Effective Vocabulary Methods And Strategies

1. Effective Vocabulary Methods And Strategies Greg Conderman Gconderman@niu.edu Laura Hedin Lhedin@niu.edu Northern Illinois University Illinois CEC Conference Fall, 2013

2. Session Goals To differentiate between direct and indirect methods of teaching vocabulary To provide a rationale for direct (explicit) vocabulary instruction To share a few vocabulary methods and strategies To provide ideas for vocabulary activities (handout)

3. Indirect Vocabulary Instruction Passive, inferential, occurs naturally through reading and listening BUT “learning vocabulary during independent reading is inefficient for students with disabilities” (Jitendra et al., 2004, p. 300) due to: Lack of strategies to learn words from context Poor overall word knowledge Therefore, students require some explicit instruction with 300-400 words per year

4. Rationale: Vocabulary Instruction Students with disabilities have inadequate reading skills (decoding), vocabulary skills, and background knowledge Vocabulary instruction supports comprehension Vocabulary instruction supports higher level thinking skills Many disciplines have their own vocabulary Common core standards

5. Direct Vocabulary Instruction Teacher picks and isolates target words Teacher systematically teaches word meanings Teacher plans meaningfulencounters with words for the student to really “own” it (10 – 15 encounters)

6. What Counts as a Meaningful Encounter? Use words in contexts that reinforce meanings Read Write Listen Say (As well as draw, demonstrate, connect, compare, evaluate…)

7. Preview the Text: What Words Will You Target 1. Important words- needed to understand a concept or text 2. Useful words- words students will be required to recognize and use on a ongoing basis 3. Difficult words- words that pose particular challenges for students such as multiple meanings, idiomatic expressions, or where meanings are context specific

8. Typical Third or Fourth Grade Text Activity: Selection: What are animal adaptations? Pick no more than six target vocabulary words Important words… Useful words… Difficult words…

9. Research Supported Methods Key word method/mnemonics Cognitive strategies Semantic feature analysis Semantic mapping Direct Instruction

10. Keyword Strategy Wide range of subject areas Used to teach factual information Help students with high incidence disabilities remember main ideas in content areas Used to teach vocabulary for standardized tests

11. Keyword Strategy: Step 1 Reconstruct term to be learned into an acoustically similar already familiar easily pictured concrete term A KEYWORD

12. Keyword Strategy: Step 2 Relate the keyword to the to-be-learned information in an interactive picture, image, or sentence. ___________ ____________________

13. Keyword Strategy: Step 3 Model how to retrieve the appropriate response by thinking of: The keyword The picture The “action” in the picture

14. Key Word - Example Vocabulary Word: Apex Definition: The highest point Key word: Ape (Acoustically similar, familiar and can be drawn) Interactive Image: Ape on highest point

15. Key Word Activity Write a key word next to one of the words from your list from the selection “What are animal adaptations”? The key word should sound like the vocabulary word, be known to the student, and be easily drawn Example: • Survive is the vocabulary word • I’m alive is the key word • My interactive image would be a person surviving an accident saying, “I’m alive!”

16. Semantic Feature Analysis Involves using a chart or grid [the relationship chart] to compare and contrast words or concepts within a unit on a similar topic EX: The 4 types of paragraphs we have learned, the 5 types of governments we have studied, the planets, etc Students (by themselves, pairs, groups, or as a class) rate the relationship among items in that class by noting if the specific characteristic is present (+) or not present (-)

17. Semantic Feature Analysis(Current Practice Alerts, 2010)

18. Semantic Mapping Use class discussion and a graphic organizer to build the meaning of the word Answer questions such as: What is it? What is it like? What are some examples? What are some synonyms? What are some antonyms? Etc Place word in middle of page and build the meaning through discussion by answering those questions These are not “worksheets”; they need to be accompanied by teacher instruction

19. Semantic Mapping(Current Practice Alerts, 2010)

20. Direct Instruction Involves explicit systematic presentation of a word and its meaning Highly structured lessons/scripted lessons Can be used along with many of the methods described

21. Direct Instruction-Example Student reads: Response Teacher says: Response means action an animal takes. When a prairie dog sees an enemy, it has a response. It takes action; it squeaks. What does response mean? Student: Action an animal takes Teacher: Yes, once more. What does response mean? Student: Action an animal takes [context dependent]

22. Activity • Choose one of the methods • Key Word, Semantic Feature Analysis, Semantic Mapping, Direct Instruction • Discuss with a partner how you would teach one of your vocabulary words (or words typical for your students) using that method

23. Additional Vocabulary Methods • Before reading • During reading • After reading

24. Predict and Pre Teach with Picture Walk or Chapter Warm Up Not just for early childhood! Especially helpful with informational text Hare, prairie dog, etc. Older students- survey chapter, WARM UP

25. Before Reading: Build on and Extend What Students Know Preview using oral language In oral discussion, use new terms in ways that support comprehension (model new vocabulary) Prompt student comment: What do you see in this picture? Student:The rabbit is hiding in the snow. Recast with new term and more detail: Yes, the hare is blending in with the snow, so it is safe…Hares are a kind of rabbit.

26. Directly Pre Teach When Definition cannot be derived from context Familiar words are used in unusual ways Hare versus hair…burrow (dig) versus burrow (home underground) Words are difficult to decode and are critical to comprehension

27. Modeling Use when verbal explanations are inadequate or inappropriate The teacher acts it out, shows it, shows a picture of it, has the class act it out, or shows a video of it The most “concrete” method Helpful for students who are ELL of for young children with limited language skills

28. Synonyms Teacher provides a synonym of the word Our character today is described as gorgeous; that is, she is very pretty. Need to know student’s language May not capture the richness or subtleties of the word

29. Definitions Most abstract Use definitions that are kid-friendly: Use words students already know Include words that are easy to understand Use a succinct definition Demonstrate how the word is used in a sentence (Conderman, Hedin, Bresnahan, 2012)

30. KFD (Continued)(Conderman, Hedin, Bresnahan 2012) After presenting the KFD, provide three examples that illustrate the use of the word that students can identify with Then provide three non-examples Next, ask students for their examples and non-examples Finally, ask several yes/no questions to assess student understanding of the word

31. KFD- Examples(Conderman, Hedin, Bresnahan, 2012)

32. Think and Share Activity Think of a word and how you might present it through: • Modeling • Synonyms or • Defintions

33. Shades Of Meaning and Dedicated Word Walls Compare/contrast Anchor in background knowledge Shades of meaning: Let’s look at the colors in this box of crayons… Cornflower? Azure? Teal?

34. Shades of Meaning Same “shades” work for some other vocabulary angry, happy, friendly/unfriendly big/small

35. Dedicated Word Walls: Replacing Over Used Words Context sentence for dedicated word wall: The NICE boy scout helped the old lady cross the busy street. KFD: Nice means: Thinks of others and helps them Pre teach: We will see this sentence in our passage today Her friends were very considerate of her feelings Underline considerate Considerate is a synonym for NICE, let’s add it to our word wall for NICE

36. Word-part Clues Teach students meanings of affixes (pre and suffixes) and how those change the meaning of the root word Er means “one who” Farmer is one who farms; teacher is one who teaches etc Check for understanding: What does a writer do? A singer? A dancer?

37. Word Origins Especially helpful for advanced classes and content areas with specialized vocabulary Similar to word-part clues Teach students origins of a word part Tract means pull This helps students remember meanings of tractor, attraction, distraction, etc Make a list of words with that word part

38. Semantic Mapping

39. During reading- context clues Directly teach context use Read around the word Restate definition---look for punctuation Highlight definition, so it serves as reference Substitute synonym and reread Use pictures and diagrams

40. During Reading: Context Use Contextual analysis- using the sentence to figure out the meaning of the unknown word Call on student to read passage: Aunt Phoebe has things. Things and things and things. She has a collection. Call on a student to find the words that tell the meaning of the underlined word. Ask: What words in the passage tell what a collection is? Check for understanding: Do you have a collection? Tell about it. Do you know anyone who has a collection? Tell about it.

41. During Reading: Definitions and Synonyms

42. After Reading: Vocabulary Activities If goal is to expand vocabulary, students should be able to use words meaningfully Speak Write Do See handout with some activities

43. I-Charts: CC.RI.4.9

44. After Reading: Concept Mapping Show relationships between concepts in the text Reflects the structure (organization) of the text

45. Concluding Thoughts Avoid: Just giving a list of words for students to look up or memorize Only assessing meaning through matching quizzes Providing activities such as word searches that are void of meaningful context Introducing every new word through pre teaching

46. Concluding Thoughts Do: Vary your instruction based on your objectives, the text, the word, and student’s skill Pre teach a few key terms per short unit or story Relate the term to student’s background Teach students various strategies for unlocking new terms Assess through authentic activities

47. Resources Beck, I. L., McKeown, M. G., & Kucan, L. (2002). Bringing words to life: Robust vocabulary instruction. New York: Guilford. Conderman, G., Hedin, L., & Bresnahan, V. (2012). Strategy instruction for middle and secondary students with mild disabilities: Creating independent learners. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. Current Practice Alerts. (2010). A focus on vocabulary instruction. 18, Division for Learning Disabilities. Jitendra, A., Edwards, L., Sacks, G., & Jacobson, L. (2004). What research says about vocabulary instruction for students with learning disabilities. Exceptional Children 70 (3), 299-322.

48. Resources http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2008/04/06/ the-best-websites-for-developing-academic-english-skills-vocabulary/ Edutopia: http://www.edutopia.org/blog/vocabulary-instruction-teaching-tips-rebecca-alber Nagy, W. (2008). http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CCwQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcurry.virginia.edu%2Freading-projects%2Fprojects%2Fgarf%2FPowerPoints%2FNagy%2520Georgia%2520RF.ppt&ei=Zhd5UqyWIMbXyAH_4YC4BA&usg=AFQjCNE3bcuq-FspoJfaUtBRz_LIDqVHaA&sig2=k0m9VZMpbRGcbkOs3gDEyg&bvm=bv.55980276,d.aWc