1. Gail E. Tompkins California State University, Fresno
Literacy in the Middle Grades Teaching Reading and Writing to Fourth to Eighth Graders, 2e Second Edition
Gail E. Tompkins
California State University, Fresno
Prepared by
Helen Hoffner
Holy Family University
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2. Choosing Words to Study
Chapter 6
Choosing Words to Study
Tier 1: Basic Words
These common words are used socially in informal conversation at home and in recreational activities.
Tier 2: Academic Words
These words are used more frequently in written than in oral language.
Tier 3: Specialized Words
These technical words are content-specific and abstract.

3. Levels of Word Knowledge
Chapter 6
Levels of Word Knowledge
Level 1: Unknown Word
Students don’t recognize the word.
Level 2: Initial Recognition
Students have seen or heard the word or can pronounce it, but they don’t know its meaning.
Level 3: Partial Word Knowledge
Students know one meaning of the word and can use it in a sentence.
Level 4: Full Word Knowledge
Students know more than one meaning of the word and can use it several ways.

4. Vocabulary Instruction
Chapter 6
Vocabulary Instruction
Immerse students in words through listening, talking, reading, and writing.
Teach specific words through active involvement and multiple encounters with words.
Teach word-learning strategies so students can figure out the meanings of unfamiliar words.
Develop students’ word consciousness, their awareness of and interest in words.

5. Chapter 6
Word Walls
Words should be added as they come up in texts students are reading, not in advance.
Students and teachers write interesting and important words representing all 3 tiers on word walls.
Students use word walls during grand conversations, word study activities, and writing projects.

6. When students encounter an unfamiliar word, they should:
Chapter 6
When students encounter an unfamiliar word, they should:
Reread the sentence containing the word.
Use context clues.
Look for familiar root words & affixes.
Try to pronounce the word.
Use a dictionary.

7. To determine the meaning of an unfamiliar word, students should:
Chapter 6
To determine the meaning of an unfamiliar word, students should:
Use context clues.
Analyze word parts.
Check a dictionary.

8. Word-Study Activities
Chapter 6
Word-Study Activities
Word Posters
Possible Sentences
Dramatizing Words
Semantic Feature Analysis
Word Maps
Word Sorts
Word Chains

9. Monitoring Vocabulary Development
Chapter 6
Monitoring Vocabulary Development
Teachers monitor students’ vocabulary growth by using:
Observations
Conferences
Rubrics
Tests

10. The Matthew Effect “The rich get richer”
Chapter 6
The Matthew Effect
“The rich get richer”
Capable readers have larger vocabularies because they read more.
Capable readers read books with more sophisticated vocabulary.
The gulf between capable and less capable readers grows wider.

11. Scaffolding English Learners
Chapter 6
Scaffolding English Learners
English learners often need explicit vocabulary instruction.
Tier 1 Words
Teachers gather small objects and pictures to help students learn Tier 1 words.
Tier 2 Words
Teachers often preteach Tier 2 words before students read a text.
Tier 3 Words
Teachers teach the Tier 3 words that are essential for understanding the big ideas.