Bridging the Gap: Bridging the Gap: Vocabulary Instruction Vocabulary Instruction

to Acquisitionto Acquisition

Barb RupertBarb Rupert

Franklin Pierce SchoolsFranklin Pierce Schools

barb_rupert@fp.k12.wa.usbarb_rupert@fp.k12.wa.us

Hey that’s me!Hey that’s me! I love my job!I love my job! I used to love my job, but now I’m really tired.I used to love my job, but now I’m really tired. I work primarily at the elementary level.I work primarily at the elementary level. I work primarily in post-secondary.I work primarily in post-secondary. I work with middle school or Jr. High aged kids.I work with middle school or Jr. High aged kids. I work with high school students.I work with high school students. I mostly work with adults.I mostly work with adults. I deserve a raise!I deserve a raise! I’ve read a great book recently.I’ve read a great book recently.

Hey that’s me!Hey that’s me!

I have children at home.I have children at home. I have an “empty nest.”I have an “empty nest.” My children at school are enough!My children at school are enough! I love to travel.I love to travel. I am invigorated by teaching.I am invigorated by teaching. I am constantly challenged by my job.I am constantly challenged by my job. I think I found my calling.I think I found my calling. I need a vacation!I need a vacation!

Teaching is more Teaching is more challenging than ever challenging than ever

Changes in classroom dynamicsChanges in classroom dynamics Challenge to meet the needs of Challenge to meet the needs of

diverse learnersdiverse learners Accountability for learning for all Accountability for learning for all Focus on learning (acquisition) vs. Focus on learning (acquisition) vs.

teachingteaching

Why vocabulary?Why vocabulary?

Single most important tool for Single most important tool for communicationcommunication

Empowers the language studentEmpowers the language student Helps to develop cerebral flexibilityHelps to develop cerebral flexibility Goal is automaticity for greater ease Goal is automaticity for greater ease

in communicationin communication

Learning wires the brainLearning wires the brain

Bridging the gapBridging the gapbetween instruction and between instruction and

acquisitionacquisition Vocabulary Vocabulary

presentationpresentation PracticePractice AssessmentAssessment

Vocabulary presentationVocabulary presentation ‘‘Chunk’ the information (7-12 words at a Chunk’ the information (7-12 words at a

time)time) Present in multiple learning modesPresent in multiple learning modes Involve questions: The brain is more Involve questions: The brain is more

receptive to questions about new knowledge receptive to questions about new knowledge than it is to answers (Jensen)than it is to answers (Jensen)

Create ContextCreate Context– Associate directly with meaningAssociate directly with meaning– Avoid translationAvoid translation– Use visuals and examplesUse visuals and examples

Create contexts (families, airplane, paper dolls, props)Create contexts (families, airplane, paper dolls, props) Scavenger HuntScavenger Hunt Labeling ActivitiesLabeling Activities

Scavenger HuntScavenger Hunt First time they get the written words for parts First time they get the written words for parts

around the schoolaround the school Be clear about expectations.Be clear about expectations. Work in teams with a deadline (it’s a ‘race’).Work in teams with a deadline (it’s a ‘race’). Give the labels to people ahead to put up in the Give the labels to people ahead to put up in the

morning (Email reminders are good!)morning (Email reminders are good!) Each team has a differently ordered list and a Each team has a differently ordered list and a

blank map to label.blank map to label. Examples of clues: Examples of clues:

– The secretaries answer the phone here. The secretaries answer the phone here. – This is where sick students rest.This is where sick students rest.– Students eat lunch here.Students eat lunch here.– We play football here.We play football here.– The librarian helps the students in this place.The librarian helps the students in this place.– Students do science experiments in this room.Students do science experiments in this room.

Connect to prior learningConnect to prior learning

Knowledge RatingKnowledge Rating List-Group-LabelList-Group-Label Think Pair ShareThink Pair Share K-W-LK-W-L

Knowledge Rating ScaleKnowledge Rating Scale-Blachowicz-Blachowicz

Create a KRS with 8-10 key words from Create a KRS with 8-10 key words from section of text.section of text.

Give students a copy. Give students a copy. Read each word aloud and have students Read each word aloud and have students

indicate their knowledge level.indicate their knowledge level. Divide into mixed ability pairs or groups to Divide into mixed ability pairs or groups to

share. Teach them to use the text for share. Teach them to use the text for context or as a resource.context or as a resource.

Call on students to complete the chart Call on students to complete the chart with the class with definitions or pictures. with the class with definitions or pictures.

Make it relevantMake it relevant

Be clear about the purposeBe clear about the purpose Make it personalMake it personal

– T charts of likes/dislikes (food, weather, T charts of likes/dislikes (food, weather, travel)travel)

– Top 10 (Have them rank chores, Top 10 (Have them rank chores, activities, classes, small groups discuss)activities, classes, small groups discuss)

Hook into emotional pathwayHook into emotional pathway ‘‘Begin with the end in mind’Begin with the end in mind’

PracticePractice

Factors for LearningFactors for Learning -Arendal & Mann-Arendal & Mann FrequencyFrequency

– Frequency for competent learnersFrequency for competent learners 4-14 repetitions to learn4-14 repetitions to learn

– Frequency for challenged learnersFrequency for challenged learners 250-350 repetitions250-350 repetitions

IntensityIntensity– Practice makes perfectPractice makes perfect

Cross trainingCross training– Connect to other skills and content areasConnect to other skills and content areas

Activities to increase Activities to increase frequencyfrequency

Hot or coldHot or cold Fruit basket upsetFruit basket upset Body ballBody ball Counting (pronoun bubbles)Counting (pronoun bubbles) FlashcardsFlashcards

Fruit basket upsetFruit basket upset Chairs or desks in a circle, one fewer than Chairs or desks in a circle, one fewer than

the number of participantsthe number of participants Each player has a picture or object Each player has a picture or object

representing vocabulary wordsrepresenting vocabulary words Must have at least three participants with Must have at least three participants with

the same picturethe same picture The person in the middle calls out an object, The person in the middle calls out an object,

those participants change chairsthose participants change chairs The person left calls out another item or The person left calls out another item or

itemsitems Trade items after a few rounds to practice Trade items after a few rounds to practice

new wordsnew words El El cubiertocubierto

Fruit basket upsetFruit basket upset

la cuchara

el plato

el tenedor

el cuchillo

la servilleta

Body BallBody Ball

Trace or project a human sized bodyTrace or project a human sized body Two teams competeTwo teams compete Name the body part to be hitName the body part to be hit

– Two points for direct hitTwo points for direct hit– One point for hitting body, but not partOne point for hitting body, but not part– Negative point for repeatingNegative point for repeating

Use nerf or skwoosh ball to avoid Use nerf or skwoosh ball to avoid annoying colleaguesannoying colleagues

Novelty and VarietyNovelty and Variety

Students are volunteersStudents are volunteers Learning must be engagingLearning must be engaging Use All-respond strategiesUse All-respond strategies

– By definition, if you are calling on a child By definition, if you are calling on a child one at a time, they are not engagedone at a time, they are not engaged

Provide novelty and varietyProvide novelty and variety– Fortune tellersFortune tellers– HillariumHillarium

HillariumHillarium

Create decks of cards with matched pairs of Create decks of cards with matched pairs of the written vocabulary words in target the written vocabulary words in target language.language.

Shuffle the cards and deal them all out to Shuffle the cards and deal them all out to students (4-8 in a group)students (4-8 in a group)

Students begin acting out vocabulary words Students begin acting out vocabulary words using gestures and sound effects but no wordsusing gestures and sound effects but no words

Students who think they have a match, hold Students who think they have a match, hold up their cards to checkup their cards to check

Object is to find matches for all of your cards Object is to find matches for all of your cards

Vocab words in target Vocab words in target languagelanguage

HatsHats HouseHouse MouseMouse HappyHappy Eat pizzaEat pizza ShoesShoes GiftGift InvitationsInvitations MidnightMidnight Tired Tired ArgueArgue HugHug SingSing

Play guitarPlay guitar Win gamesWin games Drink soft drinksDrink soft drinks Friends laughingFriends laughing Traditional musicTraditional music Barking dogBarking dog Dance the macarenaDance the macarena Eat cakeEat cake Blow out candlesBlow out candles

Strategies for PracticingStrategies for Practicing

Wait timeWait time– ““Slowing down may Slowing down may

be a way of be a way of speeding up.” speeding up.”

–Mary Budd Rowe–Mary Budd Rowe

Focus timeFocus time

Think timeThink time Exit slipsExit slips JournalsJournals

VisualsVisuals– PictogramasPictogramas– IllustrationsIllustrations

Four corner Four corner reflectionreflection

Choice Choice

Recoding activities: Students Recoding activities: Students take information and make it take information and make it

their owntheir own GroupingGrouping

– Categorizing vocabulary (grouping clothing by Categorizing vocabulary (grouping clothing by season, activities by who does them, etc.)season, activities by who does them, etc.)

Personalizing vocabularyPersonalizing vocabulary Connecting (to a paperclip or a tree)Connecting (to a paperclip or a tree) Creating an imageCreating an image

– El cuerpo de arte modernoEl cuerpo de arte moderno Creating symbols, songs or movementsCreating symbols, songs or movements Writing sentences, stories, etc.Writing sentences, stories, etc.

Remember to reinforce!Remember to reinforce!

Give feedback to the students to help Give feedback to the students to help prevent misinformation from being prevent misinformation from being stored in the long term memorystored in the long term memory

When possible, use modeling vs. When possible, use modeling vs. correctioncorrection

Use the information from formative Use the information from formative assessments to inform instructional assessments to inform instructional practicepractice

Strategies for reinforcementStrategies for reinforcement

Provide positive reinforcement; it has Provide positive reinforcement; it has the most profound effect on brain the most profound effect on brain chemistrychemistry

Keep reinforcement focusedKeep reinforcement focused Consider learning stylesConsider learning styles Monitor and graph resultsMonitor and graph results

More practice activitiesMore practice activities

Put it to rhythm or songPut it to rhythm or song Other graphic organizersOther graphic organizers Homework and practiceHomework and practice MnemonicsMnemonics

– AcronymsAcronyms– AcrosticsAcrostics

Strategies for ReviewStrategies for Review

Match review to instruction and Match review to instruction and assessmentassessment

Review systematically over time, not Review systematically over time, not just before the testjust before the test

Pop quizzes are good for studentsPop quizzes are good for students Review can be funReview can be fun

– JeopardyJeopardy

RetrieveRetrieve

Our brains will logically access Our brains will logically access memories that are useful, that have memories that are useful, that have been repeated, and that require the been repeated, and that require the least effort.least effort.

– S. PinkerS. Pinker

Retrieval is the ability to access Retrieval is the ability to access stored memories and use them to stored memories and use them to solve problems.solve problems.

AssessmentAssessment

You can only recall information that has You can only recall information that has been stored. Cramming doesn’t pay.been stored. Cramming doesn’t pay.

Eustress vs. test anxietyEustress vs. test anxiety Match instruction, practice and Match instruction, practice and

assessment for maximum performanceassessment for maximum performance Provide balanced assessmentsProvide balanced assessments If they don’t know it, reteach the critical If they don’t know it, reteach the critical

contentcontent

Brain Based Learning“The brain is not designed for continuous learning. In fact, learning is more likely to become permanent when we pause, reflect and process what we encountered.”

Amazing Brain FactsEric Jensen