Vocabulary Instruction

What works and what doesn’t

Robert J. Marzano

Building Background

Knowledge for Academic

Achievement, Research on

What Works in Schools

WHAT DOESN’T WORK.

• Copying definitions• Writing sentences using the

new terms• Telling students to use context

clues• Memorizing lists of definitions

Characteristics of Effective Direct Vocabulary Instruction

• Characteristic 1: Doesn’t rely on just definitions.• Characteristic 2: Uses linguistic and nonlinguistic

approaches• Characteristic 3: Requires multiple approaches• Characteristic 4: Includes teaching word parts• Characteristic 5: Relies on different types of

instruction• Characteristic 6: Emphasizes discussions• Characteristic 7: Involves playing with words• Characteristic 8: Should focus on high probability

vocabulary terms

Vocabulary Strategies

Concept of Definition Map

Concept

Comparison

Examples

Properties

Category

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What is it ?

What is it like?

Concept of Definition Map

Music

Jazz

Forum to addresssocial and

political issues

Usually not improvised

Started in the 1950s

Chuck Berry Mick Jagger Elvis Presley

Rock and Roll

Comparison

Examples of R & R musicians

What is it like?Properties

What is it ?Category

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Frayer ModelHelps elaborate on word meaning.

Organizes information about a concept into four areas:– Essential Characteristics– Non-essential Characteristics– Examples– Non-examples

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Frayer Model

Essential Characteristics

Non-Essential Characteristics

Examples Non-Examples

Term

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Frayer ModelEssential Characteristics

•set of pages with protective cover•printed or written literary work •no advertisements other than by publisher

Non-Essential Characteristics•whether the words are prose or poetry•color of cover•color, size, or font of words

Examples

•textbook•novel•Bible•diary

Non-Examples

•magazine•flyer•postcard

Book

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Vocabulary Map

p. 204

Term or Concept

Definition Synonym

Sentence Picture

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Vocabulary MapModified Example

p. 204

Parallel

IS

untouchingequidistant

IS NOT

intersecting

SENTENCEA car driving through sand or snow leaves a set of parallel tracks.

PICTURE

Para el

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Now Try Using One of These Strategies with a Vocabulary Term from Your Content Area