VOCABULARY STRATEGIES:COMBINING ENGAGEMENT AND

EFFICIENCY SRL, 11/6/2010

BECKY MCTAGUE, Ed.D.

Roosevelt University, Chicago IL

bmctague@roosevelt.edu

MARGARET ANN RICHEK, Ph.DNortheastern Illinois University (emerita);Author: Cengage; Houghton Mifflin Harcourtpeggyrichek@gmail.com

.

Is meaning vocabulary important?

• It’s the best predictor of academic

achievement.

• It’s even an important predictor of IQ.

• English vocabulary is monumentally large andgrowing every day.

How is English vocabulary learned?

• Exposure and repeated practice are key.

• Two approaches are incidental and directinstruction.

incidental – words in reading, listening

direct – actual instruction in words

• Words are learned gradually

• Active engagement teaches best.

How about strategies?

• While useful in some ways, dictionarydefinitions can present insurmountabledifficulties.

• Context clues can help students to learn wordsindependently.

• Morphology (prefixes, roots, suffixes) helpsstudent to learn and use structure. Derivationalsuffixes are most important.

Important Instructional Principles

• Teach appropriate words (Beck’s three tiers).

• Encourage students to notice words.

• Introduce words in user-friendly ways.

• Relate words to each other.

• Gradually deepen processing levels.

• Remember to review.

• Interest students in words and strategies.

EXPERT WORD CARDS

• The teacher makes a list of important wordsbefore a novel or unit of study begins.

• Each student is assigned a few words. Each getsdifferent words.

• Each student makes the assigned expert cards.(Each student makes only his/her own cards.)

• Students teach words to each other.

The Expert Word Card strategy

• teaches words effectively.• does not threaten students.• allows students to cooperate.• allows students artistic expression.• is excellent for teaching technical words.

Student Directions for Vocabulary Word CardsCourtesy of Susan Ali

Use the page number to locate the word in the text.

Copy the sentence containing the word inside the card.

Use a dictionary to look up the definition for each word; you may discuss itwith others or with the teacher.

On scratch paper, write the part of speech and the definition in your words thatmatches the use of the word in the story.

On scratch paper, write your own sentence using the word.

Get the definition and sentence approved for accuracy by the teacher.

Copy onto the inside of your card your definition, part of speech, and sentence.

Write the word on the front outside of the card in big bold letters.

On the front of the card, illustrate the vocabulary word neatly and creatively.Get your illustration approved.

Write your name, word, and class period on the back outside of the card.

Completed cards must be turned in by (date).

Inside

Cover

WORDS ALIVE - NONLINGUISTIC

• Students are divided into small groups.Each group is given a few words.

• The teacher discusses the meanings of thewords.

• Each group comes up with an action or"tableaux" (still life, involving students)that illustrates the meaning of each

assigned word for other students.

The Words Alive strategy

• teaches words effectively.• allows students to process words deeply.• allows students to cooperate.• differentiates small distinctions.• is excellent for teaching technical words.

Examples:

agile

distort

supplant

mobilize

impair

envelop

rejuvenate

A few done in the past:

intertidalorganismbacteriasulfideskelpsalt marshhydrothermal

ANYTHING GOES

The Anything Goes strategy

• increases automaticity.

• provides review.

• deepens processing.

• takes five to ten minutes.

The teacher lists words on board or overhead,then “anything goes.” That is, the teacher canask any questions he or she wants.

Sample “Anything Goes” questions include:

What does __________ mean?Find me two adjectives (or other parts of speech).Find a word with a positive meaning.How are ________ and __________ related?Find two words with prefixes (suffixes).Give me another form of _________.Find me a word that can be both a noun and a verb.Find me a word that has to do with _________.Find me a word with two (or three) meanings.

Show how you ____________.

CONNECT TWO

Words from two lists are connected by studentsbecause they have something in common. Studentsthink of connections.

The Connect Two strategy

• provides review.

• may be used in independent managed learning.

• deepens processing.

• encourages students to think creatively.

From: Blachowicz, C.L.Z. & Lee, J. (1991). Vocabularydevelopment in the whole literacy classroom. The ReadingTeacher, 45, 188-195.

EXAMPLES

garb chic

debonair ostentatious

disheveled dowdy

unsightly drab

veneer rumple

TWO IN ONE

Working together students combine two ormore words in one sentence. Can change forms.

The Two in One strategy

• provides review.

• may be used in independent groups.

• deepens processing.

• encourages students to think creatively.

• encourages use of derivatives.

• encourages students to cooperate.

convergepivotalterminatedegradationinitiatepenultimatecruxsequelsupersedetangential

admire captoranticipate lankybayonet infantrybondage marvelcavalry musketcaptive pinecharge plotclamor ponderedrecoil ravineinsignificant magazine

.“ Humbug!” said Scrooge, and walked across the

room. After several turns, he sat down again. Ashe threw his head back in the chair, his glancehappened to rest upon a bell, a disused bell, thathung in the room, and communicated for somepurpose now forgotten with chamber in thehighest story of the building. It was with greatastonishment, and with a strange, inexplicabledread that as he looked, he saw this bell begin toswing. It swung so softly in the outset that itscarcely made a sound; but soon it ran out loudly,and so did every bell in the house.

This might have lasted half a minute, or a minute,but it seemed an hour. The bells ceased as they hadbegun, together. They were succeeded by aclanking noise, deep down below; as if some personwere dragging a heavy chain over the casks in thewine-merchant’s cellar. Scrooge then remembered tohave heard that ghosts in haunted houses weredescribed as dragging chains.

The cellar-door flew open with a booming sound,and then he heard the noise much louder, on thefloors below; then coming up the stairs; then comingstraight towards his door.

“It’s humbug still!” said Scrooge. “I won’tbelieve it.”

.

His colour changed though, when, without apause, it came on through the heavy door, andpassed into the room before his eyes. Upon itscoming in, the dying flame leaped up, as though itcried “I know him! Marley’s Ghost!” and fellagain.

The same face; the very same. Marley in hispigtail, usual waistcoat, tights, and boots; thetassels on the latter bristling, like his pig-tail, andhis coat-skirts, and the hair upon his head. Thechain he drew was clasped about his middle.

Parting Words:

VOCABULARY IS FUN!!!!!!