Making The Vocabulary Connection in Middle Schools

Making The Vocabulary Making The Vocabulary Connection in Middle SchoolsConnection in Middle Schools

Teaching Students Academic Teaching Students Academic LanguageLanguageKeith PruittKeith Pruitt

Is There A Problem?Is There A Problem?“…“…what students already know about the content is what students already know about the content is

one of the strongest indicators of how well they one of the strongest indicators of how well they will learn new information relative to the will learn new information relative to the content.” content.” Marzano (2004, p.1)Marzano (2004, p.1)

““Knowledge of specific terms is, for all intents and Knowledge of specific terms is, for all intents and purposes, synonymous with background purposes, synonymous with background knowledge.”knowledge.” Marzano (2004, p. 62) Marzano (2004, p. 62)

But most students aren’t bringing much to the But most students aren’t bringing much to the table.table.

Telling StudiesTelling StudiesNagy, Anderson, & Herman Nagy, Anderson, & Herman (1987)(1987)

Bloom (1976)Bloom (1976)

Dochy, Segers, & Buehl Dochy, Segers, & Buehl (1999)(1999)

All point to correlation of All point to correlation of background knowledge and background knowledge and academic success.academic success.

How Do We Get This Knowledge?How Do We Get This Knowledge?

Process and Store Process and Store InformationInformation

Fluid or innate Fluid or innate intelligenceintelligence

ExperienceExperience

Crystallized or Crystallized or learned intelligencelearned intelligence

schema

Which Intelligence Is Best?Which Intelligence Is Best?What seems to be What seems to be critical is not sheer critical is not sheer amount of amount of experience but experience but rather what one rather what one has been able to has been able to learn from and do learn from and do with experience.with experience.

Sternberg (1985, p.307)Sternberg (1985, p.307)

……knowledge is knowledge is more highly more highly associated with associated with crystallizedcrystallized abilities than with abilities than with fluidfluid abilities. abilities.Rolfhus & Ackerman (1999, p.520)Rolfhus & Ackerman (1999, p.520)

Academic Success = ExperienceAcademic Success = Experience

So what type of experiences canSo what type of experiences can

we provide in the school settingwe provide in the school setting

to help insure our students haveto help insure our students have

academic success?academic success?

The Howard Gardner School of The Howard Gardner School of ExperiencesExperiences

Reflections- Writing, Thinking, Recording Reflections- Writing, Thinking, Recording their thoughts. their thoughts.

““We need to teach children how to We need to teach children how to think and let them know that it is ok think and let them know that it is ok to do so.”to do so.”

-Roger Farr-Roger Farr


Reflections- Writing, Thinking, Recording Reflections- Writing, Thinking, Recording their thoughts. their thoughts.

For information to be processed from our Sensory For information to be processed from our Sensory Memories to our Permanent Memories, it must Memories to our Permanent Memories, it must first be processed through our Working Memories. first be processed through our Working Memories. - Anderson (1995) - Anderson (1995)

The Work of J R AndersonThe Work of J R Anderson

SensoryMemory

WorkingMemory

Discards

OR

PermanentMemory Files

Anderson, J.R. (1995). Learning and memory: An integrated approach. New York: John Wiley & Sons


Reflections- Writing, Thinking, Recording their Reflections- Writing, Thinking, Recording their thoughts. thoughts. Interpersonal Communication- Interpersonal Communication- Collaborative Collaborative group projects, dialogue, buddy reads, turn and talks.group projects, dialogue, buddy reads, turn and talks.Games- Games- Monopoly (Economics), Scrabble (Language Arts, Monopoly (Economics), Scrabble (Language Arts, Vocabulary), Trivial Pursuit (History, Geography), Brain Vocabulary), Trivial Pursuit (History, Geography), Brain GymsGyms


Reflections- Writing, Thinking, Recording their Reflections- Writing, Thinking, Recording their thoughts. thoughts. Interpersonal Communication- Interpersonal Communication- Collaborative group Collaborative group projects, dialogue, buddy reads.projects, dialogue, buddy reads.Games- Games- Monopoly (Economics), Scrabble (Language Monopoly (Economics), Scrabble (Language Arts, Vocabulary), Trivial Pursuit (History, Geography), Arts, Vocabulary), Trivial Pursuit (History, Geography), Brain GymsBrain Gyms

BRAIN GYMSBRAIN GYMS

WHO AM I? WHO AM I? I am associated with money. Sometimes I hang I am associated with money. Sometimes I hang out with dead Presidents. Burr was my death. I out with dead Presidents. Burr was my death. I worked for a President. I was the first at worked for a President. I was the first at treasury. I helped write federalism into being. treasury. I helped write federalism into being. Who Am I?Who Am I?

BRAIN GYMSBRAIN GYMS

WHO AM I? WHO AM I? I am associated with money. Sometimes I hang I am associated with money. Sometimes I hang out with dead Presidents. Burr was my death. I out with dead Presidents. Burr was my death. I worked for a President. I was the first at worked for a President. I was the first at treasury. I helped write federalism into being. treasury. I helped write federalism into being. Who Am I?Who Am I?

Alexander Hamilton

WHAT AM I?

I can charge it up. Not a cell phone. I can take on different shapes sometimes being like a thread or even a sphere. I’m in cytoplasm. What am I?

WHAT AM I?

I can charge it up. Not a cell phone. I can take on different shapes sometimes being like a thread or even a sphere. I’m in cytoplasm. What am I?

Mitochondria

Back To GardnerBack To GardnerArt- Using painting, drawing, Art- Using painting, drawing, diagrams, graphic organizers, music, diagrams, graphic organizers, music, role plays, presentations, theatre, role plays, presentations, theatre, writing as a means of expression. writing as a means of expression. Some of the greatest expression of Some of the greatest expression of ideas comes from visual arts!ideas comes from visual arts!

How can I use visuals to teach How can I use visuals to teach vocabulary?vocabulary?

USING GRAPHIC ORGANIZERSUSING GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS

United States Constitution

Executive Branch Legislative Branch Judicial Branch

The Outsiders

Who? Why?What?

WhenWhere?

How?

S.E.Hinton, author

Characters

Dallas

Ponyboy

Johnny

Gangs

This shows how to use a graphic web to discussa piece of literature visually.

The Vocabulary Book: Learning and Instruction, Michael F. Graves

Thinking TreeThinking Tree

Teaching Vocabulary to Improve Reading Comprehension, William Nagy

The Usage Of Virtual ToursThe Usage Of Virtual Tours

Reading is a Virtual ExperienceReading is a Virtual Experience

Language InteractionLanguage Interaction

Virtual ExperiencesVirtual Experiences

Direct Teaching of VocabularyDirect Teaching of Vocabulary

Allington (1984)Allington (1984)Total Words Read Total Words Read by 1by 1stst graders graders during 1 wk of during 1 wk of reading.reading.

*Poor Readers- 16*Poor Readers- 16

*Good Readers-1,933*Good Readers-1,933Other Students Fell in Other Students Fell in

between these two between these two extremes.extremes.

Nagy and Anderson (1984)Nagy and Anderson (1984)Middle Grade Middle Grade Students (words Students (words per year)per year)

Type A Child- 10-50 Type A Child- 10-50 m/yearm/year

Type B Child- 1 m/ yType B Child- 1 m/ y

Type C Child- Type C Child- 100,000/ year100,000/ year

HOW MANY TYPE C STUDENTS DO WE HAVE IN OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS?

IT IS NOT UNUSUAL FOR 25% TO 50% OF OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL 8TH GRADERS TO BE BELOW PROFICIENCY IN READING. IN INNER CITY SCHOOLS, IT CAN BE UP TO 80%.

THE LOW END READER IN 9TH GRADE IS READING ON PAR WITH THE AVERAGE 3RD GRADER!!!

“…a poor reader is likely to have difficulty in all subject matter classes.” –Stallings (1986)







Have students work in groups with Have students work in groups with texts.texts.

Use leveled text to supplement Use leveled text to supplement content areas.content areas.

Provide lots of reading materials in Provide lots of reading materials in the classroom.the classroom.

Remember that most learners in your Remember that most learners in your classroom are visual learners!classroom are visual learners!

SHOW THEM

DON’T JUST TELL THEM!






Usage of Virtual RealityUsage of Virtual Reality

We can’t expose students to every We can’t expose students to every real life adventure that we would real life adventure that we would desire. But through the internet, we desire. But through the internet, we can expose them to many worlds can expose them to many worlds they might never be able to see.they might never be able to see.

FOR EXAMPLE…FOR EXAMPLE…

You may visit this site at www.thehermitage.com

The SmithsonianInstitute offers freeonline help for teachers at their webAddress.

www.thesmithsonianeducation.org






Do you know what this says?

Why not?

You are educated, right?

What do you need to know to break thecode?

The direct teaching of vocabulary

is essential to academic success.

---Keith Pruitt

Breaking The Code of LanguageBreaking The Code of Language

Vocabulary building involves a Vocabulary building involves a systematic delivery of words systematic delivery of words based on experiences in a school based on experiences in a school setting that provides a schema setting that provides a schema of explanation in words students of explanation in words students can understand.can understand.

-- Keith Pruitt (2005)-- Keith Pruitt (2005)

What is Academic LanguageWhat is Academic LanguageTier 3 Words are those Tier 3 Words are those that are unique to a that are unique to a specific content area.specific content area.

Can be used in several Can be used in several contexts.contexts.

Are not used in Are not used in everyday language.everyday language.

DEMOCRACYDEMOCRACY

MEREDIANMEREDIAN

PROTOPLASMPROTOPLASM

CAVITYCAVITY

CELLCELL

ESTIMATEESTIMATE

MIGRATIONMIGRATION

MITOSISMITOSIS

PHOTOSYTHESISPHOTOSYTHESIS

MITOCHONDRIAMITOCHONDRIA

HERE IS WHAT IS INVOLVEDHERE IS WHAT IS INVOLVED

Jean Piaget’s (1960) Schema TheoryJean Piaget’s (1960) Schema TheoryYou must create a picture!You must create a picture!

Explaining words in a meaningful Explaining words in a meaningful context. (Janet Allen, 1999)context. (Janet Allen, 1999)Repeated usage of words.Repeated usage of words.

It takes 6-8 repeated usages in short period for child It takes 6-8 repeated usages in short period for child to make a word a part of vocabulary.to make a word a part of vocabulary.

Integrate the tactile, visual, and Integrate the tactile, visual, and auditory experiences.auditory experiences.Understand the importance of Tier 3 Understand the importance of Tier 3 words.words.

winsome To describe someone as winsome is to say that her personality is naturally charming, engaging, adorable, winning, etc. (and that she probably has a childlike innocence, too). The word is used more often to describe a female than a male. When I told Phil that the new film comedy starred Meg Ryan, he said, “Let me guess; she plays a winsome young woman who finds love, but not until the last five minutes of the movie.”

From Wizard of Oz Vocabulary Builder

This is the type of thing one would do to explain words by usingwords to which students may relate.

One of the arguments for ____________ in the first place had beenthat ________ would increase the wealth of the ______ _______And lessen her dependence on other nations. According to the __________ theory, she would prosper and grow strong by _________ more and more to __________ and _________ lessand less from them. Colonies would aid by providing a ______for her ___________ goods and a source of supply for ___ _________she could not produce at home. To get the full benefit, she would haveto exclude ________ (as Spain had done) from her _______trade.

The words in red are great Tier 2 words thatcan be emphasized for clarity. The blanks represent Tier 3 (Academic Language) that is absolutely necessary to make sense of thetext.

This is an American History Text.

One of the arguments for colonization in the first place had beenthat colonies would increase the wealth of the mother countryand lessen her dependence on other nations. According to the mercantile theory, she would prosper and grow strong by exporting more and more to foreigners and importing lessand less from them. Colonies would aid by providing a marketfor her manufactured goods and a source of supply for raw materialsshe could not produce at home. To get the full benefit, she would haveto exclude foreigners (as Spain had done) from her colonialtrade.

One could not access the text withoutthe vocabulary. But unless one has a schema for the words, it is like not havingthe words printed.

What Does This Word Mean?What Does This Word Mean?

craniopharngioma

What Does This Word Mean?What Does This Word Mean?

craniopharngioma

A tumor of the pituitary gland, which if untreated may cause permanent brain damage.

Use Vocabulary GamesUse Vocabulary Games

Vocabulary.comVocabulary.com

Thirdage.comThirdage.com

Vocabulary.co.ilVocabulary.co.il

Vocabulary Connections (Steck Vocabulary Connections (Steck Vaughn)Vaughn)

SLAM BoardSLAM BoardGive Students Post It NotesGive Students Post It NotesAs you read various selected sections As you read various selected sections of the text book, have students write of the text book, have students write the words that they don’t know on the words that they don’t know on post it notes.post it notes.On cue, have them come to a On cue, have them come to a selected spot and post the words on selected spot and post the words on the board.the board.Teacher then uses these in exercises.Teacher then uses these in exercises.

Marzano’s Characteristics of Marzano’s Characteristics of Effective Direct Vocabulary Effective Direct Vocabulary

InstructionInstructionDoes not rely on definitions. (Explain It)Does not rely on definitions. (Explain It)

Representations in linguistic and nonlinguisticRepresentations in linguistic and nonlinguistic

Multiple exposuresMultiple exposures

Teach word parts. (Roots, affixes)Teach word parts. (Roots, affixes)

Vary the instructional pedagogy. Vary the instructional pedagogy.

Have students discuss new vocabulary.Have students discuss new vocabulary.

Allow students to play with words.Allow students to play with words.

Focus on words that impact academic success.Focus on words that impact academic success.

Glossary terms are highlighted

Terms are defined for the students in words they can understand

Pearson Longman, Keystone, Level E

Provide purpose for reading

This is a typical middle school American history textbook. The publisher has italicized the vocabulary words.

What do I need to do to make this text come alive for the student?

First, let’s do some explaining?

What words do I want to emphasize from the text? Highlight those.

Ship and vessel mean the same thing.

What does the author mean by band of colonials?

If one were resisting what would they be doing?

Beck and McKeown’s Method of Beck and McKeown’s Method of InstructionInstruction

Teacher Explains New Word with Teacher Explains New Word with description, example or explanation.description, example or explanation.Students Restate.Students Restate.Create Non-linguistic representation.Create Non-linguistic representation.Students engage in activities that Students engage in activities that support their understanding of the support their understanding of the new term.new term.Have students discuss with each Have students discuss with each other or play games.other or play games.

The Importance of Building The Importance of Building SchemaSchema

translucent

Exploding the VocabularyExploding the Vocabulary

Students need 4,000 new words per Students need 4,000 new words per year to maintain grade level year to maintain grade level expectation (Allen, 2007)expectation (Allen, 2007)

One way we can explode the One way we can explode the vocabulary being taught is by using vocabulary being taught is by using the same explanation to multiply the same explanation to multiply itself out.itself out.

Trans-

Across, through, on the other side, beyond

translucent

Trans-


translucent

transfer

Trans-


translucent

transfer

transferred

transferable

transference

Trans-


translucent

transfer

transferred

transferable

transference

translation

translated

Trans-


translucent

transfer

transferred

transferable

transference

translation

translated

transportation

Come up with 10 words for these prefixes: re- and com-Also come up with an explanation

http://www.englishclub.com/vocabulary/prefixes.htm

Dilapidated

Suggested ReadingSuggested ReadingBringing Words to Life (Beck, McKeown, Kucan)Bringing Words to Life (Beck, McKeown, Kucan)

Inside Words (Janet Allen)Inside Words (Janet Allen)

Words, Words, Words (Janet Allen)Words, Words, Words (Janet Allen)

Building Background Knowledge (Robert Marzano)Building Background Knowledge (Robert Marzano)

Tools for Teaching Content Literacy (Janet Allen)Tools for Teaching Content Literacy (Janet Allen)

Teaching Vocabulary to Improve Reading Comprehension Teaching Vocabulary to Improve Reading Comprehension (William Nagy)(William Nagy)

The Vocabulary Book: Learning and Instruction (Michael The Vocabulary Book: Learning and Instruction (Michael Graves)Graves)

Greek and Latin Roots: Teaching Vocabulary to Improve Greek and Latin Roots: Teaching Vocabulary to Improve Comprehension (Trisha Callella)Comprehension (Trisha Callella)

The Vocabulary-Enriched Classroom (Black and Mangieri)The Vocabulary-Enriched Classroom (Black and Mangieri)

In ConclusionIn Conclusion

It is all about words.It is all about words.

Teaching vocabulary is necessary to Teaching vocabulary is necessary to teaching content.teaching content.

For students to succeed For students to succeed academically, they must learn academically, they must learn academic language.academic language.

Do you as a teacher want SUCCESS!?Do you as a teacher want SUCCESS!?

It Is All About Words, Learning and It Is All About Words, Learning and Students!Students!

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Making The Vocabulary Connection in Middle Schools