Engaging Ways to Reinforce Vocabulary

January 5, 2011

The most effective vocabulary instruction provides multiple opportunities for students to engage with target words. In this session, participants will experience several ways for students to interact with words in order to establish deep understanding.

What We Know…7 – 12 encounters for word ownership (Stahl, 1986)

10 encounters reliably predicted comprehension (McKeown et. al., 1995)

Must go beyond traditional methods (NRP, 2000; Stahl & Fairbanks, 1986, Marzano, 2004, etc.)Students must be actively engaged with words (Marzano, 2004; Archer & Hughes, 2011; etc.)

Introducing Specific Words

1. Student Friendly ExplanationsCharacterize word and typical useExplain meaning in everyday language

2. Teacher-Created ContextsDevelop instructional contexts that provide strong clues to meaning

3. Active Engagement with WordsShort, playful, lively opportunities for students to interact with words and meanings right away and over time with feedback

(Beck et al. 2002 in Diamond & Gutlohn, 2006)

Student-Generated Descriptions

After instruction, ask students to restate the description, explanation, or example in their own wordsRequires student processing rather than copyingTips

Monitor carefullyEnsure / reinforce critical attributes

Nonlinguistic Representation

Ask students to construct a picture, symbol, or graphic representing the term or phraseUse of imagery has been shown to have a dramatic affect on comprehension of the instructed words when students read it in textTips

Downplay artistic ability; emphasize understanding“…how I’ll remember this word.”Pictures, drawings, symbols, physical representations/models, kinesthetic representations, graphic organizers, cartoon bubbles

Sentence StemsAsk students to apply the meaning of a target word in a different context by completing the sentence.For deep understanding, students must make connections and add to their understanding of the word in different contexts.Examples

My sister and I tried to coordinate our after-school schedules because…Fission and fusion are similar because they both… (…are different because…)

Morphological StudyExplain the meaning of the root/base word. Have students build additional words using the root. Discuss common meanings.Understanding the meaning of a root word helps readers infer the meaning of unknown words.

inhabitation

in + habit +ate +ion(to have, hold; to

dwell)

uninhabited inhabitable inhabitant habitat habitual

Student Self-Rating

4 I understand even more about this term than I was taught.

3I understand the term and I’m not confused about any part of what it means (i.e., critical attributes).

2 I’m a little uncertain about what the term means, but I have a general idea.

1 I’m very uncertain about the term. I really don’t understand what it means.

Ask students to periodically rate their understanding of important terms.Self-assessment requires students to think about the critical attributes of the word, raises awareness regarding their own progress, and provides formative feedback to the teacher.

Examples & Non-Examples

Ask students to distinguish between examples and non-examples or generate examples and non-examples.Students must process the critical attributes of the word/concept.Variations:

Response Cards / SlatesChoral Response

(Archer & Hughes, 2011, p. 75)

Examples / Non-ExamplesConsider interior (the interior of a region is the central area—the area that is away from the coast, state line, or border)

Interior or NOT?Which tells about the interior of Oregon?

On their vacation, the family visited a lake in central Oregon.On their vacation, the family visited the beaches and coast of Oregon?

ChoicesIf what I say could be in the interior of a big island, say “interior”…

A mountainAn ocean wave

Making Choicesloquacious or reserved?

many students after an exciting event

an introvert

most new students

someone who “likes the sound of her own voice”

T-P-S: Think of a time when you (or someone you know) might have been described as loquacious.

(Beck, McKeown, Kucan, 2002)

Making Choicesglimpse scrutinize

Which can you do more quickly?

inspector spectatorWhat would you probably call every person watching a football game?

largo ritardando Which tells me to slow down gradually?

(Beck, McKeown, Kucan, 2002, p. 80-81)

Response StrategiesChoral / Unison Response: Students respond in unison to teacher prompts

Reinforce accurate pronunciationIncrease student responsesIncrease engagement of all students

Individual Response w/ Slates or Response Cards:

Increase student responsesIncrease engagement of all studentsCheck for understanding

QuestioningAsk questions that require deep processing of the word’s meaning beyond simply mimicking the definition.Students must apply and elaborate upon the target word’s meaning.Examples

How might you coordinate plans to visit a friend?What does it look like when one is concentrating?

(Archer & Hughes, 2011, p. 75)

Questioning

QuestionsJake thought it would be fun to explore the interior of Alaska. Why might you want to spend time in the interior of Nebraska?

Finish the ideaAfter a trip to the coast, we headed to the interior of the country because _____.

Have you ever…?Can you describe a place you know about that is located in the interior of Nebraska?

Yes – No - WhyEncourages discussion and elaborative rehearsal

1. Provide interesting prompt using target word that requires students to take a position.

2. Students answer yes or no and explain briefly in writing or discussion (2 sentences maximum, but must be complete).Should teachers focus their explicit instruction of vocabulary on sesquipedalian terms?

Yes, I agree with this assertion because ____.No, I do not agree with this assertion because ____.

Making DistinctionsWould you pay homage to something tolerable?

Would you suppress a profound thought?

Would blurting out your thought be an example of indecorum?

(Beck, McKeown, Kucan, 2002, p. 89)

Vocabulary Continuum

Encourage student discussion and elaborative processing of meaning among synonyms or related words.

Vocabulary Continuum

mistakeerrorblunder

hatedislike loatheabhor

adore cherish blunder

Encourage student discussion!

Student DiscussionWhich of the words is more intense (influential, effective, etc.)?

Which word works best in a specific context?

Which word do you understand best? Or least?

Which synonym best represent this word?

Inside-Outside CirclePass out cards to every student. (Duplicate cards can be used.)

Number off students by 1 (outside) and 2 (inside)

Match up so that each person is facing a partner.

Outside circle shares their word or definition; inside circle provides answer

SWITCH CARDS, outside circle rotate left

I Have… Who Has…?Students practice pronouncing words, speaking clearly, and reinforcing definitions.

Pass out cards randomly.Ex. I have a right triangle who has an angle that is less than 90 degrees. Who has…?

Students respond as prompted.

Vocabulary – Alive Writing

Provide a list of terms for students to use in a single related piece of writing.

For Example:Use 15 of the 20 terms listed above in a meaningful paragraph, story, poem or letter to convince me of your understanding. Put a check mark next to the terms you choose and underline them in the writing.

Write a paragraph using the words listed above in the word bank to describe the graph that is shown at the right.

intercept slopedecreasing

parallel constantintersection

increasing quadrantperpendicular

ClassifyingProvide students with vocabulary cards

Have students place cards into categorieslabel the categoriessee how other groups classified their cards or regroup cards using a different criteria

Games!Use any number of game formats to review terms.Using friendly competition (i.e., students vs. teacher or against time, personal bests) is a strong motivator for many students.Jeopardy, Battleship, Taboo, $10000 Pyramid, Bingo…

Name that Concept!1. Partner A: Provide clues to your partner

without using the actual words, derivatives, or rhymes.

definitions, examples, descriptions, contexts

2. Partner B: Name the concept or component or say “pass” to move on to the next item.

Goal: Successfully communicate all items in one minute.

Words From Geometryspherecongruentcylinderproportion proof

Words From American History

migrationcapitalismelectoral collegeFranklin D. RooseveltBill of Rights

Sports that are played with

rackets

Countries in South America

Things that magnify

Styles of architecture

50 POINTS 50 POINTS 50 POINTS

100 POINTS 100 POINTS

200 POINTS

Vocabulary Terms & Phrases

Artists

Theories about why dinosaurs became extinct

TABOOStudents must communicate the target word to others without using rhymes, the words listed, or any derivation of them.Have students generate words that can’t be used.

species

typeanimalplantmate

Strategy SharingConsider one way that you cause your students

to interact with words in order to establish deep, lasting understanding. Name the strategy.Describe the strategy/context.Explain why the strategy is good.

Put your name on the back of the card.

Musical CardsTrade cards while the music plays.When the music stops, partner with the person currently trading with you.

Read each card and together distribute 7 points between the two cards to represent the degree of interest you have in learning more about this strategy.