Teaching Vocabulary to Struggling Readers Michael C. McKenna Georgia Southern University

1. Teaching Vocabulary to Struggling Readers Michael C. McKenna Georgia Southern University

2. What is vocabulary?

3. word-hoard estuary argon id

4. What is vocabulary? • Speaking vocabulary • Listening vocabulary • Reading vocabulary • Writing vocabulary • General vocabulary • Technical vocabulary • Meaning vocabulary Modality Domain

5. What is vocabulary? • Speaking vocabulary • Listening vocabulary • Reading vocabulary • Writing vocabulary • General vocabulary • Technical vocabulary • Meaning vocabulary Modality Domain

6. What is vocabulary? • Speaking vocabulary • Listening vocabulary • Reading vocabulary • Writing vocabulary • General vocabulary • Technical vocabulary • Meaning vocabulary Modality Domain

7. What is vocabulary? • Speaking vocabulary • Listening vocabulary • Reading vocabulary • Writing vocabulary • General vocabulary • Technical vocabulary • Meaning vocabulary Modality Domain

8. What is vocabulary? • Speaking vocabulary • Listening vocabulary • Reading vocabulary • Writing vocabulary • General vocabulary • Technical vocabulary • Meaning vocabulary Modality Domain

10. 1755 Dictionary of the English Language

11. 1755 Dictionary of the English Language 114,000 words

12. 1755 Dictionary of the English Language 114,000 words impertransibility queck nould

13. 1755 Dictionary of the English Language 114,000 words 2005 Oxford English Dictionary (3rd ed.)

14. 1755 Dictionary of the English Language 114,000 words 2005 Oxford English Dictionary (3rd ed.) 660,000+ words

15. webcam cyberphobic doh 2005 Oxford English Dictionary (3rd ed.) 660,000+ words

16. English users follow set rules for coining new words, thus adding greatly to the number of potential words in the language.

17. English users follow set rules for coining new words, thus adding greatly to the number of potential words in the language. The postman likes our street because it is dogless.

18. Are you a logophile?

19. 50K 40K 30K 20K 10K 0 5,000 • 1,500 • K 12

20. 50K 40K 30K 20K 10K 0 45,000 17,000 5,000 1,500 K 12

21. How do we know which words to teach?

22. Beck and McKeown’s Three Tiers Tier 3 • Rare words • 73,500 word families K-12 • Usually content-area related • Examples: isotope, estuary Tier 2 • Important to academic success • 7,000 word families • Not limited to one content area • Examples: fortunate, ridiculous Tier 1 • The most familiar words • 8,000 word families • Known by average 3rd grader • Examples: happy, go

23. Beck and McKeown’s Three Tiers Tier 3 • Rare words • 73,500 word families K-12 • Usually content-area related • Examples: isotope, estuary Tier 2 • Important to academic success • 7,000 word families • Not limited to one content area • Examples: fortunate, ridiculous Tier 1 • The most familiar words • 8,000 word families • Known by average 3rd grader • Examples: happy, go

24. Beck and McKeown’s Three Tiers Tier 3 • Rare words • 73,500 word families K-12 • Usually content-area related • Examples: isotope, estuary Tier 2 • Important to academic success • 7,000 word families • Not limited to one content area • Examples: fortunate, ridiculous Tier 1 • The most familiar words • 8,000 word families • Known by average 3rd grader • Examples: happy, go

25. Beck and McKeown’s Three Tiers Tier 3 • Rare words • 73,500 word families K-12 • Often content-area related • Examples: isotope, estuary Tier 2 • Important to academic success • 7,000 word families • Not limited to one content area • Examples: fortunate, ridiculous Tier 1 • The most familiar words • 8,000 word families • Known by average 3rd grader • Examples: happy, go

26. Beck and McKeown’s Three Tiers Tier 3 • Rare words • 73,500 word families K-12 • Often content-area related • Examples: isotope, estuary Tier 2 • Important to academic success • 7,000 word families • Not limited to one content area • Examples: fortunate, ridiculous Tier 1 • The most familiar words • 8,000 word families • Known by average 3rd grader • Examples: happy, go

27. What are some of the guiding principles of teaching vocabulary?

29. Guiding Principle Preteach key words to improve comprehension.

30. In 1367, Marain and the settlements ended a seven-year war with the Langurians and Pitoks. As a result of this war, Languria was driven out of East Bacol. Marain would now rule Laman and the other lands that once belonged to Languria. This brought peace to the Bacolean settlements. The settlers no longer had to worry about attacks from Laman. The Bacoleans were happy to be part of Marain in 1367. Yet a dozen years later, these same people would be fighting the Marish for independence, or freedom from United Marain’s rule.

31. In 1763, Britain and the colonies ended a seven-year war with the French and Indians. As a result of this war, France was driven out of North America. Britain would now rule Canada and the other lands that once belonged to France. This brought peace to the American colonies. The settlers no longer had to worry about attacks from Canada. The Americans were happy to be part of Britain in 1763. Yet a dozen years later, these same people would be fighting the British for independence, or freedom from Great Britain’s rule.

33. Guiding Principle Provide more than definitions.

34. WORD = DEFINITION

35. WORD = DEFINITION Stimulus Response

36. WORD = DEFINITION Stimulus Response truncate “to cut off”

37. WORD = DEFINITION Stimulus Response truncate “to cut off” “She truncated the lights.”

38. Combine definitions and contextual examples. Guiding Principle

39. Connotations What’s the difference between a fiddle and a violin?

40. Guiding Principle Introduce new words in related clusters.

41. antennae leg thorax wing abdomen In content areas, clustering words is natural!

42. But general vocabulary words can also be clustered – if you work at it!

45. Guiding Principle Stress the connections among related terms.

46. Guiding Principle Stress connections among unrelated terms. “Silly Questions” Would a hermit be gregarious? Could a virtuoso be a rival? – Beck & McKeown

47. Guiding Principle Stress connections among unrelated terms.

48. Guiding Principle Tie new words to old knowledge.

49. “Comprehension is building bridges from the new to the known.” – Pearson & Johnson

50. Guiding Principle Provide brief, periodic review.