Developing the ability to describe different people accurately is a vital skill for beginner EFL learners. Descriptive language not only enhances communication skills but also improves writing and storytelling abilities, contributing to overall language proficiency.
Research suggests that engaging students in meaningful, contextualised learning experiences significantly enhances vocabulary retention and fluency (Gibbons, 2009; Nation, 2013). What's more, descriptive language also plays a crucial role in academic success, as it's closely linked to things like expressive writing, critical thinking, and of course, basic comprehension (Snow, 2010).
So in this article we'll explore some of the common challenges new students face, along with the common misconceptions about language learning, and practical, research-backed strategies that will help you enhance descriptive language proficiency in your young EFL/ESL learners.
By integrating insights from linguistic research, second language acquisition theories, and classroom-based studies, this blog aims to provide you and other educators with the most effective approaches to developing students' descriptive language abilities. Leaving them able to describe to you exactly who it was who keeps jamming the pencil sharperner with crayons...
Sorry to vent about that here if you're wondering where that came from, but boy - if I ever catch the culprit who keeps doing that in my class...
Common Challenges in Descriptive Language Acquisition
1. Limited Vocabulary
The first major challenge young learners often face when describing people is kind of obvious, and that's a narrow range of descriptive terms. Obviously, this makes it difficult to provide detailed descriptions (Read, 2000; Webb, 2005). For example, students may default to generic words such as "nice" or "big" when describing people instead of more precise terms like "friendly" or "tall."
One effective way to combat this issue is through vocabulary-building activities such as word association games, where learners connect adjectives with visuals and real-world examples. Why? Because there are a range of studies that show contextualized learning such as this, aids retention and encourages learners to use a broader range of descriptors in both their speech and writing. Don't believe us? Here you, go - see for yourself (Schmitt, 2008; Nation, 2013; Webb, 2005; Read, 2000).
2. Overgeneralization
Students may rely on basic adjectives like "good" or "bad" for all descriptions, lacking specificity and depth in their language use. Studies indicate that repeated exposure and scaffolded learning will help combat this issue (Schmitt, 2008; Nation, 2013). One practical approach teachers can implement is the "Adjective Expansion Chart" method. In this technique, students start with a basic adjective (e.g., "good") and expand it using synonyms and contextual examples, eventually incorporating them into sentences. Give it a try. Research suggests that explicit vocabulary instruction combined with contextual application significantly improves descriptive accuracy (Graves, 2006; Beck, McKeown & Kucan, 2013).
3. Cultural Misunderstandings
Differences in cultural norms can lead to misinterpretation or misuse of descriptive terms, emphasizing the importance of culturally responsive teaching (Kramsch, 1998; Byram, 2008). For example, a student from a collectivist culture may describe someone as "fat" with no negative connotation, whereas in Western cultures, this may be considered offensive. Similarly, adjectives such as "modest" or "outspoken" may carry different cultural implications. Teachers can address these challenges by incorporating lessons on cultural awareness and pragmatic competence. Role-playing activities, discussions on cultural perceptions of adjectives, and exposure to authentic language use in different contexts can help students develop a more nuanced understanding of descriptive language (Scollon, Scollon, & Jones, 2012; Liddicoat & Scarino, 2013).
4. Confusion Between Social and Academic Language
Learners might assume that conversational fluency equates to proficiency in academic or descriptive contexts, leading to inappropriate language application (Nation & Yamamoto, 2020). For example, a student who is comfortable engaging in casual conversations may struggle when asked to describe a person in detail for a written assignment or academic presentation. This gap often results in overly simplistic descriptions or avoidance of more complex sentence structures. Teachers can address this issue by incorporating structured speaking and writing activities that require students to transition from informal to formal descriptive language. Scaffolding techniques, such as sentence starters, guided writing prompts, and explicit instruction on descriptive adjectives, can help bridge the gap for them between the two types of English language (Swain, 2005; Zwiers, 2014).
1. Implement Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT)
Engage students in meaningful tasks that require the use of descriptive language. For example, collaborative storytelling projects where learners describe characters can enhance vocabulary and contextual understanding. Research indicates that TBLT significantly improves speaking abilities and fosters positive attitudes toward language learning (Ellis, 2017; Skehan, 1998).
2. Utilize Dialogue Journals
Establish written exchanges between teachers and students to practice descriptive writing in a real-world context. For example, each day, ask learners to take a minute to write a quick note describing someone they saw on the bus on the way to class. Or the main character from their favourite film or cartoon show. It's a short exercise that can be added to the end of diary homework or used as a morning activity. And as an added bonus, this method has been associated with improvements in writing fluency and a reduction in writing anxiety (Liao & Wong, 2010; Peyton, 2000).
3. Clarify Language Misconceptions
Educate students on the differences between social and academic language to prevent the misconception that conversational fluency equals overall language proficiency. Understanding this distinction is essential for appropriate language use in various contexts (Snow, 2010; Cummins, 2008). In fact, on a side note, misguided learner beliefs about language such as this, is something that our own publish research on shy learners and Foreign Language Anxiety revealled is one of the main things to hold learners back (Braley, 2024). So clarifying this for your students may help them with more than just their skill at describing people.
High-Frequency Descriptive Words for Young Learners
Obviously, building a robust vocabulary is crucial when it comes to providing detailed descriptions about people. So below we've researched the best high-frequency descriptive words to introduce to your students (Webb, 2005; Nation, 2013). Introduce these words in context through games and storytelling to help reinforce their meaning and usage:
- Appearance: tall, short, young, old, beautiful, handsome, thin, strong
- Hair: curly, straight, long, short, blond, black, brown, red
- Eyes: big, small, blue, green, brown, bright
- Clothing & Style: casual, formal, neat, messy, colorful, plain
- Facial Features: round face, oval face, big nose, small lips, dimples, freckles
- Personality: kind, funny, serious, shy, friendly, talkative, quiet, lazy, hardworking
Engaging Activities for Teaching Descriptive Language
1.
Picture Descriptions
Provide students with images of people and ask them to describe the person's appearance, clothing, and personality. This activity enhances observational skills and vocabulary recall (Gibbons, 2009).
2.
Guess Who? Game
Students take turns describing a classmate (or a famous person) while others guess who it is. This promotes active listening and speaking fluency (Nation, 2013).
3.
Character Profiles
Have students create fictional character profiles with detailed descriptions. They can present their characters to the class, reinforcing spoken and written descriptive skills (Ellis, 2017).
4.
Mix-Pair-Share Activity
Use a cooperative learning approach where students mix around the room, pair up, and describe themselves or another person based on a prompt before switching partners (Lightbown & Spada, 2013). The Kagan teaching methis and structures are unbeatable for this. You'll find a bunch of Kagan tools and resources in the store.
Conclusion
By acknowledging and addressing common struggles and misconceptions, and implementing research-backed strategies such as TBLT, dialogue journals, and structured peer interactions, educators can significantly enhance young learners' proficiency in using descriptive language. Integrating high-frequency vocabulary and engaging activities ensures that learners develop both fluency and accuracy in their descriptions.
And if you're looking for ready-to-use classroom materials that teach how to describe people, check out our Teachers Pay Teachers store for engaging, research-based resources designed to help students master descriptive language in a fun and interactive way!
References
- Beck, I. L., McKeown, M. G., & Kucan, L. (2013). Bringing Words to Life: Robust Vocabulary Instruction. Guilford Press.
- Braley, T. (2024). Breaking the Silence: How Can English Foreign Language Teachers Mitigate Foreign Language Anxiety in Shy Anxious Learners? Korea Tesol Journal, 19(2), 139-169.
- Byram, M. (2008). From Foreign Language Education to Education for Intercultural Citizenship: Essays and Reflections. Multilingual Matters.
- Cummins, J. (2008). BICS and CALP: Empirical and Theoretical Status of the Distinction. Routledge.
- Ellis, R. (2017). Task-based Language Teaching: Theory and Practice. Oxford University Press.
- Gibbons, P. (2009). English Learners, Academic Literacy, and Thinking: Learning in the Challenge Zone. Heinemann.
- Graves, M. F. (2006). The Vocabulary Book: Learning & Instruction. Teachers College Press.
- Kramsch, C. (1998). Language and Culture. Oxford University Press.
- Liddicoat, A. J., & Scarino, A. (2013). Intercultural Language Teaching and Learning. Wiley-Blackwell.
- Lightbown, P. & Spada, N. (2013). How Languages are Learned (4th ed.). Oxford University Press.
- Liao, M. T., & Wong, C. T. (2010). Effects of dialogue journals on L2 students' writing fluency, reflections, anxiety, and motivation. Reflections on English Language Teaching, 9(2), 139-170.
- Nassaji, H., & Fotos, S. (2011). Teaching Grammar in Second Language Classrooms: Integrating Form-Focused Instruction in Communicative Contexts. Routledge.
- Nation, P. (2013). Learning Vocabulary in Another Language (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press.
- Peyton, J. K. (2000). Dialogue journals: Interactive writing to develop language and literacy. ERIC Digest.
- Read, J. (2000). Assessing Vocabulary. Cambridge University Press.
- Scollon, R., Scollon, S. W., & Jones, R. H. (2012). Intercultural Communication: A Discourse Approach (3rd ed.). Wiley-Blackwell.
- Schmitt, N. (2008). Review article: Instructed second language vocabulary learning. Language Teaching Research, 12(3), 329-363.
- Skehan, P. (1998). A Cognitive Approach to Language Learning. Oxford University Press.
- Snow, C. E. (2010). Academic language and the challenge of reading for learning about science. Science, 328(5977), 450-452.
- Swain, M. (2005). The output hypothesis: Theory and research. In E. Hinkel (Ed.), Handbook of research in second language teaching and learning (pp. 471-484). Routledge.
- Swain, M., & Lapkin, S. (2002). Talking it through: Two French immersion learners' response to reformulation. International Journal of Educational Research, 37(3), 285-304.
- Webb, S. (2005). Receptive and Productive Vocabulary Learning: The Effects of Reading and Writing on Word Knowledge. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 27(1), 33-52.
- Zwiers, J. (2014). Building Academic Language: Meeting Common Core Standards Across Disciplines. John Wiley & Sons.