3. Vocabulary Definition “… vocabulary is the glue that holds stories, ideas, and content together…making comprehension accessible for children.” Rupley, Logan, & Nichols, 1998/99, p. 339
32. Word Webbing (Unfocused) * Based on Johnson, D. D. (2001). Vocabulary in the elementary and middle school. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon. asteroid
33. Word Webbing (Focused) * Based on Johnson, D. D. (2001). Vocabulary in the elementary and middle school. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon. asteroid Examples Attributes Context Use
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42. Explicit Vocabulary Teaching I’ve Selected My 10 Words, Now What? Definitions Dictionary Look Up Student Friendly Vocabulary Word Use Word in Context Find and Read it in the Book/Story Write the Word in a Sentence Examples Context Clue from Reading Category/Class/Part of Speech Characteristics Conceptual Understanding
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Editor's Notes
Read the quote on this slide. Activity 1: What is meant by vocabulary? With a partner, invite participants to take two minutes and see what definition they can come up with for what is meant by vocabulary. Take five minutes to summarize these definitions with participants.
Read the quote on this slide. Without sound vocabulary knowledge, children will not be successful readers. Vocabulary refers to the dynamic, on-going process each of us experiences throughout our lives in learning the complex relationships that exist among words. It involves both expressive and receptive abilities with words. We can use words to speak and write or read and listen. It also involves adding new concepts and labels to words already known. Additionally, especially early on in school, vocabulary refers to building an ability with sight words.
In early primary grades, children must have access to the large number of high frequency words that occur in the English language. Refer teachers to handout #1: High Frequency word list.
Children with intact neural capacity who are raised by supportive adults in a oral language community, develop the language of that community. Children begin attaching meanings to oral words around their first birthday (Huttenlocher and Smiley, 1987;Nelson, 1973). This knowledge of words accelerates throughout a child’s early years (Bates, et al., 1988). Activity: 2 Place the word “Restaurant” in the top center of the white board and ask participants to brainstorm all of the types of restaurants they are familiar with. This may include words such as ethnic, fast food, fine dining, street vendor, etc. Next, place the words “Places to Eat” just right of the word “Restaurant” on the white board. Write “Restaurant” directly under this phrase. Restaurant is a place to eat. Have participants list other places to eat such as in the park, at mom’s, etc. Finally, just left of “Restaurant” place the word “Ethnic food” or another type of restaurant from the list, at the top left of the whiteboard. Now, discuss the varying knowledge we each have developed for some of these terms and concepts we have filed in our memories. For example, What are some different expectations that might apply when we go to a fast food vs. fine dining restaurant (i.e., how do you pay for food, how is food ordered, how do you behave while waiting for the food to be delivered to you, etc.)
We know that students arrive at school with varying levels of word knowledge. Students’ word knowledge or vocabularies are influenced by their life experiences and cultural backgrounds. Once in school, students acquire some of their vocabulary knowledge through teacher instruction, frequent interactions with a variety of texts, and participation in a variety of language activities. Teachers need to build on students’ oral vocabularies and extend their developing reading vocabularies. Several types of vocabulary have been identified: Listening vocabulary includes words students hear and understand. Speaking vocabulary includes words students use in everyday speech. Reading vocabulary includes words in print that students know. As students begin to read, reading vocabulary is mapped onto their listening and speaking vocabularies. Writing vocabulary includes words that students understand and can reproduce when writing.
The language patterns within homes of high and low SES families varies greatly. Children in high SES homes have access to a greater amount of oral and written language both within the home and in the community than low SES children.
It is critically important to work towards minimizing vocabulary differences among children early enough to avoid long-term establishment of differences in vocabulary knowledge. Perhaps, even prior to school beginning. Early intervention in vocabulary is critical. However, there is currently little being done in vocabulary instruction.
If a child is not familiar with words orally or in text, comprehension will most likely not occur. Instruction should be devoted to developing word knowledge in children. Children learn many words through conversations and reading than through direct instruction. An estimated seven words per day (2,700 – 3,000 words per year) are learned by children throughout their school years.
Worksheets are ineffective in helping students use new words and concepts in their continued learning. Children must be actively engaged in their learning of words, in meaningful ways. Active involvement may include discussions around terms, word games and activities, wide reading, etc.
To have a clear picture of a word requires knowing what it means, how it is connected to other words, how to pronounce it and use it in writing, and where one might be exposed to the word. Children can gain elaborated word depth and breadth by learning conceptual associations to the word, by placing the word in appropriate contexts, and by relating the word to its definitions. It is not reasonable to expect young children to make any significant cognitive connection of a word to its dictionary definition.
Children remember vocabulary better when words are connected to familiar experiences they have had. Children should be encouraged to discuss experiences from their life to connect words to experiences and encourage students word learning.
Independent vocabulary strategies that children might develop, fall into phonic analysis, structural analysis, contextual analysis. Phonic analysis – This helps with the pronunciation of the words. This may help if the word is already in the child’s mental lexicon. Structural analysis – Children are taught to recognize morphemes within words (meaningful parts of words). This may help them in building a meaning for an unknown word. Contextual analysis – This may help students to pay attention to meaningful clues within the context where the word appears.
When we identify and teach specific words directly, measurable increases in student word knowledge results.