Instructional Strategies to Increase Student
Achievement
“Best Practice Makes Perfect”
Hello! Thank you for your time during this Early
Dismissal!
Introductions (if needed)
Time frame for the afternoon
Thinking about vocabulary
Take 2 minutes and write your thoughts on teaching direct vocabulary instruction
Think-Pair-Share with a partner
What is Best Practice? “Good Practice” Solid, reputable, state-of-the-art work in a field Current research, consistently offering the benefits of the
latest knowledge, technology, and procedures Leading of our field Serious, thoughtful, informed, responsible, state-of-the-art-
teaching
Based on the work of Zemelman, Daniels, and HydeBest Practice – Today’s Standards for Teaching and Learning in
America’s Schools
Vocabulary Direct teaching of vocabulary may be one of the most
underused instructional activities in K-12 education.
Student directed NOT teacher directed
Teacher does not recite definitions and students record and memorize them.
Students must encounter words multiple times before they learn them.
“Teaching specific terms in a specific way is probably the strongest action a teacher can take to ensure that students have the academic background knowledge they need to understand the content they will encounter in school.” Robert Marzano
Making the case…
“Given the relationship between academic background knowledge and academic achievement, one can make the case that it should be at the top of any list of interventions intended to increase student achievement.”
Robert Marzano, Building Background Knowledge for Academic Achievement
Making another case…
Only 1.67 minutes are devoted to direct vocabulary among 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade teachers observed by Roser and Juel (1982).
Making yet another case…Poverty and Ethnicity
There is a direct relationship between access to academic background experiences and family income.
Black and Hispanic children are much more likely to be poor, and for longer periods of time, than white children are.
Okay, one more case!
In-depth data analysis was conducted by the AYP Team in regards to the MCA-II
Data indicates a deficiency in vocabulary development
Vocabulary development can easily be incorporated in any subject; this is not a subject specific approach
Two Approaches to Building Background Knowledge
DIRECTField Trips
Mentoring
INDIRECTSustained Silent Reading (SSR)
Direct Vocabulary Instruction (DVI)
Effect Size
The effect size is the unit of measure that expresses the increase or decrease in achievement of the experimental group in standard deviation units.
Impact of Effect Size
Large .80 (Just about 1 Standard Deviation of growth!)
Medium .50 Small .20
Based upon the work of J. Cohen, Statistical Power Analysis for the Behavioral
Sciences
Impact of Direct Vocabulary Instruction
Effect Size:
.97
The Effect Size of Direct Vocabulary Instruction: .97
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
NoInst.
Instr.
If there is not direct vocabulary instruction the student is at the 50th percentile in terms of ability to comprehend the subject matter taught.
Teaching Direct Vocabulary involves…
Descriptions as opposed to definitions Use of linguistic and nonlinguistic representations Gradual shaping of words Teaching and using word parts Different types of instruction for different types of
words Students interacting about the words they are
learning Use of games Focus on terms important to academic subjects
Putting it into practice
Lago Lake
Pulsiero Bracelet
Soltiero Bachelor
Lata Can
Tia Aunt
Jogar Gamble
Lua Moon
Noz Walnut
Step 1Write the wordwave
Step 2Add a visual
Step 3Write a definitionA big curl of
waterStep 4Create a sentence
Hawaii has the best surfing waves.
How to set up Vocabulary Cards
Vocabulary Cards Step 1 Write the word
Step 2 Add a visual
Step 3 Write a definition
Step 4 Create a sentence
Step 5 Write the vocabulary word on the reverse side of the card
Write vocabulary word on reverse side of card
How to set up Vocabulary Cards
wave
Putting it into practice - activity
1. Set up Vocabulary cards using the 8 Portuguese words.2. Facilitator will allow each participant 10 seconds to look
at each card.3. Participants Think-Pair-Share how they chose the
picture/icon for the vocabulary along with any other ideas relating to the creation of the card.
4. The facilitator says the vocabulary word out loud – participants echo the same.
5. Facilitator quizzes the group on their newly acquired vocabulary words.
Vocabulary Cards – Scoring Rubric
4Has vocabulary card set up correctlyVisual pic represents vocabulary wordDefinition is appropriate for vocabulary wordSentence is complete and makes senseOverall quality is excellent
3Has vocabulary card set up correctlyVisual pic represents vocabulary wordDefinition is correctSentence is complete Overall quality is ok
2Vocabulary card is NOT set up correctlyVisual pic is not accurateDefinition is not real clear and/or is incorrectSentence is incompleteOverall quality could be better
1Vocabulary card is NOT set up correctlyVisual pic is not accurate or not finishedDefinition is incorrect or isn’t finishedSentence is incomplete and incorrectOverall quality is very poor
Steps to Effective Vocabulary
Teacher gives description, explanation and or example of the new term.
Students restate in their own words. Students create a nonlinguistic representation Periodic activities that add to knowledge of the
terms. Students periodically discuss the terms with one
another. Periodic games to play with the terms.
Short Video Clip
Expanding Vocabulary – PD 360
Expanding Vocabulary – 1402S-9
Vocabulary Games Jeopardy I Have, Who Has Pictionary - Picture This (Vocabulictionary?) Analogies Pantomime Charades Memory Vocabulary Cards
Change
Vision Skills Incentives ResourcesAction Plan
= CHANGE
Skills Incentives ResourcesAction Plan
= Confusion
Vision Incentives ResourcesAction Plan
= Anxiety
Vision Skills ResourcesAction Plan
= Resistance
Vision Skills Incentives Action Plan
= Frustration
Vision Skills Incentives Resources = Treadmill
Short video clip
Non Linguistic Representations
Non Linguistic Representations 1305S-6
Dialogue
How can you use these strategies in your classroom?
Which strategies really have possibilities for you right now based upon what you have learned today, the data you have from your students, and your building’s school improvement goals?
What would be an easy, not-so-burdensome method of determining a) the effectiveness in the classroom, and b) if direct vocabulary is being taught throughout the district?
Putting it all together
Professional Development AYP Plan
Strategic Plan
So…
“The idea that learning is not a matter of telling, and being told, but an active and constructive process, is an idea which is as widely accepted in theory as it is neglected in practice.”
John Dewey
Translation
Just Do It!
Electronic Resources
Helpful Links
Instructional Strategies to Increase Student
Achievement
“Best Practice Makes Perfect”