Transcript Developing_a_Rich_Vocabulary_thru_Direct_Instruction

Developing a Rich Vocabulary
thru Direct Instruction
Presented by Texas Literacy Resources
www.texasliteracy.com
Vocabulary knowledge is strongly
related to reading proficiency in
particular and school achievement
in general (Anderson, Wilson, & Fielding,
1988)
Did you know …
Students understand and
remember about 5% of the
new words they read or hear
after only hearing them
once!
What does effective
vocabulary instruction look
like?
• Teachers offer rich information
about words and their uses
• Students have frequent and varied
opportunities to think about and use
words
• Activities are thought provoking,
playful, and interactive.
Three Types of Words for
Vocabulary Instruction
• Tier 1: High Frequency words—Dolch
words (Word Wall Words)
• Tier 2: Rich words that are encountered
in a wide variety of situations and texts—
examples: ignore, exhausted, weary
• Tier 3: Low frequency words that are
used only in specific content areas—
examples: galaxy, eclipse, petal
What does it mean to
know a word?
• Stage 1: I’ve never seen it before.
• Stage 2: I’ve heard it, but I don’t
know what it means.
• Stage 3: I recognize it in context as
having something to do with
_________.
• Stage 4: I know it well.
Choosing Words for
Direct Instruction
• Look through McGraw Hill story or a
selected Read Aloud book
• Decide which ones are tier 2 words
– Choose 3-5 interesting words that are not too
difficult to explain to students
• Write each selected word on an index card
large enough for class to see.
• Write a student friendly definition on the
back of each card.
How you can define each
word for the students?
• Use language students can easily understand
• Start with a strong, focused concept of what the
word means.
• Don’t draw attention to multiple meanings of each
word until students understand the definition as
it is used in the reading.
• Ask yourself, “When do I use this word?” or
“In what particular situations or circumstances do I
use this word? And “Why do we have such a word?
Examples of Student
Friendly Definitions
• exhausted - feeling so tired you can
hardly move
• ignored – paid no attention (refer to
base word)
• weary – tired; needing rest
Day 1
• Read the text that contains the words to be learned.
• As you come to each of the words, pause and give your
student-friendly definition of the word.
• After reading, direct students’ attention to each word
written on the card.
• Say the word.
• Have students repeat the word.
• Then give the student friendly definition.
• Explain to the students that these are the words you want
them to learn this week.
• Post the cards on a pocket chart or Vocabulary word wall.
Day 2
(5-10 minutes)
• You may or may not reread the text containing
the words.
• Review the definitions.
• Provide students with examples of the words in
other contexts.
• Example:
– Ignore –
• The dog simply ignored Alan.
• During work time, the teacher may encourage you to ignore
the noise coming from the hall.
Day 3
(5-10 minutes)
• Briefly review the words and
definitions.
• Involve students in an engaging
activity.
Dramatization
• Ask children to act out the new words they
have been learning.
– For example, students can show you what they
would look like if they were cautious. How would
you look if you were exhausted?
– Variation: To review words that have been learned
over a longer period of time, such as the quarter
or semester, put words that can be acted out into
a hat and play charades.
Word Associations
• Ask children to associate one of the new words with
another word they know.
• Then ask students to tell why they think these words
go together.
• Which word goes with strong? (sturdy); Which word
goes with careful? (cautious); and Which word is the
opposite of weak? (sturdy).
• The words are not necessarily synonyms, but have a
particular relationship. Ask why each word is
associated with the other. This deepens the
students' understanding of the new words.
• Variation: Give several words that go together and
one that does not and ask children which word does
not belong.
Drawing/Writing
• Make a "Big Words I Can Use" book.
• For example:
– Give students a page with "I am cautious when..." at the top
of the page
– Another page with "____ should be sturdy" at the top of the
page.
– Ask children to draw pictures and write (using invented
spelling) to complete each sentence.
– They may also want to dictate to you words to complete each
sentence on their papers.
– Insert the two pages into a three-ring folder and continue
to add new pages for each new "big" word learned.
Applause, Applause!
Beck et al. (2002)
• Students are asked to clap in order to
indicate how much they would like (not at
all, a little bit, a lot) to be described by
the target words: frank, impish, vain,
stern.
• And, as always, why they would feel that
way.
What Do You Think?
• Ask students questions that require them to think
about each word's meaning in order to answer the
questions
– (e.g., Which of these things might make someone
furious? Running out of their favorite breakfast cereal?
Crossing a busy street? Finding a hole in their sock?)
• Present several examples and tell students to say
a word or specific sentence if the example called
out relates to the target word
– (e.g., If I say something that should be sturdy, you say
"That should be sturdy." An envelope, a ladder, a chair, a
cupcake, a scarf, a tablecloth, a house, a suitcase?)
Questions, Reasons and Examples
Beck et al. (2002)
• Ask students to think about the new words in other
contexts. For example:
• Where is a place that you might keep something that is
precious? Why?
•
Which of these things might be an emergency and why?
(Breaking a stick or breaking your arm?)
•
What is something you could do to make your teacher
cross?
•
Have you ever felt exhausted? Tell me about it.
Find Your Partner
• Each student is given a piece of paper with either
a vocabulary word or a student-friendly definition
on it.
• The students with coordinating vocabulary word
and student-friendly definition must find each
other.
• Once everyone has found their partner, mix up
the papers and repeat the process several times.
Four-Square Vocabulary Map
• Fold a sheet of paper into four sections.
• Label each section as follows:
–
–
–
–
Upper left box: Word: (Picture can be added)
Upper right box: What are some examples?
Lower left box: What is it?
Lower right box: What is it like?
Day 4
(5-10 minutes)
• Students participate in wrap-up
activities.
• Dramatization
• Find Your Partner
• Questions, Reasons and Examples
• Or any other engaging activity!
Day 5
5-10 minutes
• Assess students’ knowledge of these new
vocabulary words orally or in writing.
• Ways to assess
– Have students sit in circle and call on several children
one at a time to tell what the word means, use it in a
sentence, or act it out.
– Have students fold a paper into 3-5 parts and ask the
them to write a sentence with each word and draw a
picture to illustrate the meaning.
– Yes/No quiz—make up statements for each word that
can be answered with yes or no
• Does creeping mean to walk fast?
Failure to comprehend is
often due to a lack of
background knowledge
rather than interest, ability,
or literacy knowledge.
Teach Students to Learn
How to Learn Words!
• Make connections to known words
• Create visuals and mind movies
• Ask questions to clarify meaning of
the words as they are used in
context.
Resources
• http://www.springfield.k12.il.us/reso
urces/languagearts/instruction/?mod
=232
• Bringing Words to Life, Robust
Vocabulary Instruction,
By Isabel Beck, McKeown, and Kucan