Choosing and Introducing Words for Explicit Vocabulary Instruction

Objectives Word Study Demonstrations (see groupings) 10 mins each X 4 = 40 mins Integrating Explicit Vocabulary Instruction into Text-Talks –Reviewing Effective Practices –Developing a Text-Talk Vocabulary Lesson

Word Study Demonstration Lessons Brief summary with “student” voice to your peers (I’ll get the handout) – 1 minute Teacher Voice (Don’t read your handout – teach) –Explain/Model (3 mins) –Provide guided practice (3 mins) –Provide independent practice (3 mins)

Choosing and Introducing Words for Explicit Vocabulary Instruction

What does it mean to KNOW a word?

What does it mean to know a word? Word Know it well, can explain it, use it Know something about it, can relate it to a situation Have seen or heard the word Do not know the word portend appropriation sycophant tyranny

Four Levels of Word Knowledge Unknown Initial word knowledge: seen or heard it Partial Word Knowledge: know one meaning and can use in a sentence Full Word Knowledge: more than one meaning and can use in several ways portend appropriation tyranny sycophant

Tompkins – Three Word Learning Strategies Analyze word parts Checking a dictionary Using context clues How do these ideas DIFFER from Beck & McKeown’s ideas about how to teach vocabulary?

Definitions are little help… Weak differentiation: Definition does not differentiate how the word is different from other words (e.g. conspicuous = “easily seen.” How does that differentiate from visible?) Vague language (typical = “being a type”) More likely interpretation: Definition uses familiar words in unfamiliar ways (e.g. devious = “straying from the right course, not straightforward.” Students could interpret as walking. Multiple pieces of information: definition gives no help in how to integrate pieces (e.g. exotic = “foreign, strange, not native”)

Context cues CAN help, but not always “Rebecca, come back and eat your Cheerios, they’re getting soggy.” Rebecca inferred soggy meant sad and lonely. And then, she later used it in her own language… I don’t want to go to bed – I feel soggy!” – When context clues do work, for every 100 words, only learn 3-15 of them.

Conditions (and problems) for learning words from context READ WIDELY TO encounter lots of NEW WORDS –Many students who in need of vocabulary development don’t read widely, or they don’t read books that include words with which they are unfamiliar STUDENTS MUST HAVE SKILLS to infer meanings of words from context –Many students who in need of vocabulary development are less able to derive information from context

How helpful are context clues? It depends… Directive contexts: likely to lead to correct inference about meaning (86%) –Nora grew smaller and smaller and finally vanished. (disappeared) General contexts: enough clues to infer general category of meaning (49%) –Brian said morosely, “This miserable town will be the death of us!” (bad, negatively – but specifics are undefined)

How helpful are context clues? It depends… Non-Directive contexts: (27%) little assistance in helping to define meaning –Freddy look at the team members. Each looked more hapless than the next. (Happy? Untrained? But descriptive…) Misdirective contexts: direct to incorrect meaning of word (3%) – John was exhilarated after his first experience mountain climbing.

The biggest challenge… There are too many words to teach! –Students encounter so many new words in reading, how could we teach them all? Not all words need attention Not all words should be treated equally According to Beck & McKeown, what types of words need attention and which can we “ignore”?

Choosing words to teach Tier One words: Most basic words, rarely require instruction (cake, street, walk, jump) Tier Three words: Words that are low frequency, or are domain specific (isotope, woof, peninsula), probably learned best when needed in content

Tier Two words High frequency words for mature language users Words that would be found across a variety of domains Words that can be worked with in a variety of ways so that students can build rich representations of them and their connections to other words and concepts Words for which students understand the general concept, but would provide more precision in use e.g. astonished, coincidence, absurd, scrumptious – Mad: frustrated, angry, disturbed …

Words from Ruby the Copycat Tier 1: Tier 2: Tier 3:

Beck & McKeown Teaching Vocabulary Start with instructional materials/books – choose words that are important for comprehension –Multiple exposures –Breadth of information –Actively engage with word by thinking and processing deeply – HOW DO WE DO THAT??

Activities for Building Vocabulary Students interact with the words

Overheard Conversations Unique Monotone Extraordinary Peculiar

Example - Nonexample

Word Lines How would you rank these personally? How much energy does it take to… 1.Flex your little finger? 2.Thrust a heavy door shut? 3.Embrace a teddy bear? 4.Beckon to someone for five straight hours? 5.Seize a feather floating through the air Least energy _____________ most energy

Thinking Deeply About Words Applause, Applause! Students are asked to clap in order to indicate how much they would like (not at all, a little bit, a lot) to be described by the target word. Why do they feel that way? Ruby the Copycat Copycat, original, creative, independent, a leader, a follower

See whether there is anything about the words that is related. Create an activity to relate the words. –Reluctant, insisted, drowsy might be demonstrated by facial expressions –Create a sentence using all words: Would you prefer to budge a sleeping lamb or a ferocious lion? Why? –Ask students to choose between two words: If you get your clothes ready to wear to school before you go to sleep, would that be sensible or raucous? Thinking Deeply About Words Relating Words

What other techniques did you see in the lesson? Student-Friendly Definitions Making Choices Idea Completion Have You Ever? Word Associations Relating words Using words in one context Classifying words

Student-Friendly Explanations Two Key Strategies Characterize the word and how it is typically used Explain the meaning in everyday language

Student-Friendly Definitions Characterize the Word Explanation should be as particular as possible (When do I use this word particularly? Why do we have such a word?) –Tamper: Defined as, “to interfere in a secret or incorrect way.” Could be construed as meddling. Does not get at the idea of messing something up in a sinister way. –Student friendly explanation: “to change something secretly so that it doesn’t work properly or becomes harmful.”

Ally: Defined as, “one associated with another” –What is association? Student friendly explanation: “somebody who does things with you” Does that characterize “ally”? –Doesn’t get at main characteristic of helping in a common cause Better student friendly explanation: “Someone who helps you in what you are trying to do, especially when there are other people who are against you.” Student-Friendly Explanations Explain Meaning in an Everyday Way

Student friendly definitions in Ruby the Copycat? Coincidence – things that happen by chance at the same time Loyal – always being there for someone Bitter – the feeling you have when you stay angry Murmured? Recited? Sensitive? New words: gently?? Pleasant? Plopped?

“Interacting with Words”: Making Choices If any of the things I say might be examples of people clutching something, say “clutching.” If not, don’t say anything. –Holding tight to a purse –Holding a fisful of money –Softly petting a cat’s fur If any of the things I say would make some one radiant, say, “You’d be radiant.” If not, don’t say anything. –Winning a million dollars –Getting a hug from a favorite movie star –Walking to the post office

Thinking Deeply About Words Idea Completions Provide students with stem that requires them to integrate a word’s meaning into a context in order to explain a situation –The audience asked the virtuoso to play another piece of music because… –The skiing teacher said Maria was a novice on the ski slopes because …

Interacting with Words: Questions, Reasons, Examples If you are walking around a dark room, would you do it cautiously? Why? What are some other things that need to be done cautiously? What is something you could do to impress your teacher? Why? What is something that might impress your mother? Which of these things would be extraordinary? Why or why not? –A shirt that was comfortable or a shirt that washed itself? –A person who has a library card, or a person who has read all the books in the library?

Thinking Deeply About Words Have You Ever …? Helps students associate new words with contexts and activities from their own experiences –Describe a time when you might urge someone? –Describe a time when you might banter with someone? –What would make you gleeful?

Thinking Deeply About Words Word associations Associate a new word when presented with a word or phrase: –Words = accomplice, virtuoso, philanthropist, novice –Which word goes with crook? –Which word goes with “gift to build a new hospital”?

Thinking Deeply About Words Using the Words in One Context What would an immense plate of spaghetti look like? Would you feel miserable after you ate all that spaghetti? Why or why not? What would it look like to eat the spaghetti in a leisurely way?

Thinking Deeply About Words Use the Same Format for Words If you satisfy your curiosity, do you need to find out more or have you found out all you need? Why? If a dog was menacing, would you want to pet it or move away? Why? If you wanted to see something exquisite, would you go to a museum or a grocery store? Why?

Thinking Deeply About Words Classifying Mammals –People –Cats –Dogs –Lions –Mice –Whales Reptiles –Snakes –Alligators –Dinosaurs –Lizards

What makes something a mammal? –Hair –Warm-blooded –Milk to young What makes something a reptile? –Skin? –Cold-blooded –Shape of head Thinking Deeply About Words Classifying

Teaching words in semantic groups Bad People –Villain –Malefactor –Burglar –Embezzler –Miscreant –Cad –Rogue –Scoundrel Red –Crimson –Scarlet –Pink –Blush –Ruby –Sanguine –Carmine

Semantic Feature Analysis

Try It Out With Your Lesson Template: The Scarecrow’s Hat

Tier 2 words in The Scarecrow’s Hat? swapped grateful relief delighted ledge replied battered lookout streams

Homework Tompkins pages (Assessment) Running Records Website