ACADEMIC VOCABULARY:

FROM DRAB TO FAB!

Presented by Mrs. Gilberte PascalHenry County Literacy Coach

NORMS FOR TODAY’S WORK

We will be active learners & listeners

We will be respectful

We will be positive

We will put our phones on silent or vibrate

We will refrain from sidebar conversations

OPENING…SETTING THE TONE

WHAT IS THE MAKE-OVER PLAN?Goals for Today’s Session

Teachers , you will Understand the purpose for

academic vocabulary work and how it ties to key governing instructional standards

Be able to see how Tier 1, 2, & 3 words differ and explain what

academic vocabulary words are Be supplied with an instructional

protocol for implementing academic vocabulary work during your daily instruction

CONNECTIONS SHIFTS & STANDARDS

Shift 3 of the Three Common Core Shifts› Regular practice with complex text & its academic

vocabulary ELACC__L6, K-2

› Focus: Use of words and phrases acquired through conversations, reading and being read to, and responding to texts

› Specifics: First: Conjunctions to signal simple relationships Second: Using adverbs & adjectives to describe

ELACC__L5, K-2› Focus: Word meanings and their nuances and

identifying real-life connections between words and their uses

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT…

Are you teaching vocabulary in your K-2 classes?

How are you providing academic vocabulary instruction?

Are students retaining and using the vocabulary terms that you are teaching them?

Building Background

WHAT DO I KNOW?

Task:You will listen to a series of statements. Raise your hands for statements that are true and keep your hands down for those that are false.

True or False Academic vocabulary terms or Tier 2 words are content specific

and text supported words that students are unfamiliar with. Due to their specialized nature, teachers explicitly teach them.

Using the practice of giving students words on Monday, writing the words multiple times on Tuesday, finding definitions on Wednesday, writing sentences on Thursday, & giving a test on Friday to acquire new vocabulary is an example of best practices.

Young students lack vocabulary knowledge, so it is ineffective to expose them to complex text with challenging vocabulary words.

Importance and utility, instructional potential, and conceptual understanding are 3 factors that can help denote a word as being a Tier 2 or academic vocabulary word.

A strong vocabulary supports readers in tackling increasingly more complex text.

Characteristics of the Word Tiers

Tier 1 Tier 2 Tier 3Characteristics Characteristics Characteristics

Examples Examples Examples

WHAT ARE TIERED WORDS?

Tier 1Basic Words that are

learned through conversation; used daily

Tier 2High use

academic words that are not

content specificTier 3Content

specific & not frequently

used

WORD SORT

Task:Given the set of words in the baggy and with a partner, sort the words under one of the 3 categories of tier levels. Record the words under the category where they best fit on page 5 in your booklet.

You will have 5 minutes

Word Sort ActivityTier 1

Common TermsTier 2

Academic VocabularyTier 3

Content Specific

Word Bank

Neurons Go Explain Prepare Big Play Loam AmphibianBoy Evaluate Zygote Schema Illustrate Display House

Word Sort ActivityTier 1

Common TermsTier 2

Academic VocabularyTier 3

Content Specific

GoBigPlayBoy

House

ExplainPrepareEvaluateIllustrateDisplay

NeuronsLoam

AmphibianZygoteSchema

Word Bank

Neurons Go Explain Prepare Big Play Loam AmphibianBoy Evaluate Zygote Schema Illustrate Display House

WHY IS ACADEMIC VOCABULARY IMPORTANT WORK?

They are high yielding words and are seen often in written material

They facilitate the comprehension of academic text

They are not easy to learn and require deliberate action from stakeholders

They are used to articulate simple things in precise ways

Unlike Tier 3 words, they are not scaffolded in text

Picking the Right Spot…

Sets You Up for Success!!

VOCABULARY CASSEROLE

Ingredients Needed:20 words no one has ever heard before in his life1 dictionary with very confusing definitions1 matching test to be distributed by Friday1 teacher who wants students to be quiet on Mondays copying words

Put 20 words on chalkboard. Have students copy then look up in dictionary. Make students write all the definitions. For a little spice, require that students write words in sentences. Leave alone all week. Top with a boring test on Friday.

Perishable. This casserole will be forgotten by Saturday afternoon.

Serves: No one.

Adapted from Kylene Beers’ book “When Kids Can’t Read, What Teachers Can Do”

WHERE CAN I GET ACADEMIC VOCABULARY WORDS?

Language-rich literary books that › Relate to grade level concepts› Relate to grade level content› Support grade level standards

CCGPS & GPS standards› Verbs and key nouns

Academic vocabulary word lists› Berkeley Unified School District

WHICH WORD SHOULD I PICK?

Task:Using your grade level standards, you will highlight words you think would be ideal as academic vocabulary words to teach to your students. Please use the highlighters that have been

provided in your bins.

You will have 4 minutes

HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU HAVE A TIER 2 WORD

OR NOT? Use this criteria for selecting words; a yes to all

three questions would indicate that you have a Tier 2 word› Is this a generally useful word?› Does this word connect to other words & ideas that are

being covered in the curriculum?› Is this a word that will aid students in comprehending

text and building conceptual understanding?

Let’s try this strategy with explain and now amoeba

LET’S TRY EVALUATING SOME POSSIBLE TIER 2

WORDS

Words to be Analyzed

Is it a generally useful word?

Does this word connect to other

words/ideas being covered in the curriculum?

Does this word build the

comprehension of text and build

the understanding of

concepts?

explain

amoeba

A yes to all three questions would indicate that you have a Tier 2 word.

Now you try this test with one of your highlighted words.

Is it a Tier 2 word? Why or why not?

Teaching Academic Vocabulary Terms

DID YOU KNOW?

Preschool or children’s books expose you to more challenging vocabulary than doprime-time adult TV shows.

Vocabulary can be learned through reading and talking.

Research shows a student in the 50th percentile in terms of ability to comprehendthe subject matter taught in school, with no direct vocabulary instruction, scoresin the 50th percentile ranking.

The same student, after specific content-area terms have been taught in a specificway, raises his/her comprehension ability to the 83rd percentile.

High School seniors near the top of their class know about 4 times as many wordsas their lower performing classmates.

The amount students read is strongly related to their vocabulary knowledge.

Taken from “Building Academic Vocabulary Beverly Public Schools K-5 Handbook”http://www.beverlyschools.org/district/files/Curriculum&Instruction/Building%20Academic%20Vocabulary%20handbook.pdf

THE AIM FOR THIS WORK

The following exchange occurred in a first-grade classroom in February:

Jason: Is this going to be an ordinary day?Ms. H: What would make it ordinary?Jason: If we did the same old thing.Ms. H: What might make it not ordinary, make it exceptional?Jason: If you gave us prizes for being good – I mean exceptional and mature.

Beck, McKeown, & Kucan (p.47, 2002)

TEXT TALK STRATEGY FOR WORKING WITH ACADEMIC

VOCABULARY IN GRADES K-2

1. Read a language-rich story2. Contextualize the word within the story3. Have learners say the word4. Provide a student-friendly explanation of the word5. Present examples of the word used in contexts

different from the story context6. Engage children in activities that get them to interact

with all of the words they have learned7. Have children say the word8. Close with a combined review of all of the developed

words

AN EXAMPLE OF TEACHING VOCABULARY

USING TEXT

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHE78WSBpP8

PICKING THE RIGHT BOOK – HOW CAN WE DO IT?

Select› Language-rich texts

Look For› Words that would be unfamiliar, understandable, and

useful (The U³ Rule)

But Be Sure Not to› Use the books that young learners are using to learn to

read to teach new vocabulary Due To The Fact That

› Learners can understand more advanced text when it is presented orally,

Don’t Disregard› Simple texts

Step

1

Let’s Do This!!!

Look in the baggy of books on your table and select a book that you feel has rich language

Pascal’s Choice:I have selected “Fantastic Mr. Fox”

Your Choice: What is your pick? What words caught your eye?

LET’S GIVE THE U³ RULE A TRY

Task: Using the book you have selected, read a few pages and select 1-2 words that you could use as academic vocabulary terms. Check and see if they meet the requirements of The U³ Rule. If they do, record one of those words onto an index card found in your basket.

Selected Words

Is the word unfamiliar to

young learners?

Is the concept of this word

easy to understand?

Can it be used in normal

conversations?

A yes to all three questions would indicate that you have a Tier 2 word

HOW CAN WE BUILD CONTEXT WITHIN A TEXT?

Connect the word directly to how it was used in the story

It creates a point of entry for understanding what the word means

Step

2

Let’s Do This!!!

Provide students with a sentence featuring the word in the way it was used in the text

Pascal’s Way: enormouslyBoggis was described as being

enormously fat because he at 3 whole chickens for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Your Way:Put one of the words you selected in

the context that it appeared in in the text

WHY HAVE CHILDREN SAY NEW ACADEMIC VOCABULARY

WORDS?

Allows students to become familiar with the sounds in the word› Creates the potential for phonemic

awareness work

Forms the foundation for› remembering the term› making connections to roots and their

inflection forms

Steps

3,7

Let’s Do This!!!

Think of a way to get students to review the word…consider how the teacher did this in the video

Pascal’s Way:Enormously is the word we will be

focusing on. What’s the word again?

Your Way:Craft a way to get your students to say the academic vocabulary word you have selected

WHAT IS A STUDENT-FRIENDLY EXPLANATION OF A WORD?

Explains in simple terms by› Characterizing › Explaining in everyday language

Add an example to clarify the meaning› Consider things that children engage in, › enjoy doing, or › are interested in.

Step

4

Let’s Do This!!!

Consider these points in developing your definition;

› When would you use this word?› Why do we use this word?› What comes to mind when you use this word?

Pascal’s Way:Enormously is used to describe something

that is really big.

Your Way:Come up with a definition that captures

the essence of the word

HOW CAN WE DEEPEN ACADEMIC VOCABULARY KNOWLEDGE?

Change the context of the word

Children typically limit word use to the initial context

Use different examples Step

5

AN EXAMPLE

Child 1: I would be reluctant to leave my teddy bear in the laundromat.Teacher: Well, that’s just like what Lisa did in the story. Try to think about something you might be reluctant to do that is not like Lisa.Child 2: I would be reluctant to leave my teddy bear in the supermarket.Teacher: Okay, that’s a little different than what Lisa was reluctant to do, but try to think of something that you would be reluctant to do that is very different that what Lisa was reluctant to do.Child 3: I would be reluctant to leave my drums at my friend’s house.Teacher: That’s pretty different from what Lisa was reluctant to do, but can we think of something that you would be reluctant to do that isn’t about leaving something somewhere.Child 3: I would be reluctant to change a baby’s diaper!

Beck, McKeown, & Kucan (p.52, 2002)

Let’s Do This!!!

Provide learners with other contextual possibilities for using the word that differs from the book

Pascal’s Way:I saw an enormously large dinosaur at the museum yesterday. My daughter fell and got an enormously big bump on her head.

Your Way:Create a new context for your word that is not like the one presented in the book

INTERACTION WITH ACADEMIC VOCABULARY WORDS…

Facilitates opportunities for learners to engage repeatedly & deeply with terms

Fosters giving responses and explaining examples

Step

6

ACTIVITIES – STRATEGY #1Q.R.E

Questions, Reasons, & Examples

Students are asked to provide explanations about events centered around questions or

examples.

The PurposeStudents are asked to defend their

thoughts & ideas based on their understanding of the word.

Q.R.E EXAMPLES If you are walking around in a dark room, you need to

do it cautiously. Why? What are some other things that need to be done cautiously?

What is something you could do to impress your teacher? Why? What is something you could do that might impress your mother?

Which of these things might be extraordinary? Why or why not?› A shirt that was comfortable, or a shirt that washed itself?› A flower that kept blooming all year, ore a flower that

bloomed for 3 days?› A person who has a library card, or a person who has read

all the books in the library?

Beck, McKeown, & Kucan (p.56, 2002)

Let’s Do This!!!Pose learners with a question that forces them to provide a reason or explanation of their thinking

Pascal’s Way:What is something you might describe

using enormously? Why? What are some other things that you might describe using enormously?

Your Way: Create a question that will elicit reflection

about using the selected academic vocabulary word

ACTIVITIES – STRATEGY # 2DECISIONS, DECISIONS!

Making ChoicesSimilar to doing a “Thumbs Up, Thumbs

Down” activity, but students express themselves by stating a word or phrase if the accompanying statement is true. They can say an alternative term or nothing if there is

not another word.

The PurposeStudents have to make choices based on their

understanding of the term.

DECISIONS, DECISIONS - EXAMPLE

If any of the things I say might be an example of people clutching something say “Clutching.” If not, don’t say anything.› Holding on tightly to a purse› Softly petting a cat’s fur› Blowing bubbles and trying to catch them

If any of the things I say would make someone look radiant, say “You’d be radiant.” If not, don’t say anything.› Winning a million dollars› Walking to the post office› Getting a hug from a favorite movie star

I’ll say some things, if they sound leisurely, say “Leisurely.” If you’d need to be in a hurry, say “Hurry.”› Runners in a race› Sitting and talking with friends› A dog lying in the sun

Beck, McKeown, & Kucan (p.56-7, 2002)

Let’s Do This!!!

Present learners with situations where they have to make a decision as it pertains to a given word

Pascal’s Way: If any of these things can be described as

being enormously big, say “enormously.”› A hole in the ground that can hold a car.› A germ › The Statue of Liberty

Your Way:Develop a prompt that forces learners to

make a decision

CLOSING THE VOCABULARY SESSION WITH DEEP REVIEW

The closing should feature a review of all of the words covered during this block of time

Start this segment by stating, “We have talked about 3 words, ______, ______, and _____. Let’s think about them some more.”

Beck, McKeown, & Kucan (p.57, 2002)

Step

8

Let’s Do This!!!

Select another word that you would cover when reading this book with your students…for the sake of time we will pretend that you have already done steps 1-7 with all of the chosen words

Pascal’s Way:“We have talked about 2 words, nasty

and enormously. Let’s think about them some more.”

Your Way:Now you do it for your words

CLOSING – ACTIVITY #1BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS

Relating WordsConsider how you might connect the words based on how the word can be expressed, physical actions, synonymous meanings, etc.

The PurposeAid students in making connections and thinking deeply about how words might

relate to each other.

BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS EXAMPLE

In the case of reluctant, insisted, and drowsy, we noticed that each word might

be expressed through facial expressions, so that is what was done.

Beck, McKeown, & Kucan (p.57, 2002)

SENTENCES

Combine all the words into one sentence. Include a question to encourage students to think and explain their thoughts and ideas.

Example“Would you prefer to budge a sleeping

lamb or a ferocious lion? Why?”

Beck, McKeown, & Kucan (p.58, 2002)

CHOICES

Students are asked to choose between this or that based on a given scenario

Example“If you get your clothes ready to wear to school before you go to sleep, would that be sensible or raucous?

If you and your friends were watching a funny TV show together and began to laugh a lot, would you sound pounce or raucous?”

Beck, McKeown, & Kucan (p.58, 2002)

Let’s Do This!!!

Pick one of the “Building Relationships” strategies: relating words, sentences, or choices

Pascal’s Way:Would you rather play with a nasty dog or an enormously huge cat? Why?

Your Way:Select a strategy that leads learners to see how the words are related

CLOSING – STRATEGY #2ALL FOR ONE

One Context for All the WordsWhen not all the words relate or connect in a manner that makes sense, you can create a common context for all the words by using a common context, action, event or object.

The PurposeTo aid learners to see how terms can relate

to one another.

ALL FOR ONE EXAMPLE

What would an immense plate of spaghetti look like?

Why might you feel miserable after eating all that spaghetti?

What would it look like to eat spaghetti in a leisurely way?

Beck, McKeown, & Kucan (p.58, 2002)

Let’s Do This!!!Present all the featured words in a common context that provides them with reflective questions

Pascal’s Way: How might a nasty child act at a park? What are some enormously big things you might

see at a park?

Your Way:Write a series of questions that share a common context featuring your selected academic vocabulary words

CLOSING – STRATEGY #3FOLLOW THE PATTERN

Same FormatStructure sentences by using a common frame for questioning students about all

the developed words.

The PurposePredictable frames aid learners to

structure their thinking and expression

FOLLOW THE PATTERN EXAMPLE

If you satisfy your curiosity, do you need to find out more or have you found out all that you need? Why?

If a dog was acting menacing, would you want to pet it or move away? Why?

If you wanted to see something exquisite, would you go to a museum or a grocery store? Why?

Is imagine more like dreaming or sneezing? Why? Is snarl something a fish might do or a lion might

do? Why? Is grumpy a way you might feel or a way you might

move? Why? Beck, McKeown, & Kucan (p.58-9, 2002)

Let’s Do This!!!Craft a series of sentences that follow a common pattern to aid students in thinking deeply about the words

Pascal’s Way: Is nasty a way to describe Santa or The

Grinch? Why? Is enormously a way to describe the size of an

ant or an elephant? Why?

Your Way:Develop sentences that follow the same pattern to deepen the understanding of the focus words

CLOSING – STRATEGY #4KID MADE EXAMPLES

Children Create ExamplesStudents are prompted to show their thinking of how a word fits in a given context

The PurposeTo foster student thinking and reflection

KID MADE EXAMPLES

If there was an emergency at an amusement park, what might have happened?

If you had a friend who watched TV all the time, how might you coax him into getting some exercise?

Beck, McKeown, & Kucan (p.59, 2002)

Let’s Do This!!!Craft a question that prompts students to think about the word in a given scenario

Pascal’s Way:If a nasty person ended up with an

enormously large bandage on his or her head, what do you think may have happened to them?

Your Way:Create a question that would help

students think and create their own example of the words in action

BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER

Task:Given what you have learned about explicitly teaching young students academic vocabulary words, complete the instructional template for a possible lesson that you might use to teach your class.

You will have 10 minutes to do this

Planning To Do List

1. Pick a story2. Contextualize the word 3. Create a student-friendly

explanation of the word4. Present examples of the

word used in contexts different from the story context

5. Engage children in activities that get them to interact with all of the words they have learned

6. Close with combined review of all of the developed words

WRAPPING IT UP & KEEPING A RING ON IT!!

THE WORK DOESN’T END HERE!!

Words have to be revisited often for them to be retained, so consider› Reinforcing connections between words and

meanings› Expanding students’ collection of related

words› Presenting real world application of words› Involving learners in talking about words

TIER 2 WORD MAINTENANCE OVER TIME

Consider these possibilities Post words on a word wall Tally word usage over time Connect old words to the context of new

words Use words as part of your daily message Create a class/personal dictionary Encourage word usage when writing Continuous practice of words through oral

sentence creation

VOCABULARY TREATIngredients Needed:3-5 great books5-10 great words that you really could use A heavy sprinkle of great open-ended questions1 word wall5 morning messages1 teacher who thinks learning is supposed to be fun & engaging1 huge dollop of celebration

Place 3-5 great books at the center of your instruction. Mix 5 to 10 words into the classroom. Have students test each word for flavor by tossing in a heavy sprinkle of open-ended questions. Talk & think about the words on your word wall whenever possible. Use the words in your morning message and encourage their use when children write. Stir all week by a teacher who thinks learning is vocabulary is supposed to be fun. Top with cool celebrations when youngsters remember and use vocabulary words.

Serves: Many

True or False Academic vocabulary terms or Tier 2 words are content specific

and text supported words that students are unfamiliar with. Due to their specialized nature, teachers explicitly teach them.

Using the practice of giving students words on Monday, writing the words multiple times on Tuesday, finding definitions on Wednesday, writing sentences on Thursday, & giving a test on Friday to acquire new vocabulary is an example of best practices.

Young students lack vocabulary knowledge, so it is ineffective to expose them to complex text with challenging vocabulary words.

Importance and utility, instructional potential, and conceptual understanding are 3 factors that can help denote a word as being a Tier 2 or academic vocabulary word.

A strong vocabulary supports readers in tackling increasingly more complex text.

Tier 2 words and academic vocabulary are synonymous terms

PRIMARY INFORMATION SOURCE

Beck, I.L., McKeown, M. G., & Kucan, L.

(2002). Bringing Words To Life: Robust Vocabulary Instruction. New York:

The Guilford Press

ONLINE RESOURCES FOR ACADEMIC VOCABULARY LISTS

› Jim Burke Resource http://www.englishcompanion.com/pdfDocs/acvocabulary2.pdf

› Features academic vocabulary words and other words related to them http://www.uefap.com/vocab/select/awl.htm

› Berkeley Unified School Districthttp://www.berkeleyschools.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/BUSD_Academic_Vocabulary.pdf

› 21 Links to Vocabulary Computer Resourceshttp://www.learningunlimitedllc.com/2013/02/20-digital-tools-for-vocabulary/

ONLINE RESOURCES FOR ACADEMIC VOCABULARY WORK

WITH K-2 LEARNERS Text Talk: Capturing the Benefits of Read-Aloud Experiences for Young

Childrenhttp://teacher.scholastic.com/products/texttalk/pdfs/Capturing_the_benefits.pdf

Building Vocabulary for 1st Grade Studentshttp://www.sfps.info/documentcenter/view/6990

Text Talk Lessons Created by Utah Reading First Educatorshttp://sjsd.schoolwires.net/cms/lib3/MO01001773/Centricity/Domain/872/TextTalkLessons.pdf

Expanding Vocabulary Development in Young Studentshttp://www.slideserve.com/indiya/expanding-vocabulary-development-in-young-children