I'm teaching at a middle school in Italy (students aged 11-14). Some of my students have problems with vocabulary and don't seem to be able to memorize the new words.

I have a question about how to teach synonyms and their specific usage. For example, when do we use snake and when do we use serpent?

I'm interested in knowing how often English idioms are used in everyday conversation, and if you can classify them into commonly used and less common.

Advanced students need to be aware of the importance of collocation. I would argue that students at every level need to be aware of the importance of collocation,

"How can I help pre-intermediate students speak more fluently and actually use the vocabulary they have been learning recently, i.e. make passive vocabulary become active?"

I would like to be advised on how to help children and college students overcome 'spelling mistakes'. They can be given dictation, but this is not possible everyday.

How can I teach my students to study vocabulary by themselves?

I'm a trainee student teacher of English. I would like to know the best approaches for teaching English vocabulary to beginners. Thanks.