Thematic Vocabulary Development through a Task-Based Approach in Fifth-Grade Bilingual Classrooms

 Abstract

This article explores how thematic vocabulary instruction can enhance communicative competence among fifth-grade bilingual learners in Barranquilla, Colombia. Grounded in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR, Council of Europe, 2020), this proposal connects theoretical principles with everyday classroom practice. It presents a structured yet flexible approach that helps teachers integrate authentic communicative activities, aligned with learners’ Pre-A1 proficiency level, into their pedagogical routines.

1. Introduction

Vocabulary learning is not merely a matter of memorizing words—it is about enabling learners to use language meaningfully in real-life situations. In bilingual education, particularly with younger learners at the Pre-A1 level, teachers play a crucial role in shaping tasks that connect new vocabulary to purposeful communication.

At Institución Educativa Distrital del Barrio Simón Bolívar in Barranquilla, Colombia, fifth-grade students are at an early stage of English acquisition. They rely on visual support, repetition, and simple language structures to understand and express basic personal information. Their learning environment, therefore, must encourage communication in context-rich, visually supported, and interaction-oriented tasks that reflect how language functions in daily life.

The truth is that these learners do not simply need more words—they need words that matter in their world: words that allow them to describe themselves, talk about their environment, and connect with others.

2. Theoretical Framework: CEFR and Thematic Learning

The Council of Europe’s CEFR Companion Volume (2020) provides detailed illustrative scales for communicative activities suitable for Pre-A1 learners. These descriptors help teachers identify what students can understand, say, read, and write at this level. For example, Pre-A1 learners can understand short, simple statements if these are spoken slowly, clearly, and supported by visuals. They can use gestures, drawings, or isolated words to express meaning when speaking.

In simple terms, CEFR descriptors act like a roadmap—they tell teachers where their students are and where to go next. At this stage, tasks should focus on everyday themes such as personal identification, home and environment, daily life, free time, and relations with others (Council of Europe, 2001). These areas reflect the communicative needs of young learners as they begin to navigate both school and social interactions.

3. Thematic Vocabulary as a Pedagogical Tool

The concept of thematic vocabulary refers to organizing language instruction around familiar, meaningful topics that mirror real-life communication. When students learn vocabulary in themes—such as family, food, school, or weather—they can more easily recall and apply words during authentic tasks.

According to van Ek and Trim (1990), these thematic areas form the backbone of communicative competence at beginner levels. By integrating them into task-based learning (TBL), teachers create opportunities for students to use language in purposeful ways rather than merely learning it passively.

In practice, this means that instead of teaching isolated word lists, the teacher designs tasks like:

• Describing one’s family using pictures or puppets.
• Planning a picnic and listing items to bring.
• Role-playing a visit to the doctor or a shopping trip.

Such activities transform vocabulary learning into a collaborative, experiential process. Students not only learn words but also experience the function of those words in context.

4. CEFR Descriptors and Communicative Goals for Pre-A1 Learners

For fifth-grade students at the Pre-A1 level, communication revolves around personal, concrete, and immediate needs. According to the CEFR (2020), learners “can use isolated words and basic expressions in order to give simple information about themselves” (p. 131).

In this sense, teachers can use thematic lessons to strengthen specific communicative goals such as:

• Introducing oneself and others.
• Describing one’s home and surroundings.
• Talking about daily routines or favorite activities.
• Expressing likes, dislikes, and basic feelings.

These goals align with the CEFR’s illustrative descriptors for reception, production, interaction, and mediation, ensuring that vocabulary instruction promotes all four communicative modes.

5. Structuring Learning through Thematic Subcategories

To foster clarity and prevent miscommunication, thematic subcategories provide structure and focus within each learning unit. For example, under Personal Identification, learners might explore:

• Likes and dislikes: I love cats. I don’t like sweet tea.
• Character traits: She’s kind. He’s lazy.
• Physical appearance: He’s tall and slim. She has fair hair.

Each subcategory includes language exponents—short, functional phrases that allow learners to build confidence through use and repetition. This scaffolding ensures that even beginners can communicate successfully in simple, accurate ways.

As the CEFR notes, learners at this stage “can communicate very basic information about personal details in a simple way” (Council of Europe, 2020, p. 142). By combining these exponents with engaging classroom tasks, teachers guide students toward functional, meaningful communication.

6. Integrating Task-Based Learning for Vocabulary Development

In a task-based framework, vocabulary learning becomes a means to an end, not an end. Each lesson should culminate in a communicative task—a real or simulated situation where learners need to use the new vocabulary to achieve a goal.

For instance:

• A “My Favourite Hobby” project may require students to describe their favourite pastime using learned phrases.
• A “Market Day” simulation may invite learners to practice shopping expressions, numbers, and food-related vocabulary.
• A “Weather Reporter” activity can help them describe weather conditions using adjectives like sunny, rainy, windy, or foggy.

The key is to integrate comprehension, production, and interaction so learners build vocabulary organically through participation, not rote memorization.

7. Toward Fluency and Confidence

Developing fluency in young bilingual learners means helping them use language without fear of mistakes. As they engage in short, meaningful exchanges, they internalize patterns of language use. The CEFR (2020) highlights that Pre-A1 learners “can manage very short, isolated, rehearsed utterances using gesture and signalled requests for help when necessary” (p. 142).

Teachers can nurture fluency by:

• Allowing rehearsed dialogue practice followed by spontaneous role-plays.
• Encouraging gestures, visuals, and cooperative work.
• Fostering a safe emotional climate where trial and error are part of the learning process.

When learners see progress—using new words to express familiar ideas—they begin to own the language. This ownership is the foundation of confidence.

8. Conclusion

Building thematic vocabulary through a task-based approach empowers fifth-grade bilingual learners to use English as a living language. Grounded in CEFR principles, this approach transforms vocabulary from abstract knowledge into practical competence.

The truth is that language learning becomes meaningful when words are tied to emotion, context, and purpose. Teachers who design tasks around thematic categories—such as personal identity, daily life, and relationships—equip their students not only with words but with the ability to connect, share, and grow as bilingual communicators.

References

Council of Europe. (2001). Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, teaching, assessment. Cambridge University Press.

Council of Europe. (2020). Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, teaching, assessment – Companion volume. Council of Europe Publishing. https://www.coe.int/lang-cefr

van Ek, J. A., & Trim, J. L. M. (1990). Threshold 1990. Cambridge University Press.