar’
blog leoxicon.blogspot.com
6. Hoey, M. (2005) ’Lexical Priming. A new theory of
words and language.’

24. Q&a

Q&A
1. How do we teach SS to notice collocations?
2. How is the LA connected to all the other approaches?
3. What are the disadvantages of the LA?
4. What other ways of enriching one’s vocab are there besides
reading, watching films and listening to songs?
5. What’s the difference between the LA and the
Communicative Approach? Can they be combined?
6. What language level is the LA good for?