A Brief Introduction About Creating Robust Vocabulary

By Author: endeavor
Total Articles: 3
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A brief first chapter revisits pertinent research on vocabulary learning and the critical role vocabulary development plays in reading comprehension. Particularly important is the identification of a ubiquitous classroom practice—having students associate words with definitions—as achieving at best "shallow knowledge" with little impact on comprehension. The authors observe "scant" attention Rolex Watches to vocabulary learning in most classrooms, with "mentioning" a word or synonym and assigning words to be looked up in the dictionary comprising the extent of typical vocabulary work.

The next four chapters address specific instructional issues the authors have fielded from teachers. The chapters are conveniently structured around four central questions: which Tier Two words merit extended instruction, when and how these words should be taught, what some specific instructional issues are, and how vocabulary instruction should be tailored for English-language learners (ELLs).

Chapter 2 provides guidance in selecting Tier Two words for instruction. The authors reference ...
... the "lexical bar" that exists between everyday conversational language and the more academic language of written texts. They recommend targeting Tier Two words that have "mileage"—words that will be met in a variety of contexts and thus have high utility to a learner. They raise a number of issues related to understanding word tiers (for example, they consider instances a word can be rated as both Tier Two and Tier Three). Their thorough consideration of these issues will help teachers conceptualize the intentions behind choosing appropriate words for instruction.

Chapter 3 features an excellent discussion of the distinction between preteaching words and developing vocabulary. Teachers may misattribute preteaching words before students read a passage as equivalent to teaching vocabulary. Preteaching words, according the authors, involves a brief "heads-up" on words that are likely to interfere with comprehension; preteaching is not intended to develop deep and flexible vocabulary knowledge. Likewise, vocabulary aids in written texts, such as sidebar definitions of difficult words, are intended to bolster comprehension and not build vocabulary. Much of this chapter is devoted to instructional routines revolving around student-friendly explanations. The authors highlight varied contextual examples, activities that engage students in actively processing word Replica Watches meanings, and meaningful assessments of word knowledge. This chapter provides a clear vision for teachers of the types of interactions and conversations consistent with a vocabulary-rich classroom environment.

Chapter 4 addresses how vocabulary instruction for adolescents should differ from teaching younger students. While the authors maintain that the basic framework for vocabulary instruction remains the same throughout the grades, older students would benefit from more complex interactions with words, more collaborative deliberations, and more integration of target vocabulary into discussions about texts and incorporation into writing. The authors discuss texts that contain few Tier Two words by recommending the inclusion of vocabulary that relates to ideas in the text, even though students do not encounter these words during reading. Such words provide useful language to communicate about a text and can be used to broaden the pool of words from which a teacher can select for instruction. In addition, the authors examine classroom practices such as word walls, vocabulary logs, and use of other modalities; they address how the much-maligned dictionary fits into classroom vocabulary work; and they offer methods for reinforcing learned words throughout a school year. Chapter 5 follows up with a specific focus on ELLs, who may still be grappling with conversational English (Tier One words), and how instruction of Tier Two words intersects with their developing facility with the language.