SUMMER MATH ACADEMY K Evidence Based Learning Teaching Academic Vocabulary Piper Riddle Sheri Ebert

W HY TEACH ACADEMIC VOCABULARY ? According to Marzano (2005) the strongest action a teacher can take to ensure that students have the academic background knowledge to understand the content they will encounter is providing them with direct instruction of these terms. When students understand these terms, it is easier for them to understand the information they will read and hear in class.

W HAT THE R ESEARCH S AYS A BOUT V OCABULARY K NOWLEDGE Children who enter school with limited vocabulary knowledge become more discrepant over time from their peers who have rich vocabulary knowledge. (Biemiller & Slonin, 2001) The relationship between reading comprehension and vocabulary knowledge is strong and unequivocal. (Bauman & Kame’enui, 1991; Stanovich, 1986)

D IFFERENCES IN V OCABULARY G ROWTH Student A Student B 2 words per day 8 words per day 750 words per year 3,000 words per year Children from advantaged homes have receptive vocabularies that are five times larger than children who come from low SES Homes.(Hart & Risley, 1995, 1999) WHY? Parents spoke significantly fewer words to their children. Children hear more imperative speech or commands rather than expansive conversations.

A CADEMIC V OCABULARY While four encounters with a word did not reliably improve reading comprehension, 12 encounters did (McKeown, Beck, Omanson, and Pople, 1985). The same student placing at the 50 th percentile in reading comprehension with no direct vocabulary instruction, placed at the 83 rd percentile when provided specific instruction in academic vocabulary (Stahl and Fairbanks, 1986).

H OW DO WE TEACH THEM ? Using the Frayer Model to deliver effective vocabulary instruction. Characteristics & Model

Well-planned and purposeful instruction that provides students with deep understanding of key words. Frayer Model Characteristics & Model

1.Teaching a small number of words providing student-friendly definitions. 2. Creating meaningful interactions with words that lead to deep processing. 3.Providing multiple exposures in a variety of contexts. Frayer Model Characteristics & Model

Frayer Model On Monday, teacher gives student-friendly definitions for a small number of words, gives example sentences, then involves students in Think-Pair-Share using meaningful sentences. On Tuesday, students again interact with the words, adding gestures to the definition. On Wednesday, students use these words in a writing activity or game, practicing the use of the word in context. On Thursday, the new vocabulary words are placed on the math word wall and reviewed using choral response. Characteristics & Model

Frayer Model On Tuesday, teacher interrupts the math lesson to have students copy 15 words and their definitions from the student math book. On Friday, the students take a math test on the new vocabulary words.

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