Effective Vocabulary Instruction K- 2 nd Grade

1. Effective Vocabulary Instruction K- 2nd Grade Gina Flynn and Bethany TeipelSt. Robert School October 8, 2013

2. Getting Started • Think of your kiddos... Bursts out without raising hand Just can’t resist touching, poking, bothering… Thinks he’s smarter than you

3. Impact of CCSS • The Common Core State Standards place a great deal of emphasis on academic vocabulary. • The CCSS also calls for increasing the amount of nonfiction and informational text in classrooms. • Vocabulary knowledge influences fluency, comprehension, and student achievement • Video: http://www.engageny.org/resource/common-core-in-ela-literacy-shift-6-academic-vocabulary

4. Three Vocabulary Tiers

5. Tier 1: Known and Common Words • Tier I words are basic, everyday words that are a part of most children’s vocabulary. These are words used every day in conversation, and most of them are learned by hearing family, peers, and teachers use them when speaking. • These words are especially important for English language learners who may not be familiar with them.

6. Tier 2: High Frequency Words • Tier 2 words include frequently occurring words that appear in various contexts and topics and play an important role in verbal functioning across a variety of content areas. • Another way to think of Tier 2 vocabulary is as cross-curricular terms. For example, the term “justify” and “predict” frequently appear in Science, Social Studies, and English texts.

7. Tier 3: Low Frequency, Domain Specific • Tier 3 words are’ field of study’ specific vocabulary. Words in this category are low frequency, specialized words that appear in specific fields or content areas. • Most students will be unfamiliar with Tier 3 words. Teach these words as the need arises for comprehension in specific content areas.

8. Vocabulary in Early Literacy • Vocabulary plays an important role in understanding nonfiction and informational text. It has been estimated that 80% of comprehension in nonfiction is dependent upon understanding the vocabulary. • Teaching vocabulary improves both verbal IQ and reading comprehension. • Children who are behind by 1st grade have a hard time making up the gap. If children read 1 million words in a year, at least 1,000 words will be added to their vocabulary (Krashen, 1993

9. Vocabulary Instruction Offer opportunities to use newly learned word Take 1 minute to write down ways you teach vocabulary in your classroom

10. Four Kinds of Vocabulary • Listening: The words we need to know to understand what we hear • Speaking: The words we use when we speak • Reading: The words we need to know when we read • Writing: The words we use in writing All are interconnected

11. How to Teach Vocabulary • Research shows students will incorporate more words into their vocabulary and use them correctly, including spelling, when the focus is on fewer words at one time for intensive instruction • Grades 2-5 5-8 words per week • Grades 6-8 10-15 words per week • Grades 9-12 12-25 words per week Brewer, C and Gann, J. (2003). Balanced literacy: a learning focused approach. Boone NC: Learning Concepts..

12. Steps for Effective Vocabulary Instruction Explicit vocabulary instruction • Introduce and explain • Kids repeat and explain in own terms • Visual representation of the word • Check for understanding/Connecting to prior knowledge • Encourage students to discuss terms with one another (interactive anchor chart) • Offer opportunities to use newly learned word(Based on research by Marzano and Pickering, 2005)

13. Purposeful Exposure to New Words “Multiple exposures to new words across classroom contexts (in a read-aloud, then in the art center, and so on) give children opportunities to acquire information about word meanings.”

14. Vocabulary Instruction Offer opportunities to use newly learned word Word Mapping: Graphic organizer to help learn new vocabulary

15. Vocabulary Instruction • Read alouds Text complexity is higher than students’ reading levels Always allow time for discussion after each read-aloud.

16. Classroom Environment Create a print-rich environment Word Wall When you think of a word wall, What comes to mind? Turn and talk

17. “New and Improved” Word Walls CHANGE IT UP!

18. Portable Word Walls

19. Word Play Vocabulary Instruction Should be Fun… Playing with words increases understanding!

20. Word Play in the Classroom • What’s My Word? • Collaborative Anchor Chart • Word Hunt for “Golden Nuggets” • Graffiti Wall • Classroom Exploratory Centers • http://www.visuwords.com/

21. Word Play in the Classroom What’s My Word? Word Hunt

22. Word Play in the Classroom

23. Word Play

24. Share What are other ways you teach vocabulary in your classroom?

25. Do this…Not that! • Asking, “Does anybody know what ________means?” • Having students “look it up” in a typical dictionary • Having students use the word in a sentence after they look it up in the dictionary • Telling students to “use context clues” as a primary strategy • Students guessing the definition • Copying from dictionary or glossary • Copying same word several times • Activities that do not require deep processing (word searches, fill-in-the-blank, etc.) • Rote memorization without context

26. Vocabulary Wrap Up Vocabulary instruction should be: • Explicit • Engaging • Multiple Exposures • Meaningful

27. References • http://www.readingrockets.org/helping/target/vocabulary/ • http://www.naeyc.org/files/yc/file/201007/ChristWangOnline.pdf • http://www.learningunlimitedllc.com/2013/07/5-steps-vocabulary-instruction/ • Marzano, R. and Pickering, D.(2005). Buiding academic vocabulary. Alexandria VA; Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

28. Exit Slip REFLECT • How has your thinking changed about vocabulary today? • What is one thing you learned that you would like try?

29. Thank You!  • Gina Flynn, 4K Teacher at St. Robert Schoolgflynn@strobert.org • Bethany Teipel, Learning Support Specialist at St. Robert Schoolbteipel@strobert.org