Teaching Harry Potter: Vocabulary Activities

For B1-level students, the challenge lies in striking the right balance: ensuring the vocabulary is accessible but still engaging and new. Vocabulary activities should help students make connections between the text and their own language use, while also deepening their understanding of the story. Here are some ideas I’ve used to build vocabulary activities for B1 learners in my Harry Potter course.

A Word of Caution

It’s important to be mindful of the level of your students when choosing which words to focus on. Harry Potter includes many invented words and some very advanced vocabulary that might not be practical for B1 learners. While invented words are often fun to explore briefly, they shouldn’t detract from learning useful, everyday language. Similarly, advanced or low-frequency words can be glossed quickly without requiring in-depth study. Focus on vocabulary that students are likely to encounter or use in other contexts, ensuring the learning is both meaningful and applicable.

1. Thematic Word Lists

I like to start with thematic word lists that tie into the chapter’s key concepts. For Chapter 1, for example, I focus on family vocabulary and physical descriptions. The words “uncle,” “aunt,” “cousin,” “skinny,” and “moustache” all come up naturally in the text. Once we’ve identified these words, I could add related terms like “relative,” “inherit,” or “resemble / take after.”

Activity Idea:

• Family Web: Students create a web for Harry’s family tree based on the descriptions in the chapter, using the vocabulary they’ve just learned. They can then create and describe their own family trees, either visually or in writing, to personalize the language.

2. Vocabulary in Context

One of my favourite activities is teaching vocabulary directly from the text. The students highlight words they don’t understand as they read, and we discuss their meanings in context. For example, when Dudley is described as “the biggest and stupidest of the lot,” I’ll ask students to consider what “the lot” might mean here, based on the sentence.

Activity Idea:

• Context Detective: Give students a list of highlighted words and phrases from the chapter, like “lot,” “bark,” or “shudder.” They work in pairs to guess the meanings based on context before checking with the group.

3. Word Associations

Harry Potter is a great text for exploring word associations because the magical elements lend themselves to creative connections. Words like “wand,” “cloak,” or “owl” can branch into discussions about fantasy vocabulary and even everyday associations (“What do owls symbolize in your culture?”).

Activity Idea:

• Word Clouds: Students create word clouds for key objects or ideas in the chapter. For example, starting with “wand,” they might add words like “magic,” “spell,” “wood,” “wave,” etc. Then they can write a short description or sentence using as many of their words as possible.

4. Synonyms, Antonyms, and Word Families

Exploring word relationships is a fantastic way to help students expand their vocabulary. From Chapter 1, we can discuss synonyms for “angry” (furious, annoyed, irritated) or antonyms for “skinny” (plump, stout, chubby). Word families like “magic,” “magical,” and “magician” also come up frequently.

Activity Idea:

• Word Building: Students take a base word, like “magic,” and brainstorm related forms, meanings, or synonyms. Then they write sentences using as many forms as possible.

5. Idioms and Expressions

While Harry Potter is written for younger readers, it still contains plenty of idiomatic language. For B1 students, phrases like “turned his back on them” or “boiling with rage” can be both challenging and fun to unpack.

Activity Idea:

• Phrase Finder: Students work in pairs to find idiomatic phrases in the chapter. They guess their meanings, then match the phrases with literal meanings or examples.

6. Games and Quizzes

Making vocabulary fun is always a priority. With Harry Potter, the possibilities are endless. For example, a simple matching game could involve pairing magical items (wand, cauldron, broomstick) with their uses, or matching characters with descriptions.

Activity Idea:

• Magical Charades: Students act out words or phrases from the chapter while others guess. This works especially well with action verbs or character descriptions.

7. Vocabulary Journals

To encourage students to take ownership of their learning, I have them keep vocabulary journals. Each week, they choose 5-10 new words or phrases from the text, write definitions or translations, and use them in original sentences applying them to their own lives. However, it’s important to guide students in selecting words that will be useful to them, rather than giving them free rein. Encourage them to think about which words they might encounter or use outside of the class. Sharing these journals in class often sparks great discussions and reinforces the learning.

Activities for Advanced Learners

For advanced students, Harry Potter opens up even more possibilities to explore the intricacies of language. Here are some additional ideas to challenge higher-level learners:

1. Exploring Invented Words

The series is filled with invented words that reflect Rowling’s creativity and linguistic play. Advanced students can analyse the construction of these words, including puns, sound symbolism, and etymology.

Activity Ideas:

• Dissecting Puns and Wordplay: Discuss words like “Diagon Alley” (diagonally) or “Knockturn Alley” (nocturnally) and how their meanings connect to their usage in the story. Have students brainstorm similar creative names for magical shops or places.
• Sound Symbolism: Analyse how the sounds of words like “Hufflepuff” or “Slytherin” evoke personality traits or moods. Compare these with invented words from other fantasy texts.
• Etymology and Roots: Explore the Latin or Old English roots of spells (e.g., Lumos from lumen, meaning light). Challenge students to create their own spells based on real etymological roots.

2. Comparing Fiction and Other Genres

Have students explore the differences between literary styles by comparing Harry Potter with other types of writing.

Activity Idea:

• Genre Transformation: Take an extract from the book and rewrite it as a news report, autobiography, or factual description. Discuss how the vocabulary and tone change between genres.

3. Synonyms

Look at the differences between synonyms (meaning, collocation, genre).

Activity Idea:

• Synonymous?: Take some extracts from the text and substitute some words with synonyms. Have students identify the new words and discuss how the original word contributes to the tone or meaning of the passage and how substituting it with a synonym might alter the reader’s perception or the flow of the text.

4. Translation Exercises

Translation can be a powerful tool for advanced learners to deepen their understanding of nuanced vocabulary and syntax.

Activity Idea:

• Text Translation: Assign students a short passage to translate into their native language, focusing on maintaining the tone and style. Then, compare translations in class to discuss the challenges of conveying meaning and mood.

Final Thoughts

When designing vocabulary activities, it’s all about making the words meaningful and memorable for students. Tying the vocabulary to Harry Potter’s magical world makes it more engaging, but ensuring that students connect it to their own lives is just as important. Let me know which activities work best for your classes!