Strategies for Vocabulary Development

Essential Understandings

Every teachers is a literacy teacher.

Focused and strategic vocabulary development is essential for all students.

Vocabulary is about more than just words.

Goals for Today

1. Gain knowledge and understanding of the importance of specific

vocabulary development for all students.

2. Engage with colleagues in the construction of knowledge

and skills in this area.

3. Be exposed to strategies that will help all students improve their vocabulary.

Goals for TodayGoals for TodayGoals for TodayGoals for TodayGoals for TodayGoals for TodayGoals for Today

How do you currently address

vocabulary development

in your classroom?

Introduction

Theory of Language Learning

Knowing a Word

What Does the Research Say?

Types of Vocabulary

Vocabulary StrategiesLinks to Alberta Education

Apps (Google and Other)

A Brief Overview of English Language Proficiency

Levels of EL Proficiency

• LEVEL ONE --Silent period & Beginning

• relies on first language

• communicates with non-verbal gestures, one word answers, drawings

• extremely limited vocabulary

Levels of EL Proficiency

• LEVEL TWO--Developing

• increased confidence in routine classroom situations

• uses survival vocabulary and fragmented speech

• sight vocabulary of functional words

• writes using pattern or familiar sentence structures

Levels of EL Proficiency• LEVEL THREE--Expanding

• communicates competently in classroom situations

• will initiate conversations with English peers

• has a good vocabulary for daily living (BICS)

• is acquiring academic vocabulary (CALP)

• begins to write for academic purposes using simple sentence structures

Levels of EL Proficiency

• LEVEL FOUR--Bridging

• can adjust language to situation

• uses academic vocabulary in context

• writing approaches grade level expectations

• begins to develop personal style and voice in writing

Levels of EL Proficiency

• LEVEL FIVE--Competent

• is a competent speaker of English

• speech is fluent, but may be influenced by first language

• uses academic vocabulary

• understands humour and figurate language

• writes effectively to communicate ideas

Word Splash

How do these words relate to one another?

• vocabulary

• gap

• instruction

• intervention

• context

• conspicuous

• semantic map

• strategic integration

• mediated scaffolding

• lexicon

•What do you do when you don’t know a

word?

What does this word mean?

psittacosis

Learning New Words:

Understanding

contextual guessingword analysis

visuals

glossary, thesaurus, dictionarytranslate

ask someone

•What do you do to learn a new word?

Remembering New Words: Making them part of your

lexicon

using it intentionally

word association

picture association

repetition in context

mnemonic devices

making charts, labels, posters, etc.

What does it mean to know a

word?

In what ways do you know it?

Ways we know words• recognize when heard

• recognize when seen

• say it

• spell it

• write it

• can define it

• know a range of meanings

• know prefixes and suffixes

• know the word forms

• know grammatical forms

• know synonyms and antonyms

• know the cognates

• know typical related words, associations, acronyms, etc.

• know the derivatives

• know the limits of the word

• know when to use it

• can understand in different contexts

• can use in many contexts

• know collocationsAdapted from Cheryl Boyd Zimmerman: Word Knowledge: A Vocabulary Teacher’s Handbook

Gimme 5!1. I have never heard

this word.2. I have heard this

word, but do not know what it means.

3. I know this word when it appears in

context.4. I know this word and can use it when talking

or writing.5. I can play with this

word. I understand it in multiple contexts.

unknown1.

recognition 2.

basic word understanding

3.

4. partial concept knowledge

5. full concept knowledge

Explicit Vocabulary Development: A More Level Playing Field

1. Read the article. 2. Discuss the article using the 4-A Strategy:

What was AFFIRMED for you?

What had you ASKING questions?

What ASSUMPTIONS were made?

What ACTIONS might you take?

ELLs have the dual task of learning a foreign language and content simultaneously. For this

reason it is “critical to set both content and language objectives for ELLs. Just as language growth cannot occur if we only focus on subject

matter, content knowledge cannot grow if we only focus on learning the English language” (Hill &

Flynn, 2006). (Bresser, Melanese & Sphar, 2009, p. 5)

Linguistic DemandsWhat are the linguistic demands of your lesson?

Types of Vocabulary

Five Types of Vocabulary1. Subject Specific--words related to the curriculum topic2. Context Defined--words with multiple meanings3. Academic Words--language of the thinking processes required to do academic tasks (compare, contrast, discuss, defend, justify,...)4. Connectors--used to show relationships between ideas (whereas, the most important, therefore,...)5. Figurative Language--go beyond literal meaning and require contextual, social and/or cultural references (fork in the road)

Consider this...

He has been married for 27 year and he still loves his wife.

He has been married for 27 years but he still loves his wife.

Do these 2 sentences mean the same thing?

Consider this...

What subject specific language will be needed to discuss 2D shapes and 3D objects in math?

What other types of vocabulary in this unit might be problematic for students ?

How would you define these words for a level 3 ELL?

• polygon• vertices• corner• open• closed• straight• curved• line• face• point• tri-, quatra-, penta-, hexa-, hepta, oxta, ...• surface• compare • list • similar• different

• polygon (subject)• vertices (subject)• corner (context)• open (context)• closed (context)• straight (context)• curved (context)• line (context)• face (context)• point (context)• tri-, quatra-, penta-, hexa-, hepta, oxta, (subject)• surface (context)• compare (academic)• list (academic)• similar (connector)• different (connector)

A Social Studies example

In a democracy, citizens take a responsible role to speak up about government, however, some

citizens will put their foot down and clearly explain why they think their opinion is best for the

country.

In a democracy, citizens take a responsible role to speak up about government, however, some

citizens will put their foot down and clearly explain why they think their opinion is best for the

country.

Colour coding with highlighters is a useful strategy for students to help them differentiate between

the types of vocabulary.

Consider the following:

Samuel bought three bags of oranges with seven oranges in each bag. How many oranges did he

buy?

Samuel bought three bags of oranges with seven oranges in each bag. How many oranges did he

buy?

Think of an upcoming, or

current, unit of study.

What key vocabulary is required of

students?

Subject Specific, Context Specific, Academic Words, Connectors, Figurative Language

It is important to remember that all students are expected to access the content, skills and attitudes found in the programs of study.

However, not all students will be able to access the same vocabulary. It is, therefore, important to differentiate the word choices for

differing levels of language proficiency.

Vocabulary Strategies

Thinking Strategy: Rippling Out

with a partner

with the whole class

myself

Thinking Strategy: Rippling Out

with the whole class

with a small group

with a partner

myself

Base Strategy: Activate Prior Knowledge

• KWL

• Brainstorm

• Word Splash (semantic mapping)

• Interpretation of pictures

• others?

Base Strategy: Build Background Knowledge

• Provide interactive learning experience, such as:

• demonstration

• exploration

• video

• field trip (virtual or other)

• opportunities for reflection

• others?

Explicit Vocabulary Instruction

• Word analysis clouds

• labeled pictures, diagrams, graphs,...

• anchor charts

• categorization

• clines

• word walls

• fixed & portable

Structure Strategy: Word Analysis Cloud

Retelling Strategy: Anchor Chart

Key ideas or concepts

Related Vocabulary

Anchor Chart: Three Bears

Bears leave the house and

Goldilocks arrives 2. Bowls

3. Chairs4. Beds

Mama, Papa, Babyporridge, pot,bowls, kitchena walk, golden hair, girlforest, knocked

big, medium, small,bowl, too hot, too cold

just right, tasted,spoonful,

chair, too hardtoo soft, just right,broke, sat down,

big, medium, small,

bed, too hardtoo soft, just right,

fell asleep,screamed,big, medium, small,

ran away

Definition Strategy: Frayer Model Model

CompositeNumbers

definition: facts about

examples non-examples

Definition Strategy: Frayer Model Model

CompositeNumbers

definition: a whole number with 2 or

more factors

facts about:*4 is the lowest

*2 is the only one that is not a composite number

*square numbers have an odd number of factors

examples non-examples

4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, 15, 16, ...

0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, ...

Deepening Strategy: Categorizing

Sorting words into categories allows students to develop flexibility and deepens their

understanding of words and concepts.

Word Sort

1. With a partner, read and discuss the words to be sorted.

2. Decide under which headings you are going to sort the words. Create the headings using the sticky notes provided.

3. Sort the words.

4. After you are finished, visit other groups to see how they sorted the same words.

Visual Strategy: Word Walls

Portable Word WallsStudents can create their own versions of the

word wall. The words can be defined and used in different context. This allows for overlap between classes--especially when students have more than

one teacher.

Portable word walls can take any form and should be differentiated to suit the needs of individual

students.

Strategy: Clines

threatened endangered extinct

like admire adore love

Reflection