Which strategy focuses on integrating cognates in vocabulary instruction?

The strategy that focuses on integrating cognates in vocabulary instruction is effectively represented by preteaching and reteaching practices. This approach involves initially introducing students to cognates—words that share a common etymological origin and often have similar meanings in two languages. By preteaching these cognates, students are given the opportunity to build connections between their native language and the new vocabulary they encounter, reinforcing their understanding and retention.

During the reteaching phase, educators can further solidify students’ comprehension by revisiting these cognates and providing additional contexts or examples. This creates a robust framework for making vocabulary acquisition more meaningful, especially for English learners who may already be familiar with these cognate pairs in their first language.

Other strategies, such as writing definitions, contextual learning with visual aids, or using synonyms and antonyms, may support vocabulary development in various ways, but they do not specifically leverage the advantageous connections that cognates provide. They may focus on isolated word meanings or relationships without utilizing the shared linguistic roots that cognates represent, thus missing the opportunity to capitalize on students’ existing knowledge from their native language.