What Does “Vocabulary” Mean? Better Ways to Teach Vocabulary

1. What Does “Vocabulary” Mean? Better Ways to Teach Vocabulary Carolyn Lowe, Ph.D. Northern Michigan University clowe@nmu.edu Presentations found at: http://www-instruct.nmu.edu/education/clowe

2. Isobar • a line drawn on a weather map or chart that connects points at which the barometric pressure is the same.

3. Vocabulary in the Typical Science Classroom • First the student is given the term. • Then the student is given a definition, algorithm, or “trick”. • The student memorizes the term and the definition, algorithm or trick. • The student then is assessed by: multiple choice, matching or short answer giving either the term or the definition.

4. What is the Problem with That? • The student hasn’t necessarily learned anything meaningful. • For another example, students are typically taught that the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell. Ask them what a powerhouse is. Most have no idea. • They may know a formula or algorithm but have no idea what it means.

5. The Monotillation of TraxolineAttributed to Judy Lanier It is very important that you learn about traxoline. Traxoline is a new form of zionter. It is montilled in Ceristanna. The Ceristannians gristerlate large amounts of fevon and then bracter it to quasel traxoline. Traxoline may well be one of our most lukized snezlaus in the future because of our zionter lescelidge. Directions: Answer the following questions in complete sentences. 1. What is traxoline? 2. Where is traxoline montilled? 3. How is traxoline quaselled? 4. Why is it important to know about traxoline?

6. Other problems with Vocabulary • Science is not the only way to look at the world. Scientific definitions of vocabulary words often conflict with definitions in other realms of knowing. • Example: food • Example: rotate and revolve • Example: theory • Example: adapt • Scientists are often arrogant about “their definitions”. We need to get over this and explain the differences while honoring other ways of knowing.

7. How Do Children Learn to Talk? • First: acquire a concept. • Second: recognize the label for the concept • Third: Learn to apply the label to the concept. • Examples: • Mama • Doggy • Water

8. How Do Adults Learn a Foreign Language? • First know a concept • Learn to recognize the term for that concept. • Learn to say the term for that concept • Learn to read the term and apply it to the concept. • Learn to write the term.

9. So What is a Concept? • 1: something conceived in the mind :thought, notion2 : an abstract or generic idea generalized from particular instances (Merriam-Webster Dictionary) • Examples

10. Aligning instruction to Language Acquisition • First a student needs an experience. • Make sure all students have the same experiences. You might be surprised. • Give the students all an experience. • Anatomy around the heart

11. Second Step • Secondly, the student needs to develop the concept. • Have the students describe the experience in their own words, explaining the concept (I do not allow any student to use the scientific term at this stage). • Have them discuss with a group the concept. • Have them use their experience to predict other events. • Discuss problems with looking at the heart and possible ways to overcome them.

12. Third – add the Label • When students have the concept introduce the term. • Have students analyze the definition to see if they understand it in terms of their conceptual understanding. • Term for TEE

13. To Assess Understanding • Assessment should determine if students understand the concept – not just be able to regurgitate the definition. • Application or higher level assessments easily determine understanding. These do not have to be essay or difficult-to-grade open ended assessments (although they can be).

14. Examples • When bears eat berries, the seeds are not digested but instead are deposited in the feces. What kind of relationship is this and why? • Give an example of this kind of relationship from your field trip.

15. Another Approach • Students learn word parts and decipher what words mean using those parts. • Example: What is a hydrant? What does “hydro” mean? • What is hydrology? • What is the hydrosphere? • What is a hydroelectric power plant? • They need practice • Transesophageal Echocardiogram

16. What Vocabulary? • The field of High School Physics and introductory chemistry have remained roughly the same for the past 100 years. However…. • The field of biology has many times more content in previous years. • The field of Earth science has not only increased in content but has added additional content areas (global warming, hydrology, etc.). • There are more than five times the words in the English Language than during Shakespeare’s time.

17. Questions for You • How many terms can we cram into 9 months and still have meaningful learning? • Do we need to teach all that stuff in the standards AND all that stuff in the glossary AND all the stuff we were taught in our science class AND stuff we find interesting to us AND…….?

18. More Questions • How do we make determinations about what terminology is important? • Where do we stop teaching the content and start teaching the students how to learn? • Do standards require that we have students memorize meaningless (to them) definitions? • Do standardized tests require that students memorize definitions without understanding? • Is every word highlighted in the chapter or in the glossary in the standards?

19. No worry in Chemistry and Physics? • Students learn algorithms and formulas the way they learn vocabulary. • Often there is no conceptual understanding; • Example; density • Example; Increasing speed at a decreasing rate. • Example: torque • Definition: : a force that produces or tends to produce rotation or torsionalso: a measure of the effectiveness of such a force that consists of the product of the force and the perpendicular distance from the line of action of the force to the axis of rotation

20. In Summary • Students need to understand – not just memorize. • Vocabulary without understanding is useless and not retained or recalled later. • For meaningful learning students need: • Experiences first • Concept development next • Label (terminology) after concept is developed. • Application of the term in higher level activity. • Standardized tests do NOT require that you have your students learn without understanding. • Standards do NOT require that you teach your students every word in the glossary. • If your students know some things very well they will do better on most other things.