5 Strategies for Teaching Vocabulary (Elementary Ed.) Tanya Tankersley

STRATEGY LIST Teach vocabulary by providing good definitions Teach vocabulary with read alouds Teach vocabulary with three-dimensional word posters Teach vocabulary by modeling sophisticated vocabulary use Teach vocabulary by promoting word consciousness

1. Teach Vocabulary by Providing Good Definitions When dictionary definitions fall short, provide vocabulary definitions for students Use dictionary alternatives

Issues with Dictionary Definitions “Although definitions may be potentially useful for learning word meaning, young students typically do not learn much from definitions in traditional format” (McKeown, 1991, p.137) Dictionary definitions tend to lead students to make “misinterpretations” (1991, p.152) Students tend to employ “kid-rule,” taking a definition fragment that is most familiar to them from the dictionary (1991, p.137-138)

How can I help students with vocabulary when dictionaries fall short? Teachers must help provide students with definitions that help students “understand the typical uses for eh words and avoid some pitfalls inherent in the dictionary definitions” (McKeown, 1991, p.152)

What do good definitions include? The unique role of the word Particular characteristics of the word Clearly make meaning available Arranging attention to the WHOLE definition (McKeown, 1991, p.147-149)

Some Dictionary Alternatives Lexicons: include “a dictionary-type entry fro each word, including definitions, examples and grammatical information” Learner’s dictionaries: definitions in ordinary English, examples, collocations Collocational dictionaries: collocations instead of definitions (McKeown, 1991, p.140-142)

2. Teach Vocabulary with Read Alouds Stop and explain words as they come up in the text Expose students to vocabulary from text multiple times

The Importance of Vocabulary in Reading “Vocabulary is a critical factor in the development of reading skills” “To have an effect on reading comprehension, vocabulary instruction should include multiple exposures to a word, teach both definitions and contexts, and engage students in deep processing” (Lane & Allen, 2010, p.364)

Read Alouds “Read literature aloud to students, stopping to explain and talk about words they may not know” “The richer the words students hear, the richer the words will be that they can read and give back when they speak and write” (Bromley, 2007, p.529)

Read Alouds (continued) “Context often helps unlock the meaning of words” (Bromley, 2007, p.531) Read alouds allow students to learn how to use context to figure out what a word means, which also helps build vocabulary

Multiple Word Exposure “To have an effect on reading comprehension, vocabulary instruction should include multiple exposures to a word, each both definitions and contexts and engage students in deep processing” (Lane & Allen, 2010, p.364) When words are introduced or re-addressed in read alouds, it is important to continue to expose these words to students so that these new words will become a part of their normal vocabulary

Strategies for Multiple Word Exposure Play oral games with content vocabulary (Bromley, 2007, p.529) Use small-group discussions to allow students to “listen to one another and use content area vocabulary in speaking before they use it in writing” (2007, p.531)

3. Teach Vocabulary with Three-Dimensional Word Posters In pairs or individually, create a definition, sentence, drawing and real object to represent the word” (Bromley, 2007, p.531) Pairs teach other students the words orally and then post their posters on a bulletin board (Bromley, 2007, p.531)

PART 1- CREATING THE 3D WORD POSTER Assign a vocabulary word (to individual or pair) Students work to create a definition, sentence, drawing and real object to represent the word” (Bromley, 2007, p.531)

Definition- exactly alike or equal Example poster: IDENTICAL Definition- exactly alike or equal Sentence- The identical twins were dressed just like each other. *Based on Figure 1 (Bromley, 2007, p.532)

PART 2- GROUP SHARING ”Have students peer teach their words” in groups or as a whole class “Post their work on a bulletin board for review and reference” (Bromley, 2007, p.531)

4. Teach Vocabulary by Modeling Sophisticated Word Use Make connections to prior knowledge and experiences Carefully plan out how to introduce sophisticated vocabulary in classroom lessons

Making Connections “Words are learned because of associations that connect the new with the known” (Bromley, 2007, p.531) “For children to actually learn and use the new words, teachers need to make sure that those encounters allow children to make connections with prior knowledge and experiences” (Lane & Allen, 2010, p.366)

Modeling Sophisticated Vocabulary One of the “simplest and most powerful approaches” to sophisticated vocabulary acquisition is teacher modeling Target vocabulary should be modeled daily by incorporating it into daily routines and replacing familiar words with more sophisticated ones This introduction of new sophisticated words should be “deliberate but natural” (Lane & Allen, 2010, p.366-367)

Careful Planning To model use of sophisticated vocabulary a teacher must plan how to intentionally use sophisticated words in the classroom Example 1: Ms. Barker created a list of “manageable words” and began introducing words at circle time so students replaced familiar words with more sophisticated ones (Lane & Allen, 2010, p.367). Example 2: Ms. Rivas introduced more sophisticated vocabulary by intentionally using sophisticated synonyms to replace familiar words used to describe children. Subsequent activities also encouraged students to learn these words by associating a sophisticated vocabulary word with a specific student (2010, p.363).

5. Teach Vocabulary by Promoting Word Consciousness Be a “word-conscious teacher” Encourage word consciousness starting in the classroom by optimizing “conditions for word learning” (Lane & Allen, 2010, p.369)

Be a “word-conscious teacher” “Being a word-conscious teacher is the best way to promote word consciousness among students” (Lane & Allen, 2010, p.369) “Individuals who are word conscious are motivated to learn new words and able to use them skillfully” (2010, p.365)

How promote word consciousness practically in the classroom: “Link new words with familiar concepts” Introduce words clearly during “classroom routines” Have students repeat words Help students use new words in place of familiar words (Lane & Allen, 2010, p.369)

Conclusion Clearly, there are a number of different strategies for teaching elementary-age vocabulary. Most of the strategies discussed in this presentation can easily be altered for gifted and remedial ed. students to better suit the learning styles of all students, as is necessary.

Sources: Bromley, Karen. (2007). Nine things every teacher should know about words and vocabulary instruction. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, April 2007. pp.528-537. Lane, Holly B. and Allen, Stephanie Arriaza. (2010). The Vocabulary-Rich Classroom: Modeling Sophisticated Word Ise to Promote Word Consciousness and Vocabulary Growth. The Reading Teacher, 63(5). pp.362-370. McKeown, Margaret G. (1991). Learning Word Meanings from Definitions: Problems and Potential. The Psychology of Word Meanings. pp.137-156.