Closing the Vocabulary Gap: Vocabulary Building Strategies in Action

1. Closing the Vocabulary Gap:Vocabulary Building Strategies in Action Presented by: Sandi Yellenberg Science Coordinator Santa Clara County Office of Education sandra_yellenberg@sccoe.org

2. Vocabulary • Pre-Planning Lesson • Front-loading somevocabulary • Building Prior Knowledge • Identify Content Standard(s) • Identify Language Objective(s) Agenda

3. Teaching the lessons • Pre-assess for prior knowledge • Teach Concept • Structure Recording in Notebook • Discuss Sentence Frames • Support Concept with Accessible Reading Agenda

4. Vocabulary knowledge is the single greatest contributor to reading comprehension and thus a strong predictor of overall academic achievement. --Kate Kinsella, Isabel Beck, Robert Marzano, Doug Fisher, et. al.

5. Average child from a low-income family hears about 3 million words a year vs. 11 million from a professional family (Hart & Risley, 1995) • By age 4, the gap in words heard grows to 13 vs. 45 million • Children from a professional family spoke more words than parents in a low-income family Schools Often Have To Build Vocabulary With Students

6. Thank-Pair-Share: • Think (30 sec.) • Pair • Share • Choose partner “A” and “B” • “A” shares (30 sec.) • “B” shares (30 sec.) What is meant by academic vocabulary?

7. The language necessary to succeed in school. Academic Vocabulary falls into two major categories: • content specific vocabulary • transportable vocabulary (words that are used across the curriculum in multiple disciplines) Academic Vocabulary

8. To front load, or not to front load? That is the question. Vocabulary

9. It depends on the vocabulary. And the answer is

10. Defined Tier I, II, & III words • Determine what to front-load Identify Vocabulary

11. What is academic vocabulary?

12. As you’ll see, sometimes the mortar words can get messy. Some people call them brick and mortar words

13. Examples— • table • hamburger • walk • dance • happy • red • homework These words tend to be simple nouns, verb, and adjectives. These words should be front loaded before the lesson. Tier 1: The most basic words Survival English

14. Examples— • omnivore • Congress • oxymoron • square root • longitude • igneous rock Some people call these the brick words These words should NOT be front loaded. Tier 3: Low frequency words specific to a discipline

15. Examples— • conduct • classify • monitor • investigate • declaration • harmony • analyze • element Some people call these the mortar or functional mortar words In science, these words CAN be front loaded. Tier 2: High frequency words found across a variety of disciplines

16. Words that Help Students Take Tests • Trace • Analyze • Infer • Evaluate • Formulate • Describe • Support • Explain • Summarize • Compare • Contrast • Predict Larry Bell’s 12 Power Words

17. We teach too many Tier I words, not enough Tier 2 words, and we’re just about right-on with our teaching of Tier 3 words. --Doug Fisher, “Secondary Literacy Conference Spring 2007”, Anaheim CA What do you think Doug Fisher means? Do you agree or disagree?

18. Identify Vocabulary Words

19. = words can be front loaded Identify Vocabulary Words

20. = words can be front loaded = words not normally front loaded – but previously taught Front-load Appropriate Vocabulary

21. A Notetaking Guide to Facilitate Active Listening and Retention This Vocabulary Notebook strategy was developed by Kate Kinsella

22. Cell Blood cell Nerve cell Frayer Model

23. Upper Grade adaption of Frayer

24. A connection to real science researchers: • Table of Contents • Numbered pages • Each page dated • Glossary in the back Science Notebook

25. Sample Science Notebook from Using Vocabulary Strategies to Maximize Students’ Learning in Science NSTA Presentation March 11, 2011 Table of Contents Visible Light = white light 4 Reflection . . . . . . . . . 6 Refraction & rainbows . . .9 How we see colors . . . . 12 Glossary cell - a living unit that can eat and reproduce can be animal or plant has organelles – like human organs wavelength – the distance between 2 peaks or troughs white light – light from the sun contains all the colors of the rainbow Science Notebooks

26. Activate/ Build Prior Knowledge

27. Everyone sees any given color as the same color as everyone else. • Seeing colors is caused by a chemical reaction. • Our eyes can adjust to what we see at the speed of light. Activate/ Build Prior KnowledgeAnticipatory Set

28. Vocabulary Knowledge Rating Chart Rating Scale:4= I can teach the word. 3= I have some understanding. 2= I have seen or heard it before. 1= I have never seen or hear it before. • retina 3 a part of the eye cone cell rod cell This Vocabulary Notebook strategy was developed by Kate Kinsella

29. 7th grade – California State Standard 6.e. Students know that white light is a mixture of many wavelengths (colors) and that retinal cells react differently to different wavelengths. Start with the Standard

30. Students will be able to explain how our eyes see colors. Simplify Standard to a Learning Objective /Learning Goal

31. Students will use at least 3 vocabulary words in their explanation of how people’s eyes see colors. Define a Language Objective

32. Kits for experiment's spinners available at RAFT ($4.00 for 20) Thanks to the volunteers at RAFT (Resource Area for Teaching) for assembling this spinners for today. www.raft.net

33. Materials Wall

35. Make Preliminary Observations – in your notebook • Predictions – When you spin your disc, what do you think you are going to see? – draw or write it in your notebook. - Sentence frames: I think I will see _______ . When I spin my disc, I predict that I will see _____ . Investigate

36. Spin your Black & white top in your plate.What do you see?

37. Conduct Investigation • Spin and draw what you see in notebooks (Record results) • When I spun my disc, I saw ________ • When I spun my disc, I observed _____ • Share results with an elbow partner. Investigate

38. Teach concept to explain observations. Can be taught: • From students inquiry and observations • Through additional experimentation • Through direct instruction Investigate

39. Students will be able to explain how our eyes see colors. Students will use at least 3 vocabulary words in their explanation of how people’s eyes see colors Learning & Language Objectives

40. Vocabulary Cards

41. Extend and deepen knowledge – posters around the rooms Investigate

43. Station 1: • Stare at the yellow dot in the middle of the flag for 20-30 seconds. • Then look at a blank white paper, and blink your eyes. • What do you see. • Discuss what you think just happened in your eyes. • Knowing what you do about how the eyes see color, please give your hypothesis of an explanation for what you just experienced. • Vocabulary to include: • retina • cones • cell • wavelength • observation • conclusion

44. Primary Colors vs Secondary Colors

45. Everyone sees colors the same way. • Seeing colors is caused by a chemical reaction. • Our eyes can adjust to what we see at the speed of light. Activate/ Build Prior KnowledgeAnticipatory Set

46. Provide multiple opportunities to practice vocabulary using oral language Provide time to process information OFTEN Teach new concepts BEFORE having students read about them at an appropriate reading level for the student. Remember

47. Thanks for coming. Have a great rest of the conference! Questions?