Using Different Strategies to Build Student Vocabulary in a Fifth-Grade Classroom Jessica Zamora

Purpose the Study Purpose: I will teach my students to find the context clues in text to decipher unknown words. How can I increase my students’ form scores? How to decode words? How to get students to use context clues? There are many challenges my fifth-grade students continue to have when it comes to reading, but the most prolific and most challenging continues to be; comprehension of unknown words in text. I have used strategies in my classroom, but they have been met with only little success. Therefore I will explore the importance of and how to effectively teach students how to derive the meaning of unknown words or phrases.

Purpose of Study Cont. To remedy this problem: comprehensive review of this skill literacy block focusing on three components: word meaning, author’s purpose, and figurative language. I used a teacher inquiry design, which focused on small group instruction of each skill. Data was collected through reading passages and corresponding questions, student interviews, and Formative tests.

Methods Participates 17 fifth grade students, 11 boys, and 6 girls, in a Title 1 school in North Tampa. The demographics of this class are 90% African American 10% Hispanic. Four of these students having been retained last year. All but two of my students receive free or reduced lunch. On their previous FCAT prep tests they have consistently scored low on word meaning problems.

The majority of the data collected in this experiment was student responses to the FCAT weekly practice articles read in guided reading groups. Students were expected to read the article and answer three questions relating to context clues that related to the article. These questions were referred to as STEM questions. Materials

Example of Students Work

Data This translated directly to the Form C test as my students, who previously scored the lowest in my school, and well below the district average, scored the highest in the school, an above district average. My class average on the Form C test was 78.6% and the district average was 75.4%.

During my guided reading groups for small group instruction During my guided reading groups for small group instruction. Each group contained three to four students, and was based off of the students’ responses to the skill we were currently working on. In groups each student was given a smaller article that was pulled from previous FCATs. Three questions relating to the skill taught were created to accompany each article. Students were expected to read the article and not only answer each question, but also defend their choice. Using this time I was able to see where student misconceptions occurred and lead the students to the correct thinking. The student monthly scores were then compared to show if any growth occurred. To further engage the students, questions were leveled by student ability.

Results Student performance has shown a significant increase in my students’ scores Form C Scores increased FCAT Guided reading Practice increased Students have better understanding: Context clues , correctly identify unknown words, figurative language, and author’s purpose. As my students were able to see how the figurative language helped them understand what the author was trying to say. Eventually our class was brought back to context clues through word meaning. With a better understanding of what context clues are, students were able to correctly identify more unknown words on their FCAT practice sheets.

References Baumann, J., Edwards, E., Boland, E., Olejnik, S., & Kame'enui, E. (2003). Vocabulary Tricks: Effects of Instruction in Morphology and Context on Fifth-Grade Students' Ability to Derive and Infer Word Meaning. American Educational Research Journal, 447-494. Baumann, J., Edwars, E., Font, G., Tereshinski, C., Kame'enui, E., & Olejnik, S. (2002). Teaching Morphemic and Contextual Analysis to Fifth-Grade Students. Reading research Quarterely, 150-176. Emans, R., & Fisher, G. (n.d.) (1967). Teaching The Use of Context Clues. Elementary English, 243-246. Fukkink, R., & Glopper, K. (1998). Effects of Instruction in Deriving Word Meaning From Context: A Meta-Analysis. Review of Educational Research , 450-469. Fuqua, J. (1985). Seven Strategies for Teaching Context Clues. The Reading Teacher, 585-587. Greenwood, S., & Flanigan K. (2007). Overlapping Vocabulary and Comprehension: Context Clues Complement Semantic Gradients. The Reading Teacher vol. 61, 249-254. JoDee, W. (2006). Methods of Teaching Inferring Meaning From Context. Regional Language CenterJournal, 176-190. May, W., Fox, P., Deni, J., & Schneider, H. (n.d.). (1979). Learning From Prose in Grade School Children (Scott C. Greenwood, 2007): Similarity Versus Indentity Of Context Clues. The Journal of General Psychology, 237-242. Montelongo, J., Hernandez, A., Herter, R., & Cuella, J. (2011). Using Cognates to Scaffold Context Clues Strategies For Latino ELs. The Reading Teacher, 429-434.