VietTESOL International Convention 2026

In Vietnam, the English Language is one of the most dominant foreign languages, especially at both secondary and tertiary levels (Vu & Peter, 2021; Hoang, 2020). It is ubiquitous, and since 2025, a new policy has been implemented to make English the second language in the general education system (Cuong, 2025). Vu and Nguyen (2019) assert that vocabulary plays a crucial role in L2 learning. Likewise, a strong correlation exists between sufficient vocabulary knowledge and excellent L2 skills. In previous studies, Vietnamese teachers were found heavily dependent on rote memorization in teaching vocabulary, which was proven unsuccessful. Etymological Elaboration by Boers et al.(2014), originally used for teaching English idioms, can thus become a novel and extensive instructional approach to address English vocabulary in general. By tracing back to its literal sense, initial use, or context of a word, as well as breaking down its components, teachers and learners now understand its origin and history, greatly facilitating both comprehension and retention. The session will highlight various ways to apply Etymological Elaboration in teaching vocabulary, such as using Morphological Analysis (Nagy et al., 2014), as well as establishing mental images through the Conceptual Metaphor Theory (Lakoff and Johnson, 1980). Also, reliable source materials for reference will be provided, including how to avoid or recognize folk etymology, and the role in which generative artificial intelligence (AI) plays in researching etymology for classroom use.