phonics and vocabulary in the intermediate grades:
TRANSCRIPT
Phonics and Vocabulary in the Intermediate Grades:
Goals of Training
• Understand what effective, explicit vocabulary instruction looks like
• Understand what effective, explicit vocabulary instruction looks like in the intermediate grades
• Understand why word solving is important in the intermediate grades
Phonics in the Intermediate Grades (4/5)
The What…Understand advanced phonics skills
• Decode multi-syllabic words (visible)• Recognize common spelling patterns (visible)• Identify larger chunks of words (visible)• Understand the meaning of root words/word origins
(invisible)• Understand how a prefix or suffix impacts the base
word (invisible)
Phonics in the Intermediate Grades (4/5)
The Why…As text becomes more complex,
decoding with automaticity may allow for increased comprehension.
In the Intermediate Grades• Text length increases• Students encounter more multi-syllabic
words• Complex words require more specific
word analysis• Concept and vocabulary demands
increase
Characteristics of Strong Phonics Instruction
• Builds on the reciprocal foundation of phonemic awareness/phonics and how language works
• Contains instruction in blending and modeling skills
• Focuses on reading words and connected text• Focuses on structural analysis• Develops automatic word recognition skills• Students have repeated opportunities to apply
word solving in reading and writing
Phonics Instruction is…• Explicit and systematic• Connected to actual reading• Not solely focused on rules and
sound-spelling relationships• Appropriately paced and
provided ample time to practice
Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5
Alphabetical/Letter Name
Within-Word Pattern
Syllables and Affixes
Derivational Relations
Stages of Spelling & Reading Instruction
Words Their Way
Within Word Pattern‐Grade 3
Syllables and AffixesGrades 3, 4, 5
Derivational RelationsGrade 5
Common long vowel patterns
Influenced words
Three letter consonant‐Blends
Complex consonants:Final sound of /k/Final /ch/: ch, tch/j/: dge, Vge
Common spellings ofdiphthongs /ou/, /oi/
Compound words
Homophones:sail/sale, beat/beet
Inflectional suffixes –ed, ing‐
Plural endings
Changing final y to I
Syllable patterns:VCCV bas ket, rab bitVCV open hu manVCV closed cab in
Less frequent vowelpatterns2 syllable homophones:‐peddle/pedal2 syllable homographs:‐RECord/reCORD
Vowel patterns in accentedand unaccented syllables
Base words + commonprefixes and suffixes
Spelling Meaning Connection:‐signsignalmusicmusicianigniteIgnitionresideresidentmentalMentality
Greek and Latin elements:thermspectphotodic
Prefixes:in+mobile=immobilead+tract=Attract
Using decoding strategies and reading sight words in context
The Three Cueing Systems:
Grapho-phonic (Word Analysis)
Semantic (Meaning)
Syntactic (Grammar)
Graphophonic = Visual•Letter/sound knowledge
•Visual knowledge
•Does this look right?
Semantics = Meaning•Context clues
•Illustrations
•Does that make sense?
Syntax = Structure•Knowledge of language patterns and grammatical structures
•Does that sound right?
Consider…• “If a reader has not developed
fluency, the process of decoding words drains attention, and insufficient attention is available for constructing the meaning of texts.”
Sequence of Word Solving (Early)
Skills ExamplesPlural endings –s and –es
Compound Words
Inflectional Endings
Ambiguous Vowels/ Diphthongs
books, dishes
pancake, sidewalk
walked, stopped, skating walking, walked, cried, plays
haul, mountain, enjoy, chowder
Sequence of Word Solving (Middle)
Skills ExamplesOpen and closed syllables
Vowel patterns in accented syllables
Final unaccented syllables
Spelling /j/
Two-syllable homophones
Two-syllable homographs
Plurals that involve changing y to i
Unusual plurals
button, bacon
beyond, lonely
beggar, captain
badger, major
pedal, petal
rebel/rebel
babies
goose/geese
Sequence of Word Solving (Late)
Skills ExamplesSimple prefixes and base words
Simple suffixes
Spelling-Meaning Connection
un (not – unlock)pre (before – preview)tri (three – tricycle)
less (without – fearless)ful (full of – graceful)ness (condition – sadness)
compose/compositionwise/wisdom
Structural (Morphemic) Analysis
• Instruction in root words, common prefixes, frequently used suffixes, and inflectional endings that can be pronounced differently (-ed in played, talked, planted) is beneficial to struggling readers who are often overwhelmed by longer words.
independent
independ
ent
“One’s vocabulary is highly predictive of one’s level of reading comprehension.”
Fountas & Pinnell, 2006Teaching for Comprehending and FluencyThinking, Talking, and Writing about Reading, K-8
The Vocabulary Learning Task
• The vocabulary learning task is huge!• The average 4th grader probably knows 5,000-
10,000 words.• The average high school grad probably knows
50,000 words.• To acquire this vocabulary, he or she has
learned something close to 3,500 words a year.• This translates to 10 words a day!
Vocabulary Deficits
• Many children of poverty enter school with vocabularies half the size of their middle-class counterparts.
• Once in school, they continue to learn words at about half the rate of their peers.
• In the intermediate grades and high school, their vocabularies are still half the size of their peers, possibly less.
How do we attack this problem?
• Provide frequent, varied, and extensive language experiences
• Teach individual words
• Teach word-learning strategies
• Foster word consciousness
• Reading, writing, discussion (speaking), and listening
Teaching Word-Learning Strategies• Using context• Learning and using word parts• Using glossaries and the dictionary
Frequent, Varied and Extensive Language Experiences
Types of Word Consciousness Activities
• Creating a print rich environment
• Promoting word play
• Fostering word consciousness through writing
• Teaching students about words
Characteristics of Effective Instruction for Individual Words
• Instruction that involves both definitional and contextual information is markedly stronger than instruction that involves only one of these.
• Instruction that involves activating prior knowledge and comparing/contrasting meanings is stronger still.
• More lengthy and robust instruction that involves students actively manipulating meanings, making inferences, searching for applications, using prior knowledge, and frequent encounters is still stronger.
Characteristics of Effective Instruction for Individual Words
• Using realia and visuals to show what the word is
• Point to pictures of the vocabulary word in book
• Use gestures (total physical response activities) to act the word out
Building a Basic Oral Vocabulary: Shared Book Reading
• Both the adult readers and children are active participants
• Involves several readings• Focuses attention on words• The reading is fluent, engaging, and lively• Deliberately stretches students and scaffolds
their efforts• Carefully selects words and books
What does phonics instruction look like in Grades 3-5?
• Taking the word apart (multi-syllablic words), putting it back together to pronounce, and determining meaning of the word
• Going back and rereading the word in the sentence to clarify if it makes sense
• Wide variety of word patterns and their meaning (-un, -re, -base), the largest meaningful chunk– Instead of “as” in the word “basement”, look at the word “base”,
determine meaning, and apply it to the meaning of entire word
VocabularyReceptive Vocabulary
Words we understand when we hear or read them
Expressive Language
Words we use to communicate as a speaker and writer
Shades of KnowingUnderstands and can use words in isolation or context; knows multiple meanings, connotations, and figurative uses when appropriate
Understands and can use the word in some contexts and knows one or two definitions of it
Knows one definition of the word and can use it in some contexts, but has difficulty applying it with precision and accuracy
Knows the word in one context only and is unable to use it flexibly
Has some familiarity with the word, like knowing whether it has positive or negative connotations
Has a hypothesis as to the meaning of the word based on the context
Remembers hearing the word before
Does not know the word and has not heard it
THREE TIERS OF VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT
• Tier 1 – Everyday Words• Basic, Common Sight Words, Automatic• Mostly learned without instruction• (farm, tree, happy, summer, family)
• Tier 2 – Descriptive Words• Words that will aid in understanding, Instructional, Guided reading
vocabulary • These words appear frequently in the vocabularies of mature language
learners• (considerate, coincidence, fascinate, mentioned, industry)
• Tier 3 – Content-Specific Words• Complex, Infrequently used• Specialized words often related to a specific content area• (algorithm, isotope, photosynthesis)
Beck, 2002
What the research says about vocabulary instruction…
• Students should be active in developing their understanding of words and ways to learn them
• Students should personalize word learning• Students should be immersed in words• Students should build on multiple sources of
information to learn words through repeated exposures
Explicit Instruction• Teacher models and explains• Teacher provides guided practice
– Students practice what the teacher modeled and the teacher provides prompts and feedback
• Teacher provides supported application– Students apply the skill as the teacher
scaffolds instruction• Independent Practice• Reflections
Systematic InstructionSystematic instruction is the logical,
research-based sequence educational activities that follow a developmental continuum which optimally leads to students’ accomplishment of the learning outcomes and goals.
Vocabulary Explicit Instruction
• Instructional Routine–Introduce the word–Present student-friendly definition–Clarify the word with examples–Check the students’ understanding
Vocabulary Instructional Routine Example Step 1:
• Introduce the word• This word is expedition• Write the word on the board or overhead• Say the word with me: expedition• Say the word one more time: expedition
– Many students may need to practice pronouncing the word several times in order to secure it in memory
Vocabulary Instructional Routine Example Step 2:
• Present a student-friendly definition• An expedition is a journey or voyage with a
group of people, usually for a special purpose• Let’s read this explanation together
– Everyone repeats about explanation• Explanation within the context of the story
– In this story, Spanish explorers set out on an expedition to discover gold in Florida.
Vocabulary Instructional Routine Example Step 3:
• Clarify the word with examples• Verbal examples
– An organized trip, mission, quest to learn or discover something
• Concrete examples– Military expeditions, geographic explorations such
as Lewis and Clark expedition, scientific expedition such as space exploration
• Visual representations
Vocabulary Instructional Routine Example Step 4:
• Check for students’ understanding–Would a safari be an expedition?
Why?–Would a vacation be an expedition?
Why?–Which expedition might have a more
important purpose, an expedition to Mars or an expedition to the grocery store? Why?
Vocabulary Instructional Routine Example Step 5:
• Expanding student understanding– Have you ever gone on an expedition?
• Describe it
– Clap if you think these words are similar to expedition:
quest, mission, walking, exploration, delay, amble
– Complete the idea: Why might a trip to Alaska be considered an expedition?
Vocabulary Graphic Organizers • Semantic Feature Analysis• Semantic Mapping• Frayer Model• Concept Definition Mapping• Linear Arrays• Venn Diagrams• Words in Context/Application• Word Analogies• Dictionary Digs
Word Sorts• Word sorts allow students to build on their
own prior knowledge to develop a more complete understanding of words.
Word Sorts
Open Sorts Closed SortsStudents are given words to sort AND categories for sorting. The words are predetermined by the
teacher.
Students are given words to be categorized and they
determine how to sort them.
References• Bear, D., Invernizzi, M., Templeton, S., & Johnston,
F. (2004). Words Their Way: Words Study for Phonics, Vocabulary, and Spelling Instruction. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
• Beck, I. McKeown, M., & Kucan, L. (2002). Bringing Words to Life: Robust Vocabulary Instruction. New York: Gullford Press.
• Blevins, W. (2001). Teaching Phonics and Word Study in the Intermediate Grades. New York: Scholastic.
References• Florida Center for Reading Research (FCRR).
(2007). Fourth and fifth grade student center activities: Advanced phonics and fluency. Tallahassee, FL
• Fountas, I. & Pinnell, G. (2006). Teaching for Comprehending and Fluency: Thinking and Talking about Reading K-8. Portsmouth: Heinemann.