harnessing the power of word consciousness

Harnessing the power of word consciousness

session overview: what we will do   Overview of word consciousness

—what it is, why it matters   Examples of word

consciousness-oriented instruction in a 4th grade language arts class

  Discussion of middle grade writing and 5th / 6th grade curriculum

  Ideas to engage students by raising word consciousness + hands-on activities

  Questions

May 1, 2010 http://wordstudyandvocabulary.ning.com/

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session overview: what you will do   talk with other experts

(your colleagues) about how they’ve fostered word consciousness in their classes;

  share what you have tried (the successes and failures); and

  participate in hands-on activities you can adapt to create a word consciousness classroom environment.

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the why: vocabulary matters

  Researchers estimate that children must know 85-90% of the words in a text in order to read with full comprehension (Freebody & Anderson 1983, Nagy & Scott 2000, Stahl 1989).


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  Effective vocabulary instruction:

  Provides rich and varied exposure to language both orally and written

  Emphasizes the importance of teaching individual words

  Provides explicit instruction in word-learning strategies

  Fosters word consciousness


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Word consciousness describes an awareness of and appreciation for words (Graves, 2006; Graves & Watts-Taffe, 2002; Kamil & Hiebert, 2005; McKeown & Beck, 2004; Nagy, 2005a, 2005b; Scott & Nagy, 2004; Stahl & Nagy, 2006).


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people who are word conscious


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Fostering word consciousness

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  Stahl and Nagy (2006) outline several components of word consciousness: “a feel for how written language works; . . . sensitivity to syntax; . . . awareness of word parts; . . . and in-depth knowledge of specific words” (pp. 140-141).


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  Word Play   "Humorous and clever

word play draw students’ attention to words in a non-threatening way” (Stahl & Nagy, 2006).

  MadLibs! Taboo, Boggle

http://wordstudyandvocabulary.ning.com/

Try this!

Whenever he comes around, everybody starts to wrap.

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Did you hear the one about the man who dreamed he was a muffler on a car, and then that he was part of the wheel?


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He woke up exhausted and tired.


18 A rope entered a coffee shop and asked for a drink. The barista frowned and said, “We don’t serve ropes here.” The rope left and found a person outside. The rope said to the person, “I have to ask a favor. Would you please tie me in a knot?” The person did. Then the rope said, “Now would you please rough up my ends.” The rope thanked the person and went back into the bar and asked for a drink. The barista frowned and said, “Aren’t you the rope that was here a few minutes ago?”

“No,” said the rope, “I’m a frayed knot.”

  Word Histories   Word Museum

  “Buffalo Breath”   Sensory Webs   Play with Word Parts


You try it!

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Word Museum

A “Word Museum” is a celebration of words, word histories, and the diversity of the English language.


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The Word Museum—research


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①  Read about the history and origins of your word in The Oxford English Dictionary. Copy your word’s entry in the dictionary. Answer these questions: 1. From what language did your word derive? 2. What is the first recorded instance of its use in the English language? 3.Write down some of the most interesting or surprising citations recorded over the years.

②  Find and copy an encyclopedia article that helps to explain what your word means or meant in the past. Write 1-3 sentences that explains why this information is important.

③  Find and copy a poem that helps to explain what your word means. Write 1-3 sentences that explain what your poem has to do with your word.


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④  In Google, type your word into the search bar. Write a paragraph that tells how many sites use your word and explains how at least three of the sites use your word differently.

⑤  Collect evidence of your word in print, on TV, or another public source like a billboard. Simply write down how your word was used, then cite your source. Do this WITHOUT USING A COMPUTER. Your goal here is to find out about how the word has been used in the past, how it is used today, its different connotations, and its evolution.

⑥  Interview three people of varying ages outside class to find out what the word’s current meaning is. Use this data to develop your own conclusions about what this word means in current and common usage.

The Word Museum—the display


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Create a display that shows the origin, evolution, and current meaning of your word. There are only a few requirements: •  Your word is multi-faceted. Your display should be, too.

Therefore, the display should be multi-dimensional. Think about appealing to all the senses…

•  Make sure that the display shows ALL of your research—you won’t receive credit for research that I can’t see. Pack as much information into your display as possible.

•  Write a 1-page narrative about your word. Incorporate your research (printed sources and interviews), course readings, and your own views on language usage and change.

•  An important part of your display is the citing of sources. Attach a completed bibliography to your display.

  Semantic Mapping


Try this!

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  Pay attention to Word Parts   The majority of words

students encounter in science, math, history, English derive from Greek and Latin.

  If they can recognize the relevant and meaningful word parts, they can use them in reading and writing.


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Teach the terminology   Affix is the umbrella term for

prefixes and suffixes.   The process of adding prefixes or

suffixes is called affixation. (Affix means attach.)

  Base or root are the terms for what is left after you remove the affixes.

  If what is left is a word, it is referred to as the base or base word. Ex: form

  If what remains can not stand alone as a word, it is referred to as a root or word root. Ex: -duct-


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Learn one word, learn ten.

courage courageous courageously encourage discourage discouragingly


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-duct-

viaduct

introduction

superconductive

education

abduct byproduct

induct

deduct

conduct


Learn one root, learn exponentially

-duct-


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(L): to lead, leading; bringing; to take; to draw along or out

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DO try this at home! Go to www.onelook.com and search using wildcards (*duct*).


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Use word parts to name things


Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis

A lung disease caused by the inhalation of very fine silica dust

found in volcanoes.

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Teach students to break words apart   Identify prefixes or suffixes—

what do they mean? Remove them.

  Identify the base or root—what does it mean?

  Reattach the parts you removed to formulate a hypothesis about meaning, based on the parts identified.

  Check your hypothesis about the word within the context (sentence, paragraph).


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The country reached the point where it was ungovernable.

un- = not -able = ability, capacity

govern = to keep under control, exercise power

Morphology with a caveat

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If a pig loses its voice, is it disgruntled?

If lawyers are disbarred and clergymen defrocked, doesn't it follow that:

dry cleaners depressed tree surgeons debarked

cowboys deranged musicians denoted

electricians can be delighted


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“When you find a word which is capable of analysis but which means something quite different from the

sum of it parts, plug in your curiosity and try to determine how

its present sense developed” (Ayers, 1986).


explore!


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games

  Apples to Apples

  Taboo!

  Boggle

  Scrabble/Slam/Apple

  Upwards

  Wheel of Fortune

  Banagrams

  Quiddler

  Tongue Tanglers

  Take Four Word Game

  Lexogon

  Blurt: The Webster’s Game of Word Racing

  Buzz Word

  Book Worm

  Chunks

  Wordplay

  Thinkfun What’s Gnu?

  Perquackey

  Tri-Words


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try this at home!   Make yourself several “root-of-

the-day” lanyards, using the supplies on your tables.

  Review the lists of common roots.

  Write your favorite roots on several index cards; punch holes, use yarn to make your lanyards.

  Promote root exploration. Encourage students to become word part explorers who seek out and recognize word parts when they read.


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Play play play!   In groups, use the

verbum•struct•ion decks to create as many REAL words—words we can find in the dictionary—as you can in 15 minutes.

  Then, coin a few NEW words. (Remember, you must at least have a root/base in your word!) Make sure you have a plausible definition for your new words.

May 1, 2010 41 http://wordstudyandvocabulary.ning.com/

Join the conversation!


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harnessing the power of word consciousness

Education