Adolescent Vocabulary Designed for Year II, Day 3 Literacy Lab Participants

Learning Targets  Rationale, Research, and Arkansas Frameworks  Selecting Words for Instruction  Instructional Approach

Essential Questions  How do students learn the meanings of words?  Which words should be taught?  What are essential practices for meaningful vocabulary instruction?

Tapping into Background Knowledge  Anticipation Guide  How is vocabulary instruction relevant in your content area? PM, p. 2

Research Base  Knowledge of word meanings (vocabulary) is critical to reading comprehension ( Learning First Alliance, 2000). . Vocabulary instruction results in comprehension gains and improvement on semantic tasks (National Reading Panel, 2000 ).  Pre-instruction of vocabulary words facilitates both vocabulary acquisition and comprehension (National Reading Panel, 2000 ).  Use of multiple instructional practices maximizes the possibility that students will receive instruction that best meets their needs (Institute of Education Sciences, 2008 ).

Some Words Are Learned Indirectly  Conversational Language  Listening  Reading Extensively On Their Own

Levels of Word Knowledge Never SeenHeard ItRecognizes ItKnows It BWTL, pp

Matthew Effect  The more words a child knows, the more complex text that child will be able to read.  The more complex texts a child can read, the more words they will learn.  The reverse is also true.  Thus, the “rich get richer and the poor get poorer.” FOV, pp

Five Recommendations for Vocabulary Instruction  Provide explicit vocabulary instruction.  Provide direct and explicit comprehension strategy instruction.  Provide opportunities for extended discussion of text meaning and interpretation.  Increase student motivation and engagement in literacy learning.  Design and make accessible intensive and individualized interventions for struggling readers that can be provided by trained specialists. Improving Adolescent Literacy: Effective Classroom and Intervention Practices (2009) ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/publications/practiceguides

Why Explicit Vocabulary Instruction?  Adolescents are frequently not familiar with the vocabulary found in grade level texts.  Words are best learned through repetition.  Embedding vocabulary instruction in content areas is beneficial.  Explicit instruction in word meaning and strategies is beneficial. Improving Adolescent Literacy: Effective Classroom and Intervention Practices (2009) ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/publications/practiceguides PM, p. 3

Selecting Vocabulary Words for Explicit Instruction Which words are related to key concepts necessary to comprehension of the selection? Which words do I need to pre-taught, discussed in context, or studied indepth? Which words or concepts have potential for enhancing independent learning? Which words have relatively high value outside the specific selection at hand and may resonate beyond the school year and the particular content area? Which words or concepts are students over - generalizing in their writing and discussion?

Beck’s Three Tier System  Tier One Words Most basic words, rarely require instruction  Tier Two Words Tier two words facilitate sophisticated thought and allow us to communicate our ideas more precisely to others.  Tier Three Words Rarely used words, limited to specific content BWTL, pp. 8, 19; PM pp. 4, 5

Developing Vocabulary Across Grade Levels Instruction that inspires and supports word ownership by students is designed around three features: 1.Frequent encounters with the words 2.Richness of instruction 3.Extension of word use beyond the classroom

Instructional Approach  Introduce Words  Clarify and Explore Facets of Word Meanings  Exploring Relationships Among Words  Automaticity and Transfer/Students’ Use of Words  Assessment BWTL, pp. 51–52, 56–59, 79-95

Introducing Vocabulary “ Full understanding and spontaneous, appropriate use of new words develops gradually, but a strong start is essential to allowing those processes to occur.” Beck, McKeown, Kucan

Introducing Vocabulary Create student friendly definitions. Provide alternative contexts for using the words beyond the text. Invite students to interact with words in meaningful ways. BWTL, pp. 35–36, 87–88, 32-34

Introducing Vocabulary  Create student friendly definitions.  Provide additional contexts for using the words beyond the text.  Invite students to interact with the words in a meaningful way. BWTL, pp. 44–46, 53

Effective Follow-up Activities  Facets of Word Meaning  Students’ Use of Words  Relationships among Words BWTL, pp

Clarify and Explore Facets of Word Meanings Exploring and elaborating on the meanings of words deepens students’ understanding of the words and helps to build connections to other words and concepts they know. (Bringing Words to Life) BWTL, pp. 89, 74

Exploring Relationships Among Words Degrees of Meaning shallow - great - thoughtful - reflective - profound vitriolic - malevolent - bad - benign - genial - magnanimous BWTL, pp. 89

Graphic Organizers for Vocabulary Study  Making Connections  Analysis Map  Concept Definition Maps  Words in Context  Word Questioning  Multiple Meanings  Semantic Maps  Frayer Model  Vocabulary Transfer Bridge PM, pp. 6-21

Word Learning Strategies 1.Using Word Parts 2.Using Context Clues 3.Using Dictionaries and Other Reference Aids

Automaticity and Student Use of Words Readers who are fluent and comprehend well have developed the ability to automatically use word strategies that allow them to be independent readers. BWTL, p. 90

Assessment Assessment provides both formative and summative information. A variety of assessment tasks can assess levels of word knowledge. BWTL, pp

Visual Scaffolding Our brains store language concepts in both linguistic and nonlinguistic forms. This is especially important for English Language Learners. Visual scaffolding makes complex ideas accessible to everyone. Examples of Content Learning Walls

Vocabulary Logs –Student Friendly Definitions –Graphic Organizers –Examples in Context –Illustrations to expand meaning Various Names for Vocabulary Logs –Writer’s Notebook (Wondrous Words) –Learning Log –Vocabulary Notebook –Vocabulary Journal

Essential Questions  How do students learn the meanings of words?  What words should be taught?  What are essential practices for meaningful vocabulary instruction?

Reflection Name one idea you will share with a colleague to encourage his/her learning about effective vocabulary practices? How has this changed your thinking about vocabulary instructional practices? What support do you need to implement the practices you learned today? What can content specialists and instructional facilitators do to support you?