Vocabulary Word Scaffolding— the Snow Leopard way!

1. Vocabulary Word Scaffolding— the Snow Leopard way! Visible collaboration in scaffolding core content vocabulary words

2. Core Content Vocabulary • Unique words for each subject –we as teachers have to scaffold understanding of them to students in each of our content areas. It’s difficult, really impossible, to use the same words in different subjects. However… • Many of these different words use the same Greek/Latin prefixes, roots, suffixes.

3. Core Content Vocabulary • As teachers, we now individually point out the Greek/Latin prefixes, roots, and suffixes of many of our “tough” vocabulary words. • Why don’t we come up with a list of some of these prefixes, roots, and suffixes that we have in common— • And show everybody examples of them being “scaffolded” in our classes?

4. Core Content Vocabulary Scaffolding • Research shows that every time that a student is presented with what common Greek/Latin prefixes/roots/suffixes mean, the more he/she will internalize that meaning. • That student will be more able to use that knowledge on his/her own to accurately assess other new words that have the same word part. • Since it takes up to 10 times for a student to internalize, why not display examples for them to see every day to help them?

5. Displaying scaffolding examples • A graphic organizer known as a vocabulary tree shows the interconnection of very different words to the same prefix/root/suffix. • Students can see how the vocabulary words they learn in science, math, language arts and social studies are interconnected!

6. Vocabulary Tree • What is a vocabulary tree? • As you would imagine, it is a diagram that shows the common word part (prefix, root, or suffix) on the bottom (the tree trunk) and words that use that word part on different branches of the tree. • We could show the word boxes bordered on different colors to show each core content area.

7. Prefix/Root/ Suffix: definition Vocabulary “Bare” Tree Example • We can put a series of these “bare trees” up in our common hallway- each with a common word part in the trunk. • A common word & definition is added in whatever color goes with that core subject. • Other words are added in color assigned to core subject area.

8. 7th grade Science textbook, p. C48 Photosynthesis takes place in plant cells that have chloroplasts. 7th grade Social Studies textbook PHOTOSYNTHESIS: process where plant cells put together light & nutrients to make energy. Math poster in Mr. Solendar’s room French colonialists in western Africa tried to assimilate the population by forcing all to use the French language. ASSIMILATION: a process by which a minority group gradually adopts the customs & attitudes of the dominant culture We use “=” in an equation as a symbol that means “is equal to”. SYMBOL: a letter or sign that stands for something else; means the same SYNONYM: A word with almost the same meaning as another definition sym/syn: along with, together; at the same time Vocabulary Tree Example • LA(border in red) adds 1st word plus definition • Math(border in purple) adds 2nd word plus definition plus source location • Social Studies(border in gold) adds 3rd word plus definition plus source location • Science(border in green) will add 4th word plus definition plus source location • LA will add 5th word

9. Vocabulary Trees • Add more vocabulary trees to show examples of Greek/Latin prefixes AND roots AND suffixes used in most, if not all, of the content areas

10. Why should we bother? Research has long shown that: • mastery of the “technical” vocabulary within content areas is essential to student success in comprehension of content concepts. (Fisher & Frey) • the ability to distinguish morphemes is a long process for students, starting with early years and continuing through adolescence—with the biggest jump being made in the adolescent years! (Larsen & Nippold)

11. Why should we bother? • Students will see the word parts on a more frequent basis by going by them multiple times in a day,so they might be more likely to internalize the meanings. • Team collaboration will be visible—never a bad thing. • We can foster student participation in recognizing common Greek/Latin prefixes/roots/suffixes – and tap into healthy competition between students to identify common word parts…if we allow them to add additional words/definitions?

12. Vocabulary Trees –Where did that idea come from?...What does it look like, anyway? • Diagram for vocabulary tree seen in When Kids Can’t Read, by Kylene Beers. • Idea for hall display is from class discussion in ECI 306 class—Middle School Reading in Content Areas– that Celia Best took this past summer. • Template will be available on our team shared directory in a word document.

13. Vocabulary Tree Hall Displays • Questions, Concerns? • Do we want to do this? • Some logistics if we do want to do this:- How do we implement? - Do we put one teacher in charge… or do as team… or add as words come up in our classes? - How long do we keep up individual displays…short term or long term?

14. References • Beers, Kylene, When Kids Can’t Read, What Teachers Can Do: A Guide for Teachers 6-12, Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2003. • Fisher, Douglas and Nancy Frey, Improving Adolescent Literacy, 2nd edition, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc., 2008. • Larsen, Jennifer A., and Marilyn A. Nippold. "Morphological Analysis in School-Age Children: Dynamic Assessment of a Word Learning Strategy." Language, Speech & Hearing Services in Schools 38.3 (2007): 201-212. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 29 July 2011.