Use Semantic Maps

Semantic Maps are graphic organizers that look like a spider web.  They are often used in pre-teaching vocabulary words because it stimulates prior knowledge and has students brainstorm what they know about a keyword or topic.  They then categorize similar words.  Semantic maps are a wonderful visual as well for ELLs and can be done whole group then with a partner or table.

Reference:

New Approaches to Literacy Learning - A Guide for Teacher Educators: Section 4: Strategies to foster the comprehension of text: Developing vocabulary. (2016). Collections.infocollections.org. Retrieved 8 August 2016, from http://collections.infocollections.org/ukedu/uk/d/Jh1750e/6.1.2.html