Vocabulary:
Academic Vocabulary: Words used frequently in language arts, social studies, science, and math. Student’s knowledge of academic vocab is part of their background knowledge and affects their success in school.
Basic words (Tier 1): Common words that are used in informal social conversation at home and on the playground. Usually native english speakers don’t need instruction on these words.
Academic Vocabulary (Tier 2): Words that are used more frequently in writing. These words have wide application in school. These words are more school related and aren’t used as often in social settings.
Specialized Terms (Tier 3): Technocial, content-specific words. These words aren’t used frequently.
Levels of Word Knowledge: Unknown word; Student doesn’t recognize the word, Initial Recognition; Has seen the word or heard it and can pronounce it but they don’t know the meaning, Partial Word Knowledge; Students know one meaning of words and can use it in a sentence, Full Word Knowledge; Students know more than one meaning of the word and can use it in several ways.
Word consciousness: Interest in learning and using words.
Multiple Word Meanings: Words with multiple meanings. This occurs because of different forms
(noun, verb, adjective) and also through word play and figurative language.
Synonyms: Words that have similar meanings to other words.
Antonyms: Words that express opposite meanings of each other.
Homonyms; Words that are pronounced or spelt the same but have different meanings.
Root words: Base word without prefix or suffix
Affixes: Prefix or suffix added to root word.
Etymologies: History of words. Most words we use come from English, Latin, or Greek roots.
Vocabulary Instruction: 4 components-Immersing students in words through listening, talking, reading and writing; Teaching specific words through active involvement and multiple encounters with words; Teaching word-learning strategies; Develop students word consciousness
Explicit Instruction:Teacher provides multiple encounters with words, presents a variety of info including definitions, contexts examples and related words, and involves students in word study activities. Teachers also use minilessons
Word Study Activities: Word posters, Word maps, possible sentences, dramatizing the word, word sorts, word chains, and semantic feature analysis
Semantic Feature analysis: Student learns meaning of words related by concept by examining their characteristics. (animals, plants, planets)
Word Learning Strategies: Using context clues, analyzing word parts, and checking dictionary
How to Figure out Unfamiliar Words: 1. Student should reread sentence containing word, 2. Student should use context clues to figure out meaning 3. Student should examine word parts, looking for familiar root and affixes 4. Student should then pronounce word to see if they recognize it 5. Check the dictionary or ask for help
How to Assess Vocab Knowledge:
Planning: Assessing student current level of knowledge , identifying words they’ll teach, building on prior knowledge
Monitoring:Informal assessments to monitor students progress
Evaluating: Formal assessment
Reflecting: Both teach and student ave time of reflection
Classroom Connection: This chapter was helpful in learning activities to help students learn vocabulary. Activities that were mentioned in this chapter may be helpful in my wow classroom.
Macy Bombard- ENGED Blog 