The Power of Vocabulary Instruction for Struggling Students IRA 2008 Atlanta, GA May 7, 2008.

The Power of Vocabulary Instruction for Struggling StudentsThe Power of Vocabulary Instruction for Struggling Students

IRA 2008Atlanta, GAMay 7, 2008

www.CurriculumAssociates.com

5.7.08IRA 2008


5.7.08IRA 2008

Background knowledge Background knowledge manifests itself as vocabulary manifests itself as vocabulary knowledge. Words are labels knowledge. Words are labels for our knowledge packets; the for our knowledge packets; the more words we have, the more more words we have, the more packets of knowledge, the packets of knowledge, the more background knowledge.more background knowledge.

Robert Marzano, 2004

equality

civil rights

independence


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A Summation of the A Summation of the ResearchResearch

“We know too much to say we know too little, and we know too little to say we know enough.”

Baumann & Kameenui (1991) cited in Allen, 1999.


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Indirect vs. Direct Indirect vs. Direct Vocabulary InstructionVocabulary Instruction

• Indirect instruction--sometimes referred to as implicit instruction--occurs as students read widely.

• Direct instruction --often called explicit instruction-- is purposefully providing practice with vocabulary words.


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Indirect Instruction Through Indirect Instruction Through Wide ReadingWide Reading

• “Students must have the skills to infer word meaning information from the contexts they read.”

• Struggling readers “do not engage in wide reading” and are “less able to derive meaningful information from the context.”(Beck, McKeown, & Kucan, 2002)

• “The chances of learning a word from context are moderated by a student’s ability level and grade level, and the density of the text.” (R. Marzano, 2004)


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Indirect Instruction Through Indirect Instruction Through Wide ReadingWide Reading

ModeratorModerator Level of Level of ModeratorModerator

Chances of Chances of Learning WordLearning Word

AbilityAbility LowLow 8%8%

MediumMedium 12%12%

HighHigh 19%19%

Grade LevelGrade Level Grade 4Grade 4 8%8%

Grade 11Grade 11 33%33%

Text DensityText Density 1 new word for 1 new word for every 10 wordsevery 10 words

7%7%

1 new word for 1 new word for every 75 wordsevery 75 words

14%14%

1 new word for 1 new word for every 150 wordsevery 150 words

30%30%

From Marzano, 2004, p.67


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Words in ContextWords in Context

• Think-alouds

• Contextual clues: Looking at the words around the unknown

word Synonyms, antonyms, definitions,

examples, contrasts

• Typographic clues: Glossary, footnotes, pictures, graphs, charts


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Three Tiers of Three Tiers of VocabularyVocabulary(Beck, McKeown, & Kucan)(Beck, McKeown, & Kucan)

• Tier 1Tier 1: the most basic words; require little instructional attention (happy, baby, walk)

• Tier 2Tier 2: high frequency; found across a variety of domains (absurd, fortunate, merchant)

• Tier 3Tier 3: lower frequency; often domain specific (isotope, refinery, peninsula)


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Choosing Vocabulary for Choosing Vocabulary for InstructionInstruction

• How useful is the word? Will students see it in other texts?

• How does the word relate to other words, or to ideas that students know or have been learning? Does it directly relate to a topic of study in the classroom?

• What does the word bring to a text or situation?


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Depth and Breadth of Depth and Breadth of VocabularyVocabulary

• Full understanding and use of vocabulary “occurs only over time and multiple encounters.”

(Beck, McKeown, Kucan, 2002)

• Knowing many words is to have breadth of word knowledge. A word’s literal meaning, its connotations, semantic associations such as synonyms and antonyms - these refer to depth of word knowledge. (August et al, 2005)


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Word Know it well, can

explain it, can use it

Know something

about it, can relate it to a

situation

Have seen or

heard the word

Do not know the

word

skeptical

surreptitious

grapnel

repugnant

placid

purport


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Allen, J. (1999). Words, Words, Words.


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Vocabulary and ELLsVocabulary and ELLs

• “ELLs who experience slow vocabulary development are less able to comprehend text at grade level.”

• “They may be at risk of being diagnosed as learning disabled…due to limited English vocabulary and poor comprehension that results in part from this limitation.”

(August, Carlo, Dressler, & Snow, 2005)


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Vocabulary and ELLsVocabulary and ELLs

• Take advantage of students’ first language (if this language shares cognates with English)

• Ensure ELLs know the meaning of basic words

• Review and Reinforce

• Students need the opportunity to talk about reading and words

(August, Carlo, Dressler, & Snow, 2005)


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Cognate KnowledgeCognate Knowledge

• Spanish-speaking students “can often call on their knowledge of cognates … to determine the meanings of words” in English.

• “The number of cognates they will encounter tends to increase with the grades as they encounter increasing numbers of words with Latinate roots, especially in their science and social studies courses.”

(Green, L.C.)


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False FriendsFalse Friends

• Spanish: Embarazada Asistir Carpeta

• French: Blesser La chair Formidable

• German: Bald Bekommen Dom


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Dictionary Definitions Dictionary Definitions

• (Most) dictionary definitions are not effective for learning the meanings of words.

• Students often take one or two words from a definition to be a word’s entire meaning.

• There are often multiple definitions; which is the most appropriate?

• Dictionaries often use the word itself in the definition!


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Dictionary Definitions Dictionary Definitions

Some examples:

Skeptical - inclined to skepticism

Plummet - a piece of lead or other weight attached to a line; something that weighs down or depresses; to plunge

Puzzle - something puzzling; puzzled or perplexed condition; bewilderment


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Online DictionariesOnline Dictionaries


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Word PartsWord Parts

• Prefixes: un-, dis-, re-, sub-• Roots: act (do), aud (hear), vid (see)• Suffixes: -ion, -est, -ology, -able

unrecognizable un- = notrecognize = know it when you see it-able = able to


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Allen, J. (1999). Words, Words, Words.

Uninterested

Not interested

bored


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Vocabulary ActivitiesVocabulary Activities(Beck, McKeown, & Kucan)(Beck, McKeown, & Kucan)

• Word associations: ask students to associate a known word with a new word. Go beyond synonyms to deal with relationships.

• Have you ever…? Ask students to associate words with contexts and experiences from their lives.

• Applause, Applause! Students are asked to clap in order to indicate how much they’d like to be described by a word (and why or why not)

• Idea Completions: sentence stems requiring students to use words in context.


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Vocabulary ActivityVocabulary Activity

• Write as many words as you can think of related to the solar system using the following letters:

a, e, i, u, g, l, m, n, p, r, s, t, v, x, y


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Vocabulary ActivityVocabulary Activity

• This activity can be used for any content area

• A good way to assess prior knowledge before beginning a unit


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Word WizardWord Wizard

• Create an environment where words matter.

• Word Wizard encourages students to look for target words outside the classroom.

• A chart with the students names has check marks for each time a student brings back a word and context in which it was used.

• Even fabricated contexts, if used correctly, count!


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Characteristics of Effective Direct Vocabulary

Instruction (Marzano)

• Effective vocabulary instruction does not rely on definitions.

• Students must represent their knowledge of words in linguistic and nonlinguistic ways.

• Effective vocabulary instruction involves the gradual shaping of word meanings through multiple exposures.

• Teaching word parts enhances students’ understanding of terms.

• Students should discuss the terms they are learning.


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GOs can be used to help students represent words linguistically and nonlinguistically


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CA ResourcesCA Resources

• CA101

• Topics in Education


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Call to ActionCall to Action

• Try at least one new vocabulary activity when you go back to your classroom.

• Let your students see you experiencing vocabulary.

• Have fun with words. After all…


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Words form the thread on which we string our experiences.

Aldous Huxley


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The Power of Vocabulary Instruction for Struggling Students IRA 2008 Atlanta, GA May 7, 2008.

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