Secondary Literacy 2: Teaching Vocabulary

Please access handouts:

CMIM Week 3 Handouts Literacy Handouts SEC.Teach.Vocab.Handouts

2

Do Now – Vocabulary Gap

In 1995, Hart & Risley studied the vocabulary development of high SES and low SES children over time. They did intense observations of children of Professors and children on welfare (Turner House children). This graph shows the general trend they found.

• What are the implication of this trend for you?

• What responses does it raise?

Impact of Direct Vocabulary Instruction

3

You might be wondering…

Why does vocabulary instruction have such a profound effect on student comprehension of academic content?

Carving is appropriate for most green and blue slopes and even some black slopes. However, if you try to carve through moguls, especially in packed powder or corn snow, you’re going to face plant.

4

Why you’re here

OPPORTUNITY GAP = LITERACY GAP =

VOCABULARY GAP

5

Given the word gap and the high vocabulary demands of secondary texts, effective vocabulary instruction is

critical in all content areas.

Session Goals

• Explain the three principles of effective vocabulary instruction

• Choose appropriate words to teach

• Start outlining a mini-lesson plan using these three principles

6

Sociocultural

Context

TEXT ACTIVITY

READER

RAND Model (RAND Reading Study Group, 2002)

Reading Comprehension is an Interactive Process

1 Session Introduction

3 How Do I Teach Them?

2 What Words Do I Teach?

4 Application

Agenda

5 Closing

9

How to Choose Words to Teach

Brick words

Mortar words-

Capstone words

-Window dressing words

How to Choose Words to Teach

• Brick Words– Key content words– Essential to understanding of content– Teach many of these

Science: observations, data, hypothesis

Math: mean, median,

How to Choose Words to Teach

• Mortar Words– Connecting words – Often multi-purpose academic verbs or transition

words– Not specific to a single content area– Teach many of these

However, whereas, enable, compare, resemble

Mortar Words – Think Bloom’s Taxonomy Verbs

For “Analyze”:

Interpret, classify, analyze, arrange, differentiate, group, compare, organize, contrast, examine, scrutinize, survey, categorize, dissect, probe, create an inventory, investigate, question, discover, inquire, distinguish, detect, diagram, chart, inspect

How to Choose Words to Teach

• Capstone Words– Big academic concepts that build upon brick and

mortar words– Teach a small number of these

Scientific method, ecology, probability

How to Choose Words to Teach

• Window-dressing words– Rare and exotic words with low utility– Don’t spend significant amounts of time teaching

these

Potpourri, supercilious

The Bottom Line

• Students will encounter unfamiliar words

• Focus: pre-teach key words that build meaning– Brick, mortar and then capstone words– Avoid window-dressing words

Supporting ELL Students

• Check for understanding constantly

• Informally teach extra words

16

Practice: Choose Words to Teach

• Your Job: PRIORITIZE– Which words will help students master the content?– Which words can students NOT do without?

17

1 Session Introduction

3 How Do I Teach Them?

2 What Words Do I Teach?

4 Application

Agenda

5 Closing

Principles of Effective Vocabulary Instruction

• Frayer Model:

19

Frayer Model: Handout 2

Definition:Well-planned and purposeful instruction that provides students with deep understanding of key words.

Key Characteristics:

Effective

Vocabulary Instruction

8

Frayer Model

Definition:Well-planned and purposeful instruction that provides students with deep understanding of key words.

Key Characteristics:

Be NIMBLE1. Number – Teach a small number.

2. Interactions – Create meaningful interactions.

3. Multiple – Provide multiple exposures.

Effective

Vocabulary Instruction

8

Frayer Model

Example: Monday: Teacher gives definitions for five bricks & mortar words, gives example sentences, then involves students in Think-Pair-Shares using the words in meaningful sentences.

Tuesday: Students create a visual or graphic representation of each word.

Wednesday: Students use these words in a writing activity to respond to the text.

.

Effective Vocabular

y Instruction

9

Frayer Model

Example: Monday: Teacher gives definitions for five bricks & mortar words, gives example sentences, then involves students in Think-Pair-Shares using the words in meaningful sentences.

Tuesday: Students create a visual or graphic representation of each word.

Wednesday: Students use these words in a writing activity to respond to the text.

Non-Example:Monday: Teacher interrupts reading to have students copy 15 words and their definitions from the glossary. After that, they complete a worksheet filling in the blank for 15 unrelated sentences.

Friday: They take a spelling test on the words.

Effective Vocabular

y Instruction

9

Student-Friendly Definitions

• Good definitions are short, concise, and to the point.

• Good definitions often use words like “something,” “someone,” or “describes” as an anchor.

24

Example Non-Example

Disposition: the predominant or prevailing tendencies in one’s spirit; natural mental or emotional tendencies in mood

Disposition: the attitude of someone

Strategy #1: Vocabulary Slides

Use systematic slides to teach new vocabulary words.

Word

Definition

Picture

Synonym

Examples in a sentence

Turn and Talk Questions where students practice using the word

Word

Definition

Picture

Synonym

Examples in a sentence

Turn and Talk Questions where students practice using the word

Example: Inequity

Inequity • Definition: When injustice occurs because something is not equal.

• Synonyms: injustice or discrimination • Sentence Example: Our country experienced racial inequity during the

1960s.• Turn to your partner and discuss what forms of inequity you see in

the US today.

• Definition: When injustice occurs because something is not equal.

• Synonyms: injustice or discrimination • Sentence Example: Our country experienced racial inequity during the

1960s.• Turn to your partner and discuss what forms of inequity you see in

the US today.

Strategy #2: Total Physical Response

• Develop a gesture for a word.

• The more kinesthetic, the better.

• Use transition moments in class to practice the gestures (engages the kids and involves movement)!

• Example: Plate tectonic boundaries—divergent, convergent, and transform

• Turn to your partner and create a TPR movement for the word perimeter.

Strategy #3: Vocabulary Journals

• Help kids keep up with their vocabulary in class through an interactive vocabulary journal.

Left Side of Page Right Side of Page

Word and Definition Students use word creatively in one or more ways:-Picture-Use it in a sentence-Write an example-Write a non-example-Make a diagram-Draw a collage

This is done at a later moment to help students reinforce vocabulary.

Strategy #4: Concept Definition Maps

Use It or Lose It!

• Students need structured opportunities to PRACTICE vocabulary.

30

Practice Strategy #1: The Homework Template

• Create a homework template that includes a vocabulary section on a regular basis, and be faithful to it.

• You can choose 2-3 to include for each word. Make sure at LEAST one of them is artistic based.

31

Word Picture Definition Sentence

Biome

Slope

Ray

Practice Strategy #2: The Do Now

• Use this time to spiral in vocabulary review!

• Vocabulary practice can generally be student guided, especially if students have a template and know the format for it.

Practice Strategy #3: The Word Wall

• Provide a permanent model for high frequency words

• Help students see patterns and relationship in words

• Help build spelling skills

• Provide reference support for students during reading and writing activities

Math Word Walls: Suggestion #1

• Write word cards in ways that exemplify the concept.

PARALLEL

PARALLEL

PARALLEL

PARALLELV

E

R

T

I

C

A

L

V

E

R

T

I

C

A

L

AXIS OFAXIS OFS

Y

M

M

E

T

R

Y

35

Math Word Wall: Suggestion #2

• Organize words by the operation to which they relate.

Key Addition

Words (+)

Key Subtraction

Words (-)

Key Multiplication

Words (x)

Key Division Words (/)

AddAltogether

BothIn allSumTotal

DifferenceFewer

How manyMore/Fewer

LeftMinus

Remain

ProductTimes

At this rateHow many…in

each

QuotientDividend

How many…in

each

Science Word Walls

Differentiated Practice

Option 1

• Analyze the sample vocabulary lesson plans for your content area.– Handout 5: Math– Handout 7: Science

• Consider:

- How does teaching these words help further the content objectives?

- How does the lesson engage students in a meaningful way with the words? Any suggestions for improvement?

- What would be needed to reinforce the learning of these words:

Option 2

• Start planning a vocabulary mini-lesson for an upcoming objective in your ISAT.

• Use Handouts 8 and 9 to guide you.

• Be NIMble.

38

Closing: The Classroom Connection

• You are thoughtfully selecting a SMALL NUMBER OF HIGH-IMPACT WORDS to teach each week (5-7 words).

• You are providing your students with opportunities to MEANINGFULLY INTERACT with the words.

– Frayer Model, Concept Maps, Vocabulary Journals

– Total Physical Response & visual/graphic representations

• You are providing your students with MULTIPLE EXPOSURES to those words.

– Word walls

– Opportunities to read, write, and speak with those words

– How will you incorporate vocabulary into Do Nows and homework?

39