Research shows…  There is a tremendous need for vocabulary instruction at all grade levels by all teachers.  If students do not steadily grow their vocabulary knowledge, reading comprehension will be affected.  There is no one best method for vocabulary instruction.

 Vocabulary should be taught both directly and indirectly Direct instruction = teaching specific words Indirect instruction = exposing students to new words and using literature  Vocabulary instruction should be an ongoing process that involves using different approaches and strategies.

 “Vocabulary is the glue that holds stories, ideas and content together…making comprehension accessible for children.” (Rupely, et al., 1998/99).  “On average, students should add 2,000 to 3,000 new words a year to their reading vocabularies.” (Beck, et al., 2002).

 In the listening previewing strategy, the teacher previews the vocabulary words and their definitions prior to reading the selection.  Previewing can be done verbally, or the words can be written out on paper or the board, or a combination of both.

 Mnemonic device  Links prior knowledge to new material through visual image  Programs information in a way that is easy to retrieve at a later time (The Access Center, 2006)

 Select Keyword  Illustrate Keyword  Write actual definition  Add element to link keyword to actual meaning

Your vocabulary word is… APPRISE

 Students read a trade book that has the targeted words in context. Have discussions about the words as they are encountered in the story.  Each day, the students would complete a different “project” using the words in context and have peer discussions.

 Cohen, L., & Byrnes, K. (2007, March/April). Engaging children with useful words: vocabulary instruction in a third grade classroom. Reading Horizons Journal, 4(47),  Beck, I. L., McKeown, M. G., & Kucan, L. (2002) Bringing words to life: Robust vocabulary instruction. New York: Guilford Press.  Rupley, W.H., Logan, J.W., & Nicols, W.D. (1998/1999). Vocabulary instruction in a balanced reading program. The Reading Teacher, 52 (4).  Sedita, J. (2005). Effective Vocabulary Instruction. Insights on Learning Disabilities,  The Access Center. (2006, December 14). Using mnemonic instruction to facilitate access to the general education curriculum. Retrieved from The Access Center website: access-to-the-general-education-curriculum/ access-to-the-general-education-curriculum/  Uberti, H. Z., Scruggs, T. E., & Masropieri, M. A. (2003). Keywords make the difference! Mnemonic instruction in inclusive classrooms. Teaching Exceptional Children, 53(3),  Hawkins, R. O., Musti-rao, S., Hale, A., McGuire, S., & Hailley, J. (2010). Examining Listening Previewing as a Classwide Strategy to Improve Reading Comprehension and Vocabulary. Psychology in the Schools, 47(9),