Building Academic Vocabulary

Buncombe County Schools

Middle and High School Teachers

November 29, 2012

Norms

• Apply the information to your teaching situation.

• Be open to the ideas of every person.

• Be respectful to presenters and learners and give your full attention to the topics by: silencing phones, keeping sidebar conversations to a minimum, and not working on other things.

Prior Knowledge Place Mat• At your table, draw a circle

map.• In the middle, write

“academic vocabulary.”• Divide the circle into “pie

pieces” equal to the number of participants at your table.

• Choose the closest pie piece & record anything you know about academic vocabulary, including strategies you use or have seen.

• Use words, pictures, and symbols.

• Discuss your knowledge with your tablemates.

How do our students feel?

When the lights suddenly went out, I purchased the nearest thing: an echinated vine! Such was my distress that I immediately defenestrated the plant.

1. What object was echinated?

2. What happened to the plant?

Academic Vocabulary: A Two-Headed Monster!

• Content Vocabulary = words or conceptsspecific to a single

discipline

• Academic Language = process or test words common to

multiple disciplines

Vocabulary in my Content

Using a text from your content area, make a list of important vocabulary for an upcoming unit.

Whose job is it to teach

this vocabulary

to your students?

• So how do we go about teaching these concepts to our students?

• What does the research say?

Systematic vocabulary instruction is one of the most important instructional interventions that

teachers can use, particularly with low-achieving students.

Research Says…

Marzano, 2004

RESEARCH CONNECTIONS

• Students need to be exposed to a word at least six times in context to learn the meaning of the word.

• Subject-specific terms are the best target for direct vocabulary instruction.

Page 134

Provide a description,

explanation, or example of the

new term.

Ask students to restate the

description, explanation, or example in their

own words.

Ask students to construct a

picture, symbol, or graphic

representing the term or phrase.

Engage students in activities that help them add to

their knowledge of the terms in their

notebooks.

Periodically ask students to

discuss the terms with one another.

Involve students periodically in

games that allow them to play with

terms.

A Six-Step Process for Teaching New Terms

Building Background Knowledge for Academic AchievementDebra Pickering and Robert Marzano Page 135

Turn & Talk

Can you name all of

Marzano’s six steps

to teaching vocabulary?

How do I decide which vocabulary is important to teach

directly?

– CCSS/ESS– EOCs/EOGs/Common Exams– Marzano’s Building Academic Vocabulary– National organizations– PLCs/Content Teams

Dividing and Conquering

content vocabulary words

need to know good to know nice to know

content vocabulary words

“I know that, and I could teach it myself” “I’m pretty sure I know it” “Huh?”

Content Vocabulary

Create a tree map at your table, categorizing essential vocabulary from a unit in your content area.

content vocabulary words

need to know good to know nice to know

Strategies for Student Self-Assessment

• STRESSS Test/So That’s a Word?(knowledge rating charts)

• 4 Corners• Say What???

“Say What???”

• Read the excerpt from a high school science text.

• As you read, jot down any words a student might have difficulty with (one word per sticky note).

• At your table, see if you can eliminate some of the sticky notes by defining words for one another.

• Post remaining words on the “Say What” poster.

Stop and Jot

Take a minute to record how you might adapt these vocabulary self-assessment strategies in your classroom:

• 4 corners• STRESS Test/ “That’s a

Word”• Say What???

Provide a description,

explanation, or example of the

new term.

Ask students to restate the

description, explanation, or example in their

own words.

Ask students to construct a

picture, symbol, or graphic

representing the term or phrase.

Engage students in activities that help them add to

their knowledge of the terms in their

notebooks.

Periodically ask students to

discuss the terms with one another.

Involve students periodically in

games that allow them to play with

terms.

A Six-Step Process for Teaching New Terms

Building Background Knowledge for Academic AchievementDebra Pickering and Robert Marzano Page 135

Step 1: What are some strategies for introducing the vocabulary?

• Assess prior knowledge• Show a picture, video, or digital image• Tell a story integrating the term• Use a contextual sentence• Use current events familiar to students• SEEP/ 3 column vocab/Dinner Party

S. E. E. P.Stem

(prefix, root, or suffix)

Examples

(from students)

Explanations

(whole class or small group)

Picture

(individual student association)

Mal- -Draco Malfoy (Harry Potter)

-Malificent

(Sleeping Beauty)

-Malpractice

-Malevolent

Bad

Now You Try It

• Create a SEEP foldable using a root or affix from your content area.

Stem Examples Explanation

Picture

Dinner Party

Directions: Find the “guests” who have place cards similar to yours. Sit down at a table for your “dinner party.” Discuss what you have in common.

Stop and Jot

Take a minute to record how you might adapt these step 1 (introduction) strategies in your classroom:

• Assess prior knowledge• Show a picture, video, or digital image• Tell a story integrating the term• Use a contextual sentence• Use current events familiar to students• SEEP/ 3 column vocab/Dinner Party

Provide a description,

explanation, or example of the

new term.

Ask students to restate the

description, explanation, or example in their

own words.

Ask students to construct a

picture, symbol, or graphic

representing the term or phrase.

Engage students in activities that help them add to

their knowledge of the terms in their

notebooks.

Periodically ask students to

discuss the terms with one another.

Involve students periodically in

games that allow them to play with

terms.

A Six-Step Process for Teaching New Terms

Building Background Knowledge for Academic AchievementDebra Pickering and Robert Marzano Page 135

Steps 2 & 3: What are some strategies for re-stating and illustrating the

vocabulary?

• SEEP/ 3 Column Vocabulary• Circle Map• Frayer Model• Cartoons• Charades

Circle Map

vicious

“When I broke up with him, she started vicious rumors about me.”

cruel

synonym

harsh or

inhuman

Angry people and bullies often say vicious remarks about the ones they want to hurt.

mad, frustrated,

rumors, nasty

from “Confessions

…Bully”

Frayer Model

vocabulary concept

definition in

student’s own wordspicture

examples other info/new thinking

Frayer Model in Math

How have you adapted the Frayer Model in your content?

• Foldables• Examples/Non-Examples• Characteristics/Non-Characteristics• Use in a Sentence• Synonyms/Antonyms• Part of Speech• Inference/ “I Think” Statement• Other?

Now You Try. . .

• Choose a content vocabulary word from your earlier list.

• Create either a circle map or Frayer Model illustrating the concept.

• Make sure to include a visual representation.

Stop and Jot

Take a minute to record how you might adapt these step 2 & 3 (re-state & illustrate) strategies in your classroom:

• SEEP/ 3 Column Vocabulary

• Frayer Model

• Circle Map

• Cartoons

• Charades

Provide a description,

explanation, or example of the

new term.

Ask students to restate the

description, explanation, or example in their

own words.

Ask students to construct a

picture, symbol, or graphic

representing the term or phrase.

Engage students in activities that help them add to

their knowledge of the terms in their

notebooks.

Periodically ask students to

discuss the terms with one another.

Involve students periodically in

games that allow them to play with

terms.

A Six-Step Process for Teaching New Terms

Building Background Knowledge for Academic AchievementDebra Pickering and Robert Marzano Page 135

Step 4: What are some activities to add to student knowledge about the

vocabulary?

• Dump & Clump• Tagxedo.com,Wordle.net• Thinking Maps• 3 X 3 Vocabulary Grid

Dump and ClumpThe Dumpster

The Clumpster

Tagxedo.com

Wordle.net

Double-Bubble Map

Use the meaning of each part to write the definition of the whole word.

Brace Map

Add the meaning of each part in parentheses.

Page 138WORD

PARTS

“Teaching word parts enhances students’

understanding of terms.”

Robert Marzano

Brace Map with manipulatives

mitochondria

Power Plant

Bridge Map

Bridge Map

Bridge Map

3X3 Vocabulary Grid

virus influenza pandemic

vaccine replicate immunity

immune system antibodies infectious

“In order to recover from influenza, your body must replicate antibodies to fight the virus.”

Now You Try It. . .

• Using some of the words you chose earlier from your content text, create a Thinking Map or 3 X 3 Vocabulary Grid.

• Make sure to include a summary sentence.

Stop and Jot

Take a minute to record how you might adapt these step 4 (activities) in your classroom:

• Word Splash• Dump & Clump• Wordle• Thinking Maps• 3 X 3 Vocabulary Grid

Provide a description,

explanation, or example of the

new term.

Ask students to restate the

description, explanation, or example in their

own words.

Ask students to construct a

picture, symbol, or graphic

representing the term or phrase.

Engage students in activities that help them add to

their knowledge of the terms in their

notebooks.

Periodically ask students to

discuss the terms with one another.

Involve students periodically in

games that allow them to play with

terms.

A Six-Step Process for Teaching New Terms

Building Background Knowledge for Academic AchievementDebra Pickering and Robert Marzano Page 135

Step 5: What are some strategies for student discussion about the

vocabulary?

• Turn and Talk• Sentence Frames• AB Dyad• Vo-back-ulary

Sentence Frames

• A ________ is different than a _________ because . . .”

• mean/median• simile/metaphor• proton/neutron• socialist/communist

• I am like a ________ because I . . .”• parabola• oxymoron• river basin• legislative branch

AB Dyad

• Student “A” defines, describes, analyzes, etc. the vocabulary word.

• Student “B” summarizes, adds to, corrects, etc.

whatever was said by Student “A”

Vo-back-ulary

• Pick a need-to-know word from your content area.

• Write the word on a post-it note and place it on someone’s back (not at your table).

• As the music plays, move around the room.

• When the music stops, find a partner and provide each other clues to identify the words.

• When word is identified, you may sit down.

• Continue switching partners until word is identified or time is up.

Stop and Jot

Take a minute to record how you might adapt these step 5 (discussion) strategies in your classroom:

• Turn and Talk• Sentence Frames• AB Dyad• Vocabulary

Provide a description,

explanation, or example of the

new term.

Ask students to restate the

description, explanation, or example in their

own words.

Ask students to construct a

picture, symbol, or graphic

representing the term or phrase.

Engage students in activities that help them add to

their knowledge of the terms in their

notebooks.

Periodically ask students to

discuss the terms with one another.

Involve students periodically in

games that allow them to play with

terms.

A Six-Step Process for Teaching New Terms

Building Background Knowledge for Academic AchievementDebra Pickering and Robert Marzano Page 135

Step 6: What are some games that allow students to play with the vocabulary?

• White Boards• Pictionary• Jeopardy• Twister• Definition Fishing• Looping (“I Have. . . Who Has?”)• Mile-a-Minute/Pyramid Game

After the game, students should record the clues, illustrations, examples that helped

them guess each vocabulary word.

Page 141

Now You Try. . . .

(Let’s play the pyramid game)

Vocabulary Instruction

Sentenceframes

FrayerModel

Circle Map Say What??? Dump & Clump

Vo-Back-ularyAB Dyad

Tagxedo.com

Stop and Jot

Take a minute to record how you might adapt these step 6 (games) in your classroom:

• White Boards• Pictionary• Jeopardy• Definition Fishing• Looping (“I Have. . . Who Has?”)• Mile-a-Minute/Pyramid Game

How can we help our students retain vocabulary concepts even after moving on to a

new unit?

• Word Walls

• Concept Charts

Word Walls

Word Wall = an ongoing, organized display of key words that provides visual reference for students throughout a unit of study or a term. These words are used continually by teachers and students during a variety of activities.

http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/studentsuccess/thinkliteracy/files/ThinkLitWordWalls.pdf

Concept Charts

Concept Chart = in vocabulary, a labeled display of key words organized in a conceptual arrangement.

Current Content Vocabulary

Moving Current Vocabulary to Conceptual Word Wall

Concept Chart

Concept Chart

Concept Chart

Structural AnalysisConcept Chart

Prefix

trans

re

Base Word

port

port

port

Suffix

ation

able

Vocabulary Games with Word Walls & Concept Charts

Vocabulary Games with Word Walls & Concept Charts

• 20 Questions• Charades• 30 seconds• Mile-a-Minute• Mind-Reader

Mind-Reader

• Choose a word from the word wall.• Moving from general to specific,

create five clues about the word.• Ask students to number 1-5.• After each clue, students write a

guess.

Who am I?

?U.S. president

Published author

Brother killed

Civil rights advocate

“Ask not what your country . . . “

Turn and Talk

• As the music plays, move around the room.

• When the music stops, find a partner (not from your table).

• Talk to each other about how you might use concept charts/word walls in your classroom.

Stop and Jot

Take a minute to record how you might adapt concept charts/concept word walls in your classroom.

Academic Language: “Bricks & Mortar”

Bricks = Technical words specific to a discipline

Mortar= General but sophisticated words used to communicate complex thoughts (process or test words & phrases, idioms)

Content Area Bricks (Content Words)

Mortar (Academic Language)

English Language Arts

Imagery, alliteration, theme, metaphor

That is, implied, contains, leads us to believe

History/Social Studies

Revolution, monarchy, emancipation

Therefore, as a result, consequently, consist of

Math Reciprocal, hypotenuse, matrix, obtuse

If…then, end up with, derive, take care of

Science Mitosis, gravity, sublimation, force

Hypothesize, variable, infer, results in

Professional Article

• Use the anticipation guide to record your beliefs about academic language.

• Read “Narrow the Academic Language Gap to Reduce the Achievement Gap” looking for evidence to support or argue against your beliefs.

• Revise your thinking on the guide.

Connect to your Content Area

What are some “mortar” words in your content text?

3 Tiers of Vocabulary

Academic Vocabulary

Tier 1 Tier 2 Tier 3

Everyday Words High Frequency Content Specific

Multiple Meaning

All Contents

What are some strategies for teaching these “mortar” words?

•Diagnose the words students need to know. (Use Say What?, etc.) Turn & Talk at tables.

•Implement instruction based on Marzano’s six steps. Turn & Talk at tables.

•Increase Student Output. (Ask students to talk and write using the academic language).

How Do We Increase Student Output?

•Use “mortar” words in learning targets and ask students to use and discuss them.

•Use sentence starters or sentence frames that incorporate the “mortar words.” Students can use the frames in discussions or writing.

•Ask students to annotate thinking as a formative assessment tool.

Use “mortar” words in learning targets and ask students to use and discuss them.

I can identify soil forming factors that influence the type and quality of soil.

• What words might a 6th grade student not know? (Say What???)

• What is the difference between “type” and “quality?” (Turn & Talk)

• What thinking process does the word “influence” suggest?

Use sentence starters or sentence frames that incorporate the “mortar words.” Students can

use the frames in discussions or writing.

“Say Something”

Ask students to annotate thinking as a formative assessment tool.

• INSERT• Vocabulary

Sort

Annotating Thinking as Formative Assessment

Let’s practice how students might use academic language with EOG/ACT examples.

EOGs/EOCs/ACTs/Common Exams

• Let’s look at some common test prompts:

Jigsaw Reflection

– In expert groups:• What academic language do

you see that might hinder student comprehension?

– In home groups:• Are there words that you

found that are common to more than one subject?

Stop and Jot

Take a minute to record how you might approach choosing academic language and teaching students to use it.

By February 15, 2013: 1st collaboration with a literacy coach

(co-planning, co-teaching, class visit) Completion of Moodle assignments

By April 12, 2013: 2nd collaboration with a literacy coach

(co-planning, co-teaching, class visit)

–Set up a coaching cycle (co-planning/co-teaching/observation) with your literacy coach. (Feb 15, April 12)–Return for the follow-up session:

So What’s Next???

Thank you for your Participation!!!