1. Reading in the Classroom for Teachers Did You Know…  There are two types of vocabulary. Oral vocabulary refers to words that we use in speaking or recognize in listening. Reading vocabulary refers to words we recognize or use in print.  Vocabulary is an essential aspect of background knowledge.  A single exposure to words through pre- teaching is not nearly as valuable as multiple opportunities to learn the meaning of words, encounter them in print, hear them from the teacher, and other students, and practice using them.  Reading 15 minutes a day will increase a student’s vocabulary by 1,000 words in a year!  Children’s books expose you to more challenging vocabulary than do prime-time adult TV shows. Resources: Building Academic Vocabulary Teacher’s Manual 2005 Research-Based Reading Methods of Reading Instruction2004 A Six-Step Process for Teaching Vocabulary 1.Provide a description of the new term. 2.Ask students to restate the description in their own words in writing. 3.Ask students to make a picture representing the term. 4.Engage students periodically in review activities. 5.Periodically ask students to discuss terms with one another. 6.Involve students in games that let them play with terms. Teaching vocabulary is like giving our students a vitamin to help with their reading comprehension. Teach one a day and watch your readers grow stronger! Vocabulary Support for You If you would like Amy to come in and model this six-step process in your room, e-mail at ahuether@shannon.ws.

2. Reading At School for Administrators Did You Know:  Vocabulary is the knowledge of words we need to communicate effectively.  Oral vocabulary refers to words that we use in speaking or recognize in writing.  Reading vocabulary refers to words we recognize in print.  Good vocabulary instruction provides multiple exposures through rich and varied activities to meaningful information about the word.  Building Academic Vocabulary Teacher’s Manual is a resource for teachers to teach a systematic vocabulary program through teaching academic terms. This resource was developed by Robert J. Marzano and Debra J. Pickering Resources: Building Academic Vocabulary Teacher’s Manual, 2005 Research-Based Methods of Reading Instruction, 2004 Impact of Direct Academic Vocabulary Instruction  Research shows a student in the 50th percentile in terms of ability to comprehend the subject matter taught in school, with no direct vocabulary instruction, scores in the 50th percentile ranking.  The same student, after specific content-area terms have been taught in a specific way, raises his/her comprehension ability to the 83rd percentile. Why?  People’s knowledge of any topic is encapsulated in the vocabulary they know that are relevant to the topic.  The more student’s know about the vocabulary introduced in their school subjects, the easier it is for them to understand information they may read or hear about the topic.  Knowledge of important vocabulary is critical to understanding any subject. Vocabulary Support for You If you would like Amy to support you in your learning of effective vocabulary instruction for you or your teachers through in- servicing, walk-thru’s, modeling, or conversation, e-mail ahuether@shannon.ws.

3. Did You Know…  There are two types of vocabulary. Oral vocabulary refers to words that we use in speaking or recognize in listening. Reading vocabulary refers to words we recognize or use in print.  Vocabulary is the tool that unlocks the meaning of text.  Reading 15 minutes a day will increase a child’s vocabulary by 1,000 words in a year!  Reading is a helpful means for improving word knowledge, many of the children with the poorest vocabularies are also those who read the least. Resources: Research-Based Reading Methods of Reading Instruction, 2004 Strategies for engaging parents in home support of reading acquisition, 2005 Vocabulary At Home To support the development of vocabulary you can:  Talk with your child about daily events and about books you read together.  Read many different kinds of books with your child.  Talk about how pictures and text in a book support each other.  Use word lists provided by your child’s teacher in natural conversations.  Search for new words in texts and look them up in the dictionary.  Help your child learn new words based on hobbies or interests.  Vocabulary can be developed indirectly when children talk, listen to adults read, and read extensively on their own.  Vocabulary can also be developed by being taught individual words and word learning strategies. Reading At Home

4. Did You Know:  There are two types of vocabulary. Oral vocabulary refers to words that we use in speaking or recognize in listening. Reading vocabulary refers to words we recognize or use in print.  Good vocabulary instruction helps children gain ownership over words.  A single exposure to words through pre- teaching is not nearly as valuable as multiple opportunities to learn the meaning of words, encounter them in print, hear them from the teacher and other children, and practice using them.  Reading is a helpful means for improving word knowledge, many of the children with the poorest vocabularies are also those who read the least. Resources: Building Academic Vocabulary Teacher’s Manual, 2005 Research-Based Reading Methods of Reading Instructions,2004 Developing Vocabulary Tips for You:  Reading 15 minutes a day will increase a child’s vocabulary by 1,000 words a year!  Pick out all different kinds of reading material that is just right for the children you work with.  Encourage children to read whenever they have free time.  Read with a child whenever you have time. Talk about words the child might not know.  Play a game! Vocabulary Charades is great fun. In the hallway or lining up from recess, call off a word like addition and have the children act out (with their bodies, no talking) what the word means. Continue calling new words until it’s time to go. It’s a great attention getter and encourages word learning, too! Reading With Children For Paraprofessionals