Academic Vocabulary Instruction

Academic Vocabulary: Informational selections often contain a large number of words that carry meaning and are necessary for understand the text. Provide explicit instruction of vocabulary necessary for comprehension of text. Give a simple definition prior to reading, giving examples and non-examples, create semantic map of word or give multiple uses of the target word.
Explicit instruction of key words increases both vocabulary and reading comprehension and are especially effective for students with disabilities (Boardman et. al.(2008).

Six-Step Process for Building Academic Vocabulary: (Marzano & Pickering, 2005)
1. Teacher provides a description, explanation, or example.
2. Students restate the definition in their own words and add it to academic notebook.
3. Students produce a non-linguistic representation- a picture, symbol or graphic.
4. Students engage in activities that provide multiple exposures to terms over time.
5. Students periodically discuss terms with each other
6. Students periodically revisit terms through games.

Keyword Method: (Mastropieri, 1988) In the keyword method, students are creating a mnemonic device by connecting an image to a definition. Students are asked to identify a word that is acoustically similar to part of new word. Then associate a graphic representation using the keyword and to the definition of the new word. i.e., associating abundance to bunny and drawing a picture of a bunch of bunnies. (Keyword is a highly effective strategy for students who have reading difficulty. It promotes strong recall of the word definition.)

1. Visual Learners
Effective vocabulary instruction allows students to PROCESS new words through activities that reinforce meanings. Word meanings are learned gradually, the more students interact with words, the deeper the students understanding. It takes about 12 interactions with a word to develop a deep understanding. (Beck et al., 1985) Activities for deep processing of words are more effective when the students’ individual modality of learning is considered.

• Word Journals with thematic dividers. Categorization of words helps student to organize and build word banks in their brains. Encourage students to record the context in which they hear of see any of the words.
• Word Maps: A graphic representation of a word. Typically a word map focuses on three questions. What it is? What is it like? and What are some examples? (Word maps work well with nouns or concepts.)
• Word Web: A semantic map of related concepts and words. These words can be further grouped into like categories and connected to the web.
• Word Ladder: Use word ladders to rank synonyms from weakest to strongest. Word ladders encourage students to consider the range of meanings conveyed by a group of words that may extend from synonyms to antonyms, the place of studied words in that range, and the value of word choice to convey specific shades of meaning in the appropriate context. (Ladders work well with adjectives and adverbs.)
• Analogies: Students learn words with more depth when they see relationships between words.
• Drawing or Visualization: Students should be encouraged to create pictures to visual the words in a concrete way.
• Venn Diagram: Used for comparing and contrasting terms and ideas. (How it is alike and how it is different?) i.e., ocean vs. pond

2. Kinesthetic

•  Dramatization of new words (pantomime words). i.e., word charades.
•  Concentration: Use word cards and definition cards to practice associating words with specific meanings.
• Collaborative questions and answers: Assign a word to student pairs. On one card have them write a question for the word. On another card have the students write the answer to the question. Mix the word cards together and randomly distribute to all students. Collaboratively have the students find the matching pair of questions and answers. Have the new pair read the question and answer out loud.

3. Auditory

• Word Discussion: Having discussions about words and how they relate to themselves and each other help students build personal connections to the words and allows for deep processing.
• Dictionary Game: Using a student friendly dictionary, students look up a word from a word list and reads definition, omitting the word. The other students consult the list and guess the word. If they are incorrect, the dictionary reader reads the next definition until someone guesses the word. Once the definitions are exhausted, the reader goes to a new word. The student who guesses correctly then becomes the dictionary reader.
• Hearing Word Forms: Read a sentence aloud that contains a related word form of a vocabulary word. Have students identify the related vocabulary word from their list. (i.e., transit – transition, transitory)
• APPLY the new words through activities that access higher level thinking skills. (Analogies, Word Families, Semantic Mapping, Contextual Application) These activities challenge students to go beyond directly instructed vocabulary to build connections and experiences with a richer vocabulary.

1. Contextual Application

• Written: Have the students write stories using the new word.
• Speaking: Have students use new words in conversations.
•  “Whose Line Is It Anyway?”: Give groups a list of words and a scenario. Have the students in each group write sentences and discuss how words can be used in the scenario. Affixes can be added to the words to change part of speech. Choose a score keeper for each group who tallies a point for each word use. Teams compete against each other to see who can use the most words in conversations.
•  Listening: Use new words in conversations and instruction with students. Provide these new words to other staff who work with the students. Help students become “word detectives” by rewarding points to students who notice word use.

2. Semantic Mapping: (Graphic Organizers) Support students in organizing the concepts and relationships important to a given theme. Adding words and categories helps elaborate the “big picture” by connecting new words to original word or concept. Through semantic mapping, students can show the mental connections between the terms and concepts. The cognitive processes which the child employs through semantic mapping helps him/her put the pieces together in a meaningful whole.

3. List Group Label: Have students list all the words they can think of that relate to a given topic. Working in cooperative groups, compare words and look for commonalities and organize words in categories. Once words are grouped, decide on a label for each group.

4. Open Word Cards Sort: Give cooperative groups word cards related to a given topic. Have students sort words into categories and determine the main topic. This activity aids students in understanding the relationships between words and concepts.

5. Root Cards Concentration: Can be used with known prefixes and suffixes to strengthen students’ understanding of word structure and the roots connection to meaning.

6. Pass Word: Similar to the old game show, Password. Place students into teams. Give one student on each team a list of words. This student must get their team to say the word without using the word, or any derivation of the word, or gestures. The team that says the most number of words in a given time wins.

7. The Pyramid Game: Similar to $100,000 Pyramid . This game helps students determine the common attributes of a list of vocabulary words so they can name the category describing the term. Draw a triangle shape on the board divided into 6 sections (three on the bottom, two in the middle and one on top). Write a category in each section. Have students divide into pairs or teams with one facing the board and the rest with the back to the board. The student who is facing the board gives words that are items that pertain to that category. When someone in the team guesses the category, the person facing the board moves to the next category. The group that completes the pyramid stands up, thus signifying that they have won.

8. Word Journal: Students build schematic maps of word relationships through concept/content interaction.

• Theme Headings:

Communication: Language and Writing
The Five Senses: Seeing,
Movement
Living Things: Plants and Animals
Work and Money
Measurement and Time
Law and Order
The Earth, Sky, and Water
Health
Behavior and Personality
Appearance
Relationships
Good and Bad
Place and Position
Food
Work and Money
The Mind and Body
Society
Figurative Language

Word consciousness refers to an awareness and interest in words. It is knowledge that words have multiple meanings in various contexts and a desire to select just the right word to convey just the right meaning. In order to develop word consciousness, students must receive quality vocabulary instruction through a variety of approaches, including additive and generative vocabulary instruction. Students must also receive explicit instruction in academic vocabulary.

• Word Plays- riddles, games, jokes, quotes, and puzzles
• Word Wizard- bringing in examples from home of words taught at school
• Teacher uses sophisticated words in the classroom ex. “The door is ajar. Could you shut it please?”
• Teacher models interest in words. i.e., “I just found this great word in a book.”
• Vocabulary as a School Wide Focus. i.e., WOW (Word of the Week)