The Traditional Approach is Ineffective and ... Boring
Is it really necessary to teach vocabulary? Many teachers, and students, shudder at hearing “vocabulary” and “lesson” in the same sentence, and this is primarily due to the way vocabulary has been traditionally taught in schools:
This approach could not be less inspiring to students, and to make matters worse, it is just not an effective way for any person to permanently remember the meaning of words. In 2000, the National Reading Panel identified 5 core components of any comprehensive reading program: phonics, comprehension, phonemic awareness, fluency, and vocabulary (2000). Vocabulary knowledge is key to comprehending text, and as students move ahead into higher grades, vocabulary becomes even more important due to the “academic vocabulary” used in secondary texts.
Many students with learning disabilities have difficulty learning the meanings of words through context clues - whether they are reading text or listening to text. Therefore, vocabulary should be taught explicitly, and it should be meaningful to students. Good instruction should connect the learner to content - this makes the learning purposeful and therefore increases the student's motivation to learn what is being presented. In essence, "good readers thrive on quality instruction, poor readers require it" (Stahl and Shiel, 1992, p. 239).
Vocabulary can be directly taught in five steps listed below.
Step 1: Select Words to Teach
This seems like an easy step, but with the vast amount of words in our language, being selective is important. We want to choose words our student will encounter in higher-level text, called "academic vocabulary words".
Words can be grouped into three categories, or tiers.
Tier 1 words are common words that we use often in communication. We generally do not need to teach these words.
Examples: hair, sun, happy, bag, shoes, old, love, book, sleep
Tier 2 words are considered "academic vocabulary" words. They are used main in text. Some can be used in conversations, and others, not as much. These are the words most teachers will want to teach to students because they will be necessary for comprehending text in secondary settings, and they are used more often than Tier 3 words in literature.
Some examples are:
Lower Elementary: unusual, participate, complete, introduce, dozen, timid, splendid, trust, selfish, proud, avoid, gasp, drowsy, opinion, effect, rare, free
Upper Elementary: dispute, critical, summit, specific, establish, cease, harsh, vast, obvious, valid, expand, restrict, impact, support, attempt, logical, feud
Middle School: eligible, prompt, dismal, taunt, rebel, perish, prohibit, mercy, strictly, justify, ethical, influence, reflect, persuade, reveal, perceive, acquire
*These lists are flexible, and overlap is normal.
Tier 3 words are primarily used in content areas, such as science, math, history.
Examples: hypotenuse, osmosis, igneous, germinate, photosynthesis, cells
Step 2: Introduce New Word
Introduce new word to the students.
>>> Teacher: Say QUEST. Student: QUEST
>>> Teacher (show the word to students): Spell QUEST.
Student: q-u-e-s-t (while looking at word).
>>> Teacher: What word did you spell? Student: QUEST
>>> Teacher: Write (or type) QUEST in your journal.
>>> Teacher: What word did you type? Student: QUEST
*Example(s) and non-example(s) of the word.
>>> Teacher: If you lost your favorite ring, you may go on a QUEST to find it. You would not go on a QUEST to find a fork in the lunchroom (non-example).
*Explanation of the word's meaning using simple, concise language (not from a dictionary).
>>> Teacher: QUEST is a long search.
>>> Teacher: What is QUEST? Student: a long search
*Synonym. Discuss possible synonyms or antonyms (concise, easy). These can be added to the vocabulary journal.
(Beach et al., 2015)
Step 3: Read Word in Context
Allow time for the student to read a few sentences containing the target word. Sentences should be short and easy to read, as decoding is not the focus.
Use pictures for examples and non-examples if possible.
Read: (The words will depend on decoding ability).
Sam is on a quest to find his lost toys.
The kid is on a quest to learn about fish
The actor is on a quest for fame!
Step 4: "Word Play" Activities
Student will engage in “word play” activities to promote learning the vocabulary words - these activities promote learning and helps the student develop a deeper understanding of the word's meaning (Beach et al., 2015). Have fun with these activities! There is so much we can do to foster a love for language in our students with these activities.
>>> Teacher: I'm going to say a short story or sentence. Say QUEST if you think the person will go on a QUEST or if they are on a QUEST.
>>> Teacher: The explorers were determined to find the lost jewels in the mountains. (QUEST!)
>>> Teacher: Mia is looking for the perfect fabric to make a dress. She has already been to 5 stores with no luck. (QUEST!)
>>> Teacher: Brad is going to the store to get milk. (NO)
(Beach et al., 2015)
Step 5: Sentence Writing
These activities will be determined by the level of your student(s).
**SYNONYM REPLACEMENT: Replace the synonym with the vocabulary word.
Theo went on a long journey to find the diamond ring.
**SENTENCE COMPLETION (can be with multiple choice):
Fran was curious about dinosaurs. She went on a quest ____
a) to learn more about them.
b) In her bedroom to find one.
**SENTENCE WRITING:
Students can write their own sentences using the new vocabulary word.
**Please visit my Instagram for a word matrix using quest and how it is the base for several words, including question.
*"Word Play" activities adapted from Beach, K. D., Sanchez, V., Flynn, L. J., & O’Connor, R. E. (2015). Teaching academic vocabulary to adolescents with learning disabilities. TEACHING Exceptional Children, 48(1), 36–44.
In Closing
I hope this article gave you some ideas for teaching academic vocabulary. There are many resources on "word play" activities you can use to keep your students engaged and excited about language. My students seem to especially enjoy discussing the etymology of words and making word matrices. My enthusiasm for the history of words and seeing how language works seems to motivate them to want to learn more!
Please follow me on Instagram or Facebook to continue learning with me. I love learning about the science of reading so I can help my students in the best way, and I will gladly pass on any of my new learnings with others.
Beach, K. D., Sanchez, V., Flynn, L. J., & O’Connor, R. E. (2015). Teaching academic vocabulary to adolescents with learning disabilities. TEACHING Exceptional Children, 48(1), 36–44.
National Reading Panel (2000). Teaching children to read: An evidence-based assessment of the scientific research literature in reading and its implications for reading instruction. Washington, DC: National Institute of Child Health & Human Development.
Stahl, S. A., & Shiel, T. G. (1992). Teaching meaning vocabulary: Productive approaches
for poor readers. Reading and Writing Quarterly: Overcoming Language Difficulties, 8,
223-241.
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