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Teaching vocabulary

How words actually stick: introducing, drilling, reviewing and remembering — through play.

Articles in this topic

Magazine is not магазин: false friends for Russian speakers

The dozen Russian-English false friends every child trips on — magazine, fabric, artist — taught as jokes, because the laugh is the mnemonic.

September 4, 2026 · 6 min read · Read →

Embarazada is not embarrassed: false friends for Spanish speakers

The classic Spanish-English false friends — embarazada, éxito, ropa, largo — taught through giggles, with the kid-safe dozen every primary teacher needs.

September 4, 2026 · 6 min read · Read →

How to teach vocabulary to kids: the 4-step loop that works

Meet → say → play → use: a simple vocabulary teaching loop for young learners, with concrete games for every step.

July 31, 2026 · 7 min read · Read →

20 flashcard games: one card set, a month of activities

Print one set of flashcards and play twenty different ESL games with it — memory, movement, guessing and speaking games for kids.

July 27, 2026 · 8 min read · Read →

Vocabulary review games: beating the forgetting curve, playfully

Kids forget 70% of new words within days — unless review is scheduled. Games and a simple calendar that make old words stick.

July 19, 2026 · 6 min read · Read →

How many new words per lesson? Fewer than you think

Realistic vocabulary targets by age for young learners, what to do when the textbook disagrees, and why six beats sixteen.

July 8, 2026 · 5 min read · Read →

Songs and chants: the vocabulary glue nothing else replaces

Why melodies make English words unforgettable for kids, how to build a 30-second chant for any topic, and where songs fit in a lesson.

June 28, 2026 · 5 min read · Read →

The first 100 English words: what to teach before everything else

A practical first-100-words map for young beginners — which topics to start with, in what order, and the games for each stage.

June 20, 2026 · 7 min read · Read →

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