Transcript Developing Word and World Knowledge in Preschool

Developing Word & World Knowledge in
Preschool
Meaningful Talk in the Classroom
Christina M. Cassano, Ed.D.
The knowledge gap:
“Those who have access to more
information read more, have
higher-level conversations, and
more continued educational
opportunities…the knowledge
gap is associated with qualityof-life differences, including
health and crime prevention.”
Cervetti et al., 2009
Objectives
If this is a successful workshop, you
will have a better understanding of:
– The relationship between language
experience and school performance
– How to foster meaningful learning
conversations
– How to target words for instruction
across the school day
A Quick Look at the Research…
Why does vocabulary matter?
Variations in Learning to Read
• When measured in preschool and/or kindergarten,
code-skills (alphabet knowledge, phonological
awareness, etc.) predict early reading in the first
grade and vocabulary predicts reading
comprehension beginning in 3rd grade.
• 75 to 88% of the children who struggle with reading
in K-2 will continue to struggle throughout their
school careers.
• The improvers have higher levels of vocabulary,
phonological awareness, and self regulation at the
end of preschool than the non- improvers.
Variations in Learning to Read (continued)
• By age 3, some children are exposed to 30
million fewer words than others.
• This early vocabulary “gap” widens with each
successive grade level.
• Unfortunately, the importance of vocabulary
also increases with every grade level, as texts
become more and more complex and
background knowledge matters for adequate
comprehension.
(Data source--Hart & Risley, 1995; Hirsch, 1996 Image source--www.zerotofivefunderscollaborative.org)
Research demonstrates that children:
• Learn vocabulary through:
• extended and responsive 1 on 1 conversations,
• sharing and hearing personal experiences,
• hearing and talking about books and stories.
• Learn English language syntax by:
• having teachers provide grammatically correct language
models,
• hearing good books regularly,
• Learn to read earlier because of experience with
complex uses of oral language.
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Variations in Early Language Exposure, Vocabulary Size
and Growth
• Children who hear more language AND more
diverse language have larger vocabularies than
their peers.
• Children with larger vocabularies acquire words
at faster rates than their peers.
Vocabulary development thrives in the early
years when parents and teachers…
• Talk a lot.
• Provide multiple exposures to sophisticated
words, and provide word learning support.
• Talk about topics that build children’s content
knowledge.
• Engage children in cognitively challenging
conversations.
• Elaborate, clarify, and recast children’s language.
Dickinson & Smith, 1994; Elley, 1989; Hart & Risley, 1995; Huttenlocher et al., 1991, 2007; Klibanoff et al., 2006 Pan et al., 2005;
Rowe et al., 2009; Sénéchal, 1997; Weizman & Snow, 2001
Vocabulary development thrives in the early years
when parents and teachers…(continued)
• Model curiosity and interest in words (e.g., “It
says that crayfish have exoskeletons. I looked that
word up in a dictionary. It means they don’t have
bones inside their bodies like we do…”).
• Explain new words to children (e.g., “Animals
that lay eggs are oviparous. Oviparous means
having babies that hatch from eggs—are not born
alive—like we are.”).
• Scaffold children’s attempts to describe past
events (coach de-contextualized language use).
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Dickinson & Smith, 1994; Elley, 1989; Hart & Risley, 1995; Huttenlocher et al., 1991, 2007; Klibanoff et al., 2006 Pan et al., 2005; Rowe et al., 2009; Sénéchal,
1997; Weizman & Snow, 2001
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Acting on the Evidence
Fostering language learning across the preschool day
Strategies to support word learning
• Targeting words for instruction for use in
– Learning conversations
– Story reading
– Hands-on activities
– Thematic units
Guiding Principles
• Choose words children do not already know.
• Choose rare and interesting words.
• Choose words that are more precise than the
words children use.
• Choose words that connect to children’s home
languages and cultures.
• Help children learn to use the words.
Which Words Do I Choose?
• Tier 1:
– Common, everyday vocabulary
– Require little attention or are quickly learned
• Tier 2:
– Common for mature language users
– Sophisticated and interesting words
• Tier 3
– Low frequency
– Domain specific
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Word (and Language)Learning
Strategies
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Label
Repetition
Elaboration/Expansion
Recasting
Questioning
Encouragement
Learning Conversations
(or cognitively challenging talk)
Having conversations with children that include
sophisticated vocabulary:
• Exposes children to new words
• Actively engages them in word learning
• Provides them with opportunities to practice using
new words and receive feedback (nocturnal)
• Extends their understanding of known words
(hibernate)
• Informs us about their language development
(Collins, 2012)
Group Activity
Analyze a Learning Conversation
How does this teacher is support word learning:
• Does she use repeat key words, concepts, or ideas?
• Does she attempt to clarify confusion?
• Does recast or rephrase what children say?
• Does she elaborate or extend what a child said
(elaboration)?
• How does she encourage talk? (encouragement)?
• What does she label? Describe? Explain?
• Does she provide semantic (or word meaning) support?
• How does (or should) she use physical support (e.g.,
demonstration, gesture, concrete modeling, visual).
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• Teacher: You probably remember that we talked yesterday about plants like this. They have an interesting
name because they have so many leaves that stick out like legs. Does anyone remember the name of this
kind of plant?
• Children: A spider plant.
• Teacher: Yes, we call this kind of plant a spider plant. Remember, yesterday, I clipped this little part off the
mother plant? What are these tiny parts of the plant called?
• Children: Spider.
• Teacher: Yes, the whole plant is called a spider plant, and this tiny part -- the part we can put in soil to begin
a completely new plant that will grow into another big plant--is called a plantlet. It's a baby plant.
• Children: Yeah.
• Teacher: And this plantlet was hanging down from the mother plant yesterday, before I clipped it off.
• Child: And then the spider comes out.
• Teacher: Well, the plant is called a spider plant because spiders have a lot of long legs--eight legs--and this
plant has a lot of leaves that grow out and sort of look like a spider’s legs... So, the plant is not a real spider,
but something about it resembles a spider, and that's how this plant got the name, spider plant. Now that
it's been clipped off of the mother plant, we need to help it grow. What's one thing it needs to grow?
• Children: Water.
• Teacher: Yes, it needs water to grow some roots of its own before we plant it in soil. We're going to put it in
here....in this bowl--in water. Every day, I want you to come in and observe it. I want you to check it out and
see if there are roots growing so we can see how it changes over time. We have another spider plant over
here and what do we have growing off of it? (points to roots)
• Children: Overlapping voices including roots and root hairs
• Teacher: Yes, this plant has main roots and then root hairs--tiny roots--growing on the main roots.
• Child: And spiders.
• Teacher: Actually, there are no real spiders here, just some plants that have a lot of long leaves that look
like spiders' legs. I'm going to pass this around so that all of you can take a look at it and decide whether you
think it's ready to plant in soil, now that it has a lot of roots and root hairs.
Your Turn: Rainbow Cups
Use a running commentary strategy by describing ALL of
your actions (i.e., talk like a sports commentator)
• Squeeze several drops of food coloring into each cup of
water, using primary colors
• Stir in enough food coloring to make a rich hue.
• Have a recorder write down key vocabulary
– Specific words that describe the objects and their uses (aim for
sophisticated vocabulary).
– Action verbs that describe the processes of mixing colors
– Quantitative concepts that describe and compare amounts
– Sequence words (first, next, afterwards)
• Shout it out: Report out the words we used
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Words
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Several
Mixed
Added
Observed
Darker
H20
Six
Swirl
Settle
Transparent
Blended
Pee
Changing
Gently
Happens
Chameleon
“changes color”
Squeeze
Droplet
Spill
Number
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Tornado
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Remember
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less
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Concoction
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Recall
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Blended
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Utensil
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Observe
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Remove
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Kool-aid
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Dye
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Stain
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Streaks
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Aqua
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Blend
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Slowly
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Droplet
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Settling
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Sync
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Swirl
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Orange-y
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Longer
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Spirals
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Similarities/differences
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Cover
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Compare
closer
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Predict
Tsunami
Clear
Pedialite
Estimate
Experiment
Compare
Initial
Glob
Next
Primary
Explain
Bottom
Sinking
Blood/bleed
Edible/inedible
Mixture
Longer
Waves
Light
Add
Cherry
Counting words
Words
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Swirl
Neon
Consistency
Richness
Bright
Drops
Droplets
Sphere
Demonstrate
Control
Hue
Concentrated
Squeeze
Dark
Halfway
Stir
Squish
First
Dilute
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Azul
Full
Color words
Dissolving
Sangre
Blending
Changing
Sparkling
Blood
Different
Mix
Volume
Clear
Transforming
Water
Shade
Colorless
Transparent
Rainbow Cups (continued)
Introduce new words and extend children’s knowledge of
the words you have already introduced by:
• Mixing secondary colors by transferring a small amount
of colored water from two of the three cups of colored
water. Consider how you might support more
sophisticated word knowledge by:
• Using more sophisticated words
• Provide semantic and physical support
– See how the colors mix or blend together when I gently swirl the
cup).
Words
words
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Magic
Predictions
Suggestions
Violet
Combine
Hypothesis
Create
Request
Volume
Additional
secondary
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Dilute
Reflection
Primary
Ripples
Experiment
Stained
Saturated
Recognition of colors
Spill
Substitute
Solution
Science
Discovery
Trial and error
Extending the Learning
• Next steps:
– Consider related words to target to extend
children’s learning
• Weather (raindrop, “raining cats and dogs”)
• Science (prism, reflect, form)
• Colors (primary, secondary, colors-emotions)
– Plan concrete activities
– Allow children to explore the rainbow cup activity in
free play
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Cognitively Challenging Talk across the Preschool Day
Play time
Can you describe how
you built this tower?
What steps did you
take
What ingredients are
you putting in your
soup?
Meal time
I’m going to describe What ingredients were
something from lunch. needed to make our
Can you guess what it lunch?
is from my
description?
It sounds like you and
your brother were
quarreling this
morning. What were
you fighting about?
Book
In this book, Alexander
describes his day as a
“terrible, horrible no
good, very bad day”.
Can you describe or tell
us about a time when
you felt like that
These frogs quibbled
and quarreled from
dawn until dusk—that
means they fought all
day long.
What ingredients did
the Old Woman use to
make the gingerbread
man?
Oh, I hear quibbling
and quarreling over
there—why are you
arguing?
Where the Words Are
(average number of rare words per 1000)
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Newspapers (68.3)
Adult books (52.7)
Children’s books (30.9)
Children’s television (20.2)
Adult television (22.7)
Mr. Rogers (2.0)
Cartoons (30.8)
Conversation between two
college educated adults (17.3)
Strategies to Support Word Learning during
Book Reading
• Semantic support
– Child friendly definitions/explanations
• Physical support
– Gesturing
– Using your voice
– Acting out concepts or vocabulary through role play
• Illustration support
– Identification
– Classification
• Comprehension asides
– Rephrasing in your own words
– Providing additional clarification
Example
After reading, Put on a stamp, T explained: “We put
a stamp on letters to show that the letter is paid
for.” Then T pointed to the stamp on the letter
in Peter’s hand. “That’s the stamp, right here.”
Peter stared at the sheet of paper, T extended
word’s pronunciation as she read it then said,
“Stared…just looked at it.” (T looks down as if
looking at something, and pauses just a second
to do that.
Example: Clarifying Confusion
T: What’s “the mother bird’s soft
down? Does anyone know what
that is?
C: It’s laying down.
T: Well, it’s not laying down. They
call it “against her down.” The
down is her feathers, her soft
feathers.
C: Cuddle, cuddle.
T: They cuddle against her down,
the down is her feathers.
*Try to avoid asking children for definitions. Remember that other
children are listening and thinking about what words mean.
Vocabulary Word Search
• Examine the selection of narrative texts
• What words might be unfamiliar to your preschoolers?
• Select 3-5 of those words to work with when reading
to young children.
• How might you use different strategies to support
word learning?
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Reflect and Repair
Reflect and Repair
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Example: Preparing for reading or sharing:
Carefully consider if highlighted words are the ones you want to emphasize.
Story Reading: Keeping your goal and purpose in mind
– Concept development
– Alphabet knowledge
– Concepts of print
– Pleasure in reading
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Going Deeper
Supporting Word and World Knowledge in Preschool
How much instruction?
• Receptive- “I know it when I hear it”
– developed through a few exposures to words (3-6) in story
reading/conversational context.
– Minimal support for word learning (e.g., child friendly
explanations, pictures, objects). No attempt to have child say
the word required.
• Expressive- “I can use the word”
– requires more exposures to the word (6-10) in story
reading/conversational context,
– minimal support for word learning (as above), but active
attempt to have child use the word.
• Definitional- “I know a lot about it”
– requires multiple exposures to the word in story
reading/conversational AND
– concrete, meaning making experiences.
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Expressive Word Learning
• Strategies are the same for receptive word
learning but include efforts to get children to
SAY the words and to begin to USE them in
everyday conversations.
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Example of Expressive Level Word Support
The ThThe
“The butterfly splayed
its wings as it drank
nectar from the flowers.”
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Expressive Level Support in the Story
Reading Context: Butterfly Book Example
Reading One
Adult: The butterfly spread its wings—it splayed them. See, its wings are opened
up (points to in illustration).
C: Ya.
Adult: Splayed means the butterfly opened its wings. They are wide open now,
not folded up. They are splayed.
C: Yeah, big.
Adult: Yes, they are big—splayed. Can you say ‘splayed’?
Children: Splayed.
Adult: Right, splayed. The butterfly’s wings are open.
Reading Two (same page)
Adult: Here is the butterfly.
C: Its wings are open.
Adult: Yes, they are splayed. You can say that word with me again.
Children: Splayed.
Adult: Yes, the butterfly’s wings are splayed—opened up--spread out.
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Supporting Definitional Level Vocabulary
• Read high-quality informational and narrative texts.
• Use illustrations/diagrams and provide explanations during
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and after the readings.
• Lead rich discussions after story reading (and include the
targeted vocabulary).
Use words across a variety of different contexts.
• Concrete, meaning making activities (i.e., science and social
science).
Engage children in activities that involve comparing words.
• Seed, plantlet, cutting, bulb, tuber
Engage children in word games that deepen children’s
understanding of some words (e.g., I’m thinking of a word…”)
Develop 4-5 thematic units that are 4-6 weeks in length (this
can be achieved by connection shorter units)
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Extending the Learning
When new words such as butterfly, chrysalis, and metamorphosis
are encountered multiple times in the context of concrete
experiences, and not just in books, children’s understanding of
the words (and the world) deepens.
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Extending the Learning
Concrete, meaning-making experiences
included:
– Open and focused exploration of
the outdoors.
– Caring for a class terrarium.
– Using naturalist tools (hand lens,
penlight, trowels).
– Starting plants in different ways
(seed, tuber, bulb, cutting) and
noting similarities/differences.
– Field trips & guest speakers.
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Extending the Learning (continued)
• Reflection activities:
– Talking about concrete
experiences.
– Creating and discussing
observational drawings.
– Reading and discussing
books (e.g., field guides
and other information
books; storybooks).
“Our tree has little pears on
it. It needs rain to help
them grow.”
by Olivia
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Why informational text?
• Increase children’s world (and word)
knowledge
• Increase children’s knowledge of how to read
and write informational texts
• Assess children’s knowledge and
understandings
Putting it all together
• Use the contents of you book bag to develop a
thematic unit
• What words would you teach to support:
– Receptive understanding?
– Expressive understanding?
– Definitional understanding?
• How will you teach them?
• What types of activities/experiences would
you plan?
Strategy Selection
• Review your list of words
• Consider which strategies you could use to
help children learn these new words before or
during reading (receptive vocabulary).
• What will you say or do to help children use
these words (expressive vocabulary)
• How could you provide concrete experiences
to deepen their understanding of these words
(definitional vocabulary).
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Final Thought
Children will NEVER learn words they don’t hear
• Children initially have a limited understanding
of words and concepts
• Over time, the understanding of each word
deepens through:
– Concrete experiences.
– Books that connect to conceptual experiences.
– Listening and responding to children’s confusions.
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DeTemple & Snow, 2006; Dickinson et al., 2006; Sénéchal, 1997
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Objectives
Did you develop a better understanding of:
– The relationship between language
experience and school performance
– How to foster meaningful learning
conversations
– How to target words for instruction across
the school day