Small-Group Instruction Targeting Vocabulary and Comprehension Michael C. McKenna University of Virginia Sharon Walpole University of Delaware

Today’s Goals Review the case for extensive vocabulary and comprehension instruction in GARF Revisit Bringing Words to Life in fiction and nonfiction read-alouds Describe current research efforts Learn to use a storybook reading intervention designed for ELLs

Back in School... Identify a group of children for small-group vocabulary work Pilot the storybook intervention plan you design today Prepare a reflection to share with the group at our next meeting.

Influences on Reading Whitehurst & Lonigan, 2002

Developmental Paths PreK oral language skills have strong connections to PreK literacy skills; both are related to Kindergarten language and literacy PreK oral language skills have strong connections to PreK literacy skills; both are related to Kindergarten language and literacy We should focus on oral language development during PreK; oral language in PreK will influence literacy in Kindergarten Whitehurst & Lonigan, 2002

Developmental Paths Kindergarten literacy skills (which we measure with DIBELS) have strong connections to literacy skills in first grade and in second grade, but the influence of oral language on literacy is not as strong in K. Kindergarten literacy skills (which we measure with DIBELS) have strong connections to literacy skills in first grade and in second grade, but the influence of oral language on literacy is not as strong in K. We should not assume that if we develop oral vocabulary in Kindergarten, literacy will take care of itself. We need to teach both! Whitehurst & Lonigan, 2002

Developmental Paths Oral language skills in each year of schooling are strongly related to oral language skills the next year Oral language skills in each year of schooling are strongly related to oral language skills the next year If we want to build word knowledge, conceptual knowledge, and text structure knowledge, we have to do it every year! Whitehurst & Lonigan, 2002

Researchers React Coyne, Simmons, & Kame’enui, 2004

Some GARF Assumptions Read-alouds have potential to build word knowledge, conceptual knowledge, and text structure knowledge. Read-alouds have potential to build word knowledge, conceptual knowledge, and text structure knowledge. Our ideal read-alouds come from children’s literature, taken from inside the core and from additional high-quality texts. Our ideal read-alouds come from children’s literature, taken from inside the core and from additional high-quality texts. These read-alouds are interactive. These read-alouds are interactive. Teachers model comprehension strategies that have been taught already in the core. Teachers model comprehension strategies that have been taught already in the core. Teachers explain many word meanings briefly during reading, and then select a small number of words to teach and reteach after reading. Teachers explain many word meanings briefly during reading, and then select a small number of words to teach and reteach after reading. Some teachers are better at this than others. Some teachers are better at this than others.

How did your teachers respond to the Beck, McKeown, and Kucan study group? To what extent were ideas from this book incorporated into your read-alouds?

For a fiction read-aloud, how do I know which words to teach? Target what Beck and colleagues call Tier Two words.

Beck, McKeown, & Kucan (2004) Characteristics that make a word appropriate for teaching: 1. The students don’t know exactly what the word means. 2. You can define the word in terms that the students do know. 3. The students are likely to find the word useful or interesting and to meet it again in another context.

Tier 3 Rare words 73,500 word families K-12 Often content-area related Examples: isotope, estuary Tier 2 Important to academic success 7,000 word families Not limited to one text Examples: fortunate, ridiculous Tier 1 The most familiar words 8,000 word families Known by average 3rd grader Examples: happy, go Bringing Words to Life: Three Tiers

Tier 2 Important to academic success 7,000 word families Not limited to one text Examples: fortunate, ridiculous Beck and McKeown’s Three Tiers

For a fiction read-aloud, how and when do I teach these words? Teach them after reading. You can use the same procedure each time!

Steps for Bringing Words to Life Vocabulary Lesson 1. Say the word. Children repeat. 2. Tell how the word was used in the text. 3. Tell a child-friendly definition. 4. Give examples of the word used in multiple, unrelated contexts. 5. Invite the children to construct an example, perhaps providing a frame sentence 6. Have children repeat the word.

What’s the difference between a fiction and a nonfiction read-aloud? You may need to teach Tier 3 words before reading. You can still teach Tier 2 words after reading.

Coaches’ Corner Has anyone been successful in supporting teachers to use these techniques? What are your secrets? Has anyone been successful in supporting teachers to use these techniques? What are your secrets?

That’s whole-group work. What about small-group work? Let’s read about a strategy for targeting vocabulary and comprehension during needs-based time.

Storybook Reading and ELLs Hickman, P., Pollard-Durodola, S., and Vaughn, S. (2004). Storybook reading: Improving vocabulary and comprehension for English-language learners. The Reading Teacher, 57, Read this article. It introduces another application of these vocabulary concepts.

Let’s Try to Plan... What to do Why Choose a book and break it into word segments. This small-group intervention extends over several days and includes talk and rereadings. Choose 3 Tier 2 words from each segment. We want to use the text as a context to teach new word meanings. Prepare a definition and some frame sentences for those words We want to teach the words so that they are connected to the story and to the children’s existing knowledge.

Now You Try It! For each text segment (30 minutes) Preview the segment Preview the segment Introduce the new words Introduce the new words Read the text aloud Read the text aloud Ask the children to retell (who, what, when) and to interpret (why, how) Ask the children to retell (who, what, when) and to interpret (why, how) Review the vocabulary words Review the vocabulary words Reread the segment Reread the segment Once you’ve read all the segments... Review three or four of the words Review three or four of the words Reread the whole story Reread the whole story Help the children to discuss both the words and the story Help the children to discuss both the words and the story

Back in School... Identify a group of children for small-group vocabulary work. They could be ELLs, or they could be native speakers with weak vocabulary. Pilot the storybook intervention plan you designed today. Prepare a reflection to share with the group at our next meeting.

References Beck, I. L., McKeown, M. G., & Kucan, L. (2002). Bringing words to life: Robust vocabulary instruction. New York: Guilford Press. Coyne, M. D., Simmons, D. C., & Kame’enui, E. J. (2004). Vocabulary instruction for young children at risk of experiencing reading difficulties: Teaching word meanings during shared storybook readings. In J. F. Baumann & E. J. Kame’enui (Eds.), Vocabulary instruction: Research to practice (pp ). New York: Guilford Press. Whitehurst, G. J., & Lonigan, C. J. (2002). Emergent literacy: Development from prereaders to readers. In S. B. Neuman and D. K. Dickinson (Eds.), Handbook of early literacy research (pp ). New York: Guilford Press.