1. Dr. Elaine Roberts University of West Georgia
Vocabulary Building
Dr. Elaine Roberts
University of West Georgia

2. What Teachers Need to Know about Building Vocabulary
How proficient readers enrich their vocabulary
How to assess and select strategies for teaching vocabulary that save instructional time and provide consistency (students learn to use the strategies on a regular basis)
How to build struggling reader’s vocabulary

3. Factors Influencing a Child’s Vocabulary
Life experiences
Vicarious experiences (videos, TV, movies, CD-ROMs, Internet, books, etc.)
Direct instruction

4. Five Ingredients for Direct Instruction of Vocabulary
Words must be learned in context
Words must be related to previous knowledge
Words must be fully understood so students can use them in new situations
Students need to use, hear, and see the words repeatedly
Teachers need to enjoy learning new words

5. Assessment of Vocabulary
Informal assessment
Cloze tests
Maze tests
Use of new vocabulary during writing
Formal assessment
Standardized achievement tests
Group diagnostic tests
Individual diagnostic reading tests

6. Lucy Calkins Twist on Vocabulary from her books, The Art of Reading and The Art of Writing
Students profit from read alouds, book talks, book introductions with geared towards rehearsing and talking about words and concepts in a book
Pronounce unknown word and replace it with a synonym that works in the same sentence (build webs of words that are synonyms)
Hang onto meaning and take a “stab” at the meaning from context through life experience related discussions
Students benefit more from extensive reading with vocabulary discussions related to author’s style rather than “kill and drill”
The dictionary is for use after students try the above

7. What Does This Checklist Reveal about Students’ Vocabulary?

8. Strategies for Vocabulary Building
Categorizing
Possible Sentences
Analogies
Exploring word origins
Crossword puzzles
Synonym/Definition Concentration
Wordo
Concept of a Definition, Thinking Maps

9. Strategies for Vocabulary Building (cont.)
Scattergory
Multiple Meaning Race Track
Hink pinks
Dictionary guide words
Locating the correct dictionary definition
Anticipation Guides (Voc and Comprehension)
Personal Clue Cards

10. Making the match in vocabulary instruction: Students, purposes, words and strategies by Flanigan & Greenwood, Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, 2007
Four Level Framework
Level 1 critical before reading words
Level 2 “Foot in the Door” words
Level 3 Critical during &after reading words
Level 4 Words not to teach
Must know before reading, ex. ecosystem
Must know before reading (new words/ new concept =definition & sentence) or new words/ familiar
Concepts (synonyms, etc.)
Does not need to be known before reading
Variable level of knowledge depending on purpose/stand-ard
Does not need to be addressed at all
Previously known words
Words that don’t serve lesson objectives
Need In depth knowledge
Surface level knowledge
Variable level of time depending on purpose
Mod. To significant teaching time
Minimal teaching time & explore more after reading

11. Process for choosing words and strategies (Flanigan & Greenwood)
Step 1-Read the text and determine instructional goals & standards
Step 2-Based on the goals, identify words/concepts that students should know by the end of the lesson. These are level 1-3 words.
Step 3-”Chunk” instruction by teaching related concepts together(e.g. it makes sense to teach omnivore, carnivore, and herbivore together). Chunking concepts help students make connections across concepts and saves teachers instructional time.
Step 4-Which words/concepts does the student absolutely need to know before reading? There are the Level 1 and 2 words
Step 5-Which words does the student need to know , but not necessarily before reading the text? Level 3 words and can be addressed during and after reading
Step 6-What do you want the student to know about the word? What is the teaching strategy you choose?

12. Selecting Teaching Strategies for Level 1 words=Frayer, Semantic/concept mapping, and SFA strategies
SFA=Semantic Feature Analysis- compare contrast content area concepts before, during and after reading such as dictatorship, direct democracy, representative democracy
Citizens have voting rights (Y/N)
Citizens elect leaders (Y/N)
Reps are elected by citizens (Y/N)
Dictator-ship
Direct
Democr.
Repre. Democr.

13. Selecting Level 2 Words Strategies=definition plus rich context sentences, concept circles

14. Selecting Level 3 Words Teaching Strategies
Applause Strategy by Beck, McKeown & Kucan, 2002
Have you ever? Strategy by authors above
Class group work - use handouts for vocabulary activities under class powerpoints on courseden

15. Possible Sentences Based on New Vocabulary

16. Literature Circles Enhance Vocabulary and Comprehension
Heterogeneous groups read a book of interest and make connections, debate and challenge each other, and ask open ended questions – student centered
Teacher is the floating facilitator and is usually not a member of any group
First, model and practice the literature circle roles with emphasis on grand conversations for a week with student “tryouts”
Daniel’s six roles (role sheets are online):
1. Artful Artist
2. Word Wizard (Word Id and Vocabulary)
3. Discussion Leader (themes, style, etc.)
4. Dramatic Reenactor (quotes, favorite parts)
5. Story Elements Correspondent (characters, place, plot, etc.)
6. Personal Connector

17. Activity for the Literature Circle Strategy
Select members for the Literature Circles
Assign roles for the members of each circle
Assign reading to be completed by the circles inside or outside of class
Select circle meeting dates
Help students prepare for their roles in their circle
Act as a facilitator