Constructivist Approaches to Word Study – Phonics and Vocabulary Timothy Rasinski, Ph.D. Kent...

Constructivist Approaches to Constructivist Approaches to Word Study – Phonics and Word Study – Phonics and

VocabularyVocabulary

Timothy Rasinski, Ph.D.Timothy Rasinski, Ph.D.

Kent State UniversityKent State University

trasinsk@kent.edu

www.timrasinski.comwww.timrasinski.com

Let’s Start with a SongLet’s Start with a Song(and a metaphor)(and a metaphor)

by David Mallettby David Mallett

Inch by inch, row by rowInch by inch, row by row

Gonna make this garden growGonna make this garden grow

Gonna mulch it deep and lowGonna mulch it deep and low

Gonna make it fertile groundGonna make it fertile ground

Inch by inch, row by rowInch by inch, row by row

Please bless these seeds I sowPlease bless these seeds I sow

Please keep them safe belowPlease keep them safe below

‘‘Till the rain comes tumbling downTill the rain comes tumbling down

Plant your rows straight and longPlant your rows straight and long

Season with a prayer and songSeason with a prayer and song

Mother Earth will make you strongMother Earth will make you strong

If you give her loving care.If you give her loving care.

Old crow watching from a treeOld crow watching from a tree

He’s got his hungry eye on me.He’s got his hungry eye on me.

In my garden I’m as freeIn my garden I’m as free

As that feathered thief up there.As that feathered thief up there.

Inch by inch, row by rowInch by inch, row by row

Gonna make this garden growGonna make this garden grow

Gonna mulch it deep and lowGonna mulch it deep and low

Gonna make it fertile groundGonna make it fertile ground

Inch by inch, row by rowInch by inch, row by row

Please bless these seeds I sowPlease bless these seeds I sow

Please keep them safe belowPlease keep them safe below

‘‘Till the rain comes tumbling downTill the rain comes tumbling down

Anti-Garden SongAnti-Garden Song

Slug by slug, weed by weedSlug by slug, weed by weedBoy this garden's got me teedBoy this garden's got me teedAll the insects come to feedAll the insects come to feedOn my tomato plantsOn my tomato plantsSunburned face, skinned up kneesSunburned face, skinned up kneesThe kitchen's choked with zucchinisThe kitchen's choked with zucchinisI'm shopping at the A&P'sI'm shopping at the A&P'sNext time I get the chanceNext time I get the chance

A Model of Reading InstructionA Model of Reading InstructionWord StudyWord Study

Accuracy in:Accuracy in:

Phonics (Word Decoding)Phonics (Word Decoding)

SpellingSpelling

Vocabulary Vocabulary 

  Fluency InstructionFluency InstructionAutomaticity in Word RecognitionAutomaticity in Word Recognition

Prosody (Expressiveness in Prosody (Expressiveness in Reading)Reading)

Surface levelSurface level

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------    

Deep levelDeep level

ComprehensionComprehensionComprehension StrategiesComprehension Strategies

A Model of Reading InstructionA Model of Reading InstructionWord StudyWord Study

Accuracy in:Accuracy in:

Phonics (Word Decoding)Phonics (Word Decoding)

SpellingSpelling

VocabularyVocabulary  

  Fluency InstructionFluency Instruction

Automaticity in Word RecognitionAutomaticity in Word Recognition

Prosody (Expressiveness in Prosody (Expressiveness in Reading)Reading)

Surface levelSurface level

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------    

Deep levelDeep level

ComprehensionComprehensionComprehension StrategiesComprehension Strategies

A Model of Reading InstructionA Model of Reading InstructionWord StudyWord Study

Accuracy in:Accuracy in:

Phonics (Word Decoding)Phonics (Word Decoding)

SpellingSpelling

VocabularyVocabulary  

  Fluency InstructionFluency Instruction

Automaticity in Word RecognitionAutomaticity in Word Recognition

Prosody (Expressiveness in Prosody (Expressiveness in Reading)Reading)

Surface levelSurface level

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Deep levelDeep level

ComprehensionComprehension

Comprehension StrategiesComprehension Strategies

A Model of Reading InstructionA Model of Reading Instruction

Word StudyWord StudyAccuracy in:Accuracy in:

Phonics (Word Decoding)Phonics (Word Decoding)

SpellingSpelling

Vocabulary Vocabulary 

41% of Students who do poorly on 41% of Students who do poorly on state mandated tests of silent state mandated tests of silent reading comprehension exhibit reading comprehension exhibit significant difficulty in Word significant difficulty in Word RecognitionRecognition

Valencia and BulyValencia and Buly

Word StudyWord Study--Word Awareness (noticing Word Awareness (noticing

words)words)

-High Frequency Words-High Frequency Words

-Word Games/ Word Building-Word Games/ Word Building

Making and Writing WordsMaking and Writing Words

Word LaddersWord Ladders

-Roots Approach to Vocabulary – -Roots Approach to Vocabulary –

Latin and GreekLatin and Greek

-Figurative Language-Figurative Language

--

Some Facts About Word Some Facts About Word KnowledgeKnowledge

Vocabulary knowledge is strongly and Vocabulary knowledge is strongly and consistently associated with reading consistently associated with reading comprehension and overall reading comprehension and overall reading proficiency.proficiency.

..

Some Facts About Word Some Facts About Word KnowledgeKnowledge

The English lexicon is large and The English lexicon is large and continues to grow remarkably every continues to grow remarkably every year.year.

Some Facts About Word Some Facts About Word KnowledgeKnowledge

Students need to learn a lot of words Students need to learn a lot of words every year – over 1,000.every year – over 1,000.

Some Facts About Word Some Facts About Word KnowledgeKnowledge

Students’ growth in vocabulary has Students’ growth in vocabulary has been stagnant at best over the past been stagnant at best over the past 20 years.20 years.

So what’s the So what’s the BESTBEST way to way to teach vocabulary?teach vocabulary?

Sylvester Duncan lived with his mother Sylvester Duncan lived with his mother and father on Acorn Road in and father on Acorn Road in Oatsdale. One of his hobbies was Oatsdale. One of his hobbies was collecting pebbles of unusual shape collecting pebbles of unusual shape and color.and color.

On a rainy Saturday during vacation he On a rainy Saturday during vacation he found a quite extraordinary one. It found a quite extraordinary one. It was flaming red, shiny, and perfectly was flaming red, shiny, and perfectly round. As he was studying this round. As he was studying this remarkable pebble, he began to remarkable pebble, he began to shiver, probably from the shiver, probably from the excitement, and the rain felt cold on excitement, and the rain felt cold on his back. “I wish it would stop his back. “I wish it would stop raining,” he said. raining,” he said.

To his great surprise the rain stopped. To his great surprise the rain stopped. It didn’t stop gradually as rains It didn’t stop gradually as rains usually do. It CEASED! The drops usually do. It CEASED! The drops vanished on the way down, vanished on the way down, everything was dry, and the sun was everything was dry, and the sun was shining as if the rain had never shining as if the rain had never existed…existed…

Sylvester Duncan lived with his mother Sylvester Duncan lived with his mother and father on Acorn Road in and father on Acorn Road in Oatsdale. One of his hobbies was Oatsdale. One of his hobbies was collecting collecting pebblespebbles of of unusualunusual shape shape and color.and color.

On a rainy Saturday during vacation he On a rainy Saturday during vacation he found a quite found a quite extraordinaryextraordinary one. It one. It was flaming red, shiny, and perfectly was flaming red, shiny, and perfectly round. As he was studying this round. As he was studying this remarkableremarkable pebble, he began to pebble, he began to shiver, probably from the shiver, probably from the excitement, and the rain felt cold on excitement, and the rain felt cold on his back. “I wish it would stop his back. “I wish it would stop raining,” he said. raining,” he said.

To his great surprise the rain stopped. To his great surprise the rain stopped. It didn’t stop It didn’t stop graduallygradually as rains as rains usually do. It usually do. It CEASEDCEASED! The drops ! The drops vanishedvanished on the way down, on the way down, everything was dry, and the sun was everything was dry, and the sun was shining as if the rain had never shining as if the rain had never existedexisted……

Our Word WallOur Word Wallpebblespebbles

graduallygradually

ceasedceased

vanishedvanished

existedexisted

extraordinaryextraordinary

remarkableremarkable

unusualunusual

Instant (High Freq) WordsInstant (High Freq) Words

thanthan

firstfirst

waterwater

beenbeen

calledcalled

Instant (High Freq) WordsInstant (High Freq) Words

1-100: 1-100: 50% of all words encountered50% of all words encountered

when readingwhen reading

1-300: 1-300: 66% of all words encountered66% of all words encountered

1-600: 1-600: 70-75% of all words 70-75% of all words encounteredencountered

Word Games/ Word BuildingWord Games/ Word Building

Word Games/Word BuildingWord Games/Word Building

SeptemberSeptember

Make as many words as you can out of Make as many words as you can out of the letters in the letters in SeptemberSeptember

Word BuildingWord Building

SeptemberSeptember

Make as many words as you can out of the Make as many words as you can out of the letters in letters in SeptemberSeptember

setset seesee seemseem beebee

beerbeer petpet pestpest stemstem

stepstep steepsteep restrest steersteer

Word BuildingWord Building

Wordsmith.org/anagram/Wordsmith.org/anagram/

Click on Click on Advanced SettingAdvanced Setting

Click Click YESYES to “Show Candidate Word to “Show Candidate Word List Only”List Only”

Type in Word to be Anagrammed:Type in Word to be Anagrammed:

IndependenceIndependence

59 Candidate Words Appear59 Candidate Words Appear

RESULTSRESULTS

““Relative to children assigned to a Relative to children assigned to a randomly assigned control group, randomly assigned control group, children assigned to the (word ladder) children assigned to the (word ladder) intervention … demonstrated intervention … demonstrated significantly greater improvement in significantly greater improvement in standardized tests of standardized tests of phonological phonological awareness, word decoding, and awareness, word decoding, and comprehension.”comprehension.”

WorkWork

WorkWorkPorkPork

WorkWorkPorkPork

ParkPark

WorkWorkPorkPork

ParkPark

ParPar

WorkWorkPorkPork

ParkPark

ParPar

PanPan

WorkWorkPorkPork

ParkPark

ParPar

PanPan

PinPin

WorkWorkPorkPork

ParkPark

ParPar

PanPan

PinPin

SinSin

WorkWorkPorkPork

ParkPark

ParPar

PanPan

PinPin

SinSin

SipSip

WorkWorkPorkPork

ParkPark

ParPar

PanPan

PinPin

SinSin

SipSip

SlipSlip

WorkWorkPorkPork

ParkPark

ParPar

PanPan

PinPin

SinSin

SipSip

SlipSlip

SlapSlap

WorkWorkPorkPork

ParkPark

ParPar

PanPan

PinPin

SinSin

SipSip

SlipSlip

SlapSlap

SlamSlam

WorkWorkPorkPork

ParkPark

ParPar

PanPan

PinPin

SinSin

SipSip

SlipSlip

SlapSlap

SlamSlam

ClamClam

WorkWorkPorkPork

ParkPark

ParPar

PanPan

PinPin

SinSin

SipSip

SlipSlip

SlapSlap

SlamSlam

ClamClam

ClamorClamor

WorkWorkPorkPork

ParkPark

ParPar

PanPan

PinPin

SinSin

SipSip

SlipSlip

SlapSlap

SlamSlam

ClamClam

ClamorClamor

LaborLabor

Vocabulary…..Vocabulary…..

It’s all Greek to me!It’s all Greek to me!

Vocabulary…..Vocabulary…..

It should be It should be Greek (and Latin) Greek (and Latin) to our to our students!students!

WorkWorkPorkPork

ParkPark

PanPan

PinPin

SinSin LaborLaboratoryatory

SipSip

SlipSlip

SlapSlap

SlamSlam

ClamClam

ClamorClamor

LaborLabor

WorkWorkPorkPork

ParkPark

PanPan

PinPin

SinSin LaborLaboratoryatory

SipSip

Slip Slip ColCollaborlaborateate

SlapSlap

SlamSlam

ClamClam

ClamorClamor

LaborLabor

WorkWorkPorkPork

ParkPark

PanPan

PinPin

SinSin LaborLaboratoryatory

SipSip

Slip Slip ColCollaborlaborateate

SlapSlap

SlamSlam

Clam Clam EElaborlaborateate

ClamorClamor

LaborLabor

““The next ‘quantum’ leap in The next ‘quantum’ leap in vocabulary teaching and learning will vocabulary teaching and learning will come when we make a systematic come when we make a systematic effort to integrate effort to integrate Latin and Greek Latin and Greek roots into our vocabulary and word roots into our vocabulary and word study curricula – beginning in the study curricula – beginning in the primaryprimary grades and moving through grades and moving through the secondary years.”the secondary years.”

Can Vocabulary be Can Vocabulary be Taught Artfully?Taught Artfully?

PENDPEND

Weigh / Hang / AttachWeigh / Hang / Attach

Earth Day Earth Day – April 22nd– April 22nd

Terr/TerraTerr/Terra

terraceterrace

terrainterrain

territoryterritory

terra cottaterra cotta

terrazzo terrazzo

subterraneansubterranean

ETET

MediterraneanMediterranean

NoticingNoticing

A Latin-Greek Word Wall!A Latin-Greek Word Wall!

Mike Rasinski’s VocabMike Rasinski’s Vocab

belbellicoselicose

belbelligerentligerent

anteantebelbellumlum

rerebelbel

rerebelbellionlion

rerebelbelliouslious

First Graders and Roots!First Graders and Roots!

 I attribute our success with the new standards (which mirror the Common Core) to our preparation with Greek and Latin word parts! Each grade level on the State test had questions regarding word parts (roots and affixes).

Nancy GuthNancy Guth

Supervisor of ELASupervisor of ELA

Stafford County, Virginia.Stafford County, Virginia.

Figurative Language - IdiomsFigurative Language - Idioms

Idioms can be organized by themes:Idioms can be organized by themes:

SeeSee: : Idiomconnection.comIdiomconnection.com

Figurative Language - IdiomsFigurative Language - Idioms

What Baseball-related Idiomatic What Baseball-related Idiomatic expressions can you think of?expressions can you think of?

Three strikes and you’re outThree strikes and you’re out

Who’s on deck?Who’s on deck?

Keep your eye on the ballKeep your eye on the ball

Ballpark figureBallpark figure

Anyone ever throw you a curve?Anyone ever throw you a curve?

Anyone every play hardball with you?Anyone every play hardball with you?

He’s out there in left field!He’s out there in left field!

Seventh inning stretchSeventh inning stretch

Rounding third and heading homeRounding third and heading home

Word StudyWord Study--Word Awareness (noticing Word Awareness (noticing

words)words)

-High Frequency Words-High Frequency Words

-Word Games/ Word Building-Word Games/ Word Building

Making and Writing WordsMaking and Writing Words

Word LaddersWord Ladders

-Roots Approach to Vocabulary – -Roots Approach to Vocabulary –

Latin and GreekLatin and Greek

-Figurative Language-Figurative Language

--

A Model of Reading InstructionA Model of Reading InstructionWord StudyWord Study

Accuracy in:Accuracy in:

Phonics (Word Decoding)Phonics (Word Decoding)

SpellingSpelling

VocabularyVocabulary  

  Fluency InstructionFluency Instruction

Automaticity in Word RecognitionAutomaticity in Word Recognition

Prosody (Expressiveness in Prosody (Expressiveness in Reading)Reading)

Surface levelSurface level

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Deep levelDeep level

ComprehensionComprehension

Comprehension StrategiesComprehension Strategies

A Poem About WordsA Poem About Words

A word is deadA word is dead

When it is said,When it is said,

Some say.Some say.

I say it justI say it just

Begins to liveBegins to live

That day.That day. ----Emily DickinsonEmily Dickinson

And, of course, a song…And, of course, a song…

You're just too marvelous, too marvelous for wordsYou're just too marvelous, too marvelous for wordsLike "glorious", "glamorous" and that old standby Like "glorious", "glamorous" and that old standby "amorous"."amorous".

It's all too wonderful, I'll never find the wordsIt's all too wonderful, I'll never find the wordsThat say enough, tell enough, I mean they just That say enough, tell enough, I mean they just aren't swell enough.aren't swell enough.

You're much too much, and just too "very, You're much too much, and just too "very, very” to ever be in Webster's Dictionary.very” to ever be in Webster's Dictionary.

And so I'm borrowing a love song from the And so I'm borrowing a love song from the birds to tell you that you're marvelous - birds to tell you that you're marvelous - too marvelous for words.too marvelous for words.

--Johnny Mercer--Johnny Mercer