How Professional Learning Communities Can Boost Vocabulary Development Through Collaboration

1. How Professional Learning Communities Can Boost Vocabulary Development Through Collaboration Pam Ziolkowski Pam.ziolkowski@sbcglobal.net Ruth Meggs ruthmeggs@sbcglobal.net

2. Learning Goals Vocabulary basics Connections between vocabulary and reading for all subjects, in order to develop common vocabulary during professional learning community sessions, with a focus on student success TAKS test vocabulary Table discussions for sharing vocabulary strategies that schools are using during PLC time

3. Vocabulary Basics Fluency (reading with ease) is important. Breadth of vocabulary increases comprehension and facilitates further learning. Domain knowledge broadens vocabulary. We begin learning words through conversations with people. Repeated exposure to vocabulary in many contexts aids word learning. A reader’s general vocabulary knowledge is the single best predictor of how well that reader can understand text. (Anderson and Freebody, 1981) Instructional strategies matter. One of the best ways to learn a new word is to associate an image with it. (vocabulary walk) Vocabulary walk here; provide words and definitions; they write it on chart paper, draw picture, then walk around roomVocabulary walk here; provide words and definitions; they write it on chart paper, draw picture, then walk around room

4. Vocabulary Basics: Fluency Word recognition strategies—phoneme awareness, phonics, sight words—lead to automaticity. When a word can be decoded, it may be understood while reading due to background knowledge via oral language acquisition or domain knowledge.

5. Vocabulary Basics: Breadth of Vocabulary Adequate reading comprehension depends on knowing 90-95% of the words (I have, who has?) Low income homes on average expose young children to far fewer words than middle class homes Most vocabulary growth results from massive immersion in the world of language and knowledge. I have, who has? Make cards with words and definition. Start with “who has” and number the cards. I have, who has? Make cards with words and definition. Start with “who has” and number the cards.

6. Vocabulary Basics: Domain Knowledge More than vocabulary knowledge is needed to understand most texts. The reader also needs a threshold level of knowledge about the topic being discussed. Vocabulary that you find frequently, across topics, is a good place for a focus in Professional Learning Communities.

7. Example: What is important for you to know here? The APCT is deployed on an APC inner core barrel and provides a precise in situ temperature measurement while adding only 10 minutes to each core barrel run. Typically, the tool is run starting at 30 m below seafloor and then run after every other core until four good readings are obtained. The shoe is hydraulically stroked 9.5 m into the sediment and remains stationary for about 10 minutes. The inner core barrel is then retrieved, the instrumented shoe is removed, and the data is downloaded into a computer. Read info to them and have them silently right down words/ phrases they do not know and what is keeping someone from understanding the passage. Discuss at tables and get input.Read info to them and have them silently right down words/ phrases they do not know and what is keeping someone from understanding the passage. Discuss at tables and get input.

8. Vocabulary Basics: Oral Language The larger the oral vocabulary, the more easily text is comprehended. Data suggests that students coming from a home where the adults dropped out of school arrive at school their first year with the vocabulary of about a three year old.

9. The Context of Words The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert. Since there was no time like the present, he decided to present the present. The farm was used to produce produce. At a meeting, why does a topic come UP? Why do we speak UP and why are the officers UP for election and why is it UP to the secretary to write UP the report?

10. Vocabulary Basics: What is needed to produce vocabulary growth is more reading. (Nagy, 1988) Research shows that the more students read, the better they do on tests. (Anderson, Wilson, Fielding, 1988)

11. Variation in Amount of Independent ReadingAdapted from Anderson, Wilson, Fielding, 1988

12. Vocabulary Basics: Instructional Strategies Matter Much vocabulary instruction fails to increase comprehension measurably because: 1) most vocabulary instruction fails to produce in-depth word knowledge. (from “I think I’ve seen that word before” to “That’s what I did my dissertation on.”) 2) redundancy of text can be a roadblock—words are frequently repeated when harder synonyms could be used

13. Instructional ApproachesCan Be Improved Multiple approaches should be used. If used alone, they may not be as effective. The following two strategies are often taught alone in subjects other than reading. Look up the word, write the definition, memorize it: Definitions alone can lead to a superficial level of word knowledge; definitions given in glossaries may not be accurate for the selection being read. OR Infer the meaning of the word from the context: Context, used as an instructional method by itself, is only helpful if one already knows what the word means. Image=likeness likeness occurs 2 times per million words of in text but image occurs 23 times per million words of text; an image can be a likeness but it can be how an individual creates that likeness in his mind, which could be different from someone else for the same word. Example dog-envision great dane or chihuahua? Image=likeness likeness occurs 2 times per million words of in text but image occurs 23 times per million words of text; an image can be a likeness but it can be how an individual creates that likeness in his mind, which could be different from someone else for the same word. Example dog-envision great dane or chihuahua?

14. Example (Look up the word, write the definition, use it in a sentence, memorize it) Write a sentence using the word “stative”. stative: adj. (of a verb) expressing a state or condition, as like, want, or believe, and usually used in simple, not progressive tenses: I like them. I want some.

15. Example: (Infer using the context) Although Mary was thin, her sister was obese. Using the context, can you absolutely determine what obese means if you don’t know the definition? *It’s clear there is contrast here, but what words could be used that don’t mean obese but still contrast? At tables, discuss. Emaciated, lean What comes into play here that can interfere: MY definition of thin; it may be different than the person’s who wrote the sentence…..At tables, discuss. Emaciated, lean What comes into play here that can interfere: MY definition of thin; it may be different than the person’s who wrote the sentence…..

16. Professional Learning Communities Professional learning communities: Ensure students learn Have a culture of collaboration Focus on results

17. TAKS Test Vocabulary This is a starting point for the PLC, not the end. Some Education Service Centers have pamphlets of a list of vocabulary for each grade and subject. However, as a PLC, reading and studying the vocabulary in grade level TEKS, student expectations, and released test questions is a good first step.

18. Professional Learning Communities and Vocabulary Study: A Culture of Collaboration Strategy #1- Subject Area Collaboration All teachers from one subject (horizontal/vertical) bring their TEKS/TAKS vocabulary to the PLC. The PLC studies the TEKS/TAKS vocabulary and discusses terms that should be focused on for student achievement. The PLC shares different strategies that can be used to help students learn the words. (one example: vocabulary squared) A continued study of subject area vocabulary, other than TEKS/TAKS words, can be continued and implemented. Use index cards. Put words and definitions on card. They come up with synonym and picture.Use index cards. Put words and definitions on card. They come up with synonym and picture.

19. Professional Learning Communities and Vocabulary Study: A Culture of Collaboration Strategy #2- Teaming Vocabulary Teams that have representatives for each subject share vocabulary that is used frequently in all core subjects subjects. The group finds common words that can be a focus throughout the year. The PLC shares different strategies that can be used to help students learn the words. (examples: “around the class”, word morphology, define in context) Model around the class. Ruth is first competitor and stands beside one person at a table. Give a word. First person to define it correctly moves to next person. Keep count of how many people each person “passes” for points, or just do it for fun. Use Red Badge of Courage (next slide) for define in context. Model around the class. Ruth is first competitor and stands beside one person at a table. Give a word. First person to define it correctly moves to next person. Keep count of how many people each person “passes” for points, or just do it for fun. Use Red Badge of Courage (next slide) for define in context.

20. Word Morphology: Teach Prefixes, Roots, and Suffixes!Some Examples: Mal- badly, poor Meta- beyond, after, change Mis- incorrect Mono- one Multi- many Neo- new Non- not Ob, of, op, oc- toward, against Paleo- ancient Para- beside, almost Per- throughout, completely Peri- around Poly- many Post- after Pre- before Pseudo- false

21. Excerpt from The Red Badge of Courageby Stephen Crane But there was a frenzy made from this furious rush. The men, pitching forward insanely, had burst into cheerings, moblike and barbaric, but tuned in strange keys that can arouse the dullard and stoic. There was the delirium that encounters despair and death, and is heedless and blind to the odds. It is a temporary but sublime absence of selfishness.

22. Professional Learning Communities and Vocabulary Study: A Culture of Collaboration Strategy #3: Vertical Vocabulary Teacher representatives from each grade level meet at the district level (from one subject area) to review vocabulary terms that are frequently used from elementary through high school. Example: social studies k-12, etc. A good place to start? The TEKS!!

23. Group or Pair Share Discuss with those around you strategies your PLC has used for helping students learn vocabulary. Group share and chart.

24. Some Resources Teaching Vocabulary to Improve Reading Comprehension, William E. Nagy “Strategic Instruction and Intervention in Literacy”, a presentation by John Shefelbine “Reading Comprehension Requires Knowledge---of Words and the World”, American Educator, E. D. Hirsch, Jr. “Making Every Teacher a Reading Teacher”, SEDL, Johanna Franks Classroom Instruction That Works, Robert Marzano, Debra Pickering, Jane Pollock On Common Ground, Richard and Rebecca Dufour, Robert Eaker Differentiating Instruction in a Whole Group Setting, Betty Hollas