1. A Workshop for Vocabulary Instruction
Presenter: Amy Benjamin
Manalapan-Englishtown Regional Schools
The slides in today’s presentation are available
at (click on “recent presentations”)
TOPICS:
Vocabulary instruction that improves reading comprehension and writing ability

2. Goals for Today: (Vocab)
Alternatives to vocab book: “boring”; “out of context”
Vocabulary to improve reading comprehension
Relevance to students’ everyday lives
Retention and use (as opposed to mem & regurge)
Standardized test performance, esp. with words in isolation
Learning how to learn words

3. Current Practice: How are we teaching vocabulary?
What words do we select to teach explicitly?
How do we teach the words? (How do we introduce them? explain them?
get students to engage with them? manipulate them? reinforce them?
How do we assess our students’ vocabulary knowledge and growth?
What would be the ideal?

4. Best Practices in Vocabulary Instruction:
Depth of processing:
Multiple exposures
Multiple meanings
Multiple contexts
Multiple forms of a word
Opportunity to communicate
Purposeful repetition
Treating phrases as words
Verbal and Nonverbal processing

5. “Information Closet”

6. Of Limited Value… Of Durable Value… Lists alone Context alone
Definitions alone
Dictionaries and Glossaries alone
Of Durable Value…
Words in clusters
Multiple exposures in various contexts
Chances to speak, hear, write the words
Manipulation of forms of words
Classify and categorize word lists
Word games

7. What do we know when we know a word?
Definition
Spelling
Grammatical application (how to use it in a sentence)
Synonyms
Components: prefix,
root, suffix
Morphology (other forms that the word can take)
Other words that are
related to it (having
same root)
Connotation (positive, negative, neutral)
Register (formal or informal)
Collocations (words that tend to go with it)
Lesser-used definitions

8. Designate; designation; identify, identification Ascertain; determine
Tier II Words
Tier III Words
Tier I Words:
Domain-specific
terminology;
“Glossary” words
On-the-job words
Language of academics,
business, government
“Vocab List” words
Everyday Language:
Ask
Dead
Name
Find out; figure out
Answer
Rain
Use
Sharp
Get
Take apart and put
together
balance
Interrogate
Deceased
Designate; designation;
identify, identification
Ascertain; determine
Precipitate, precipitation
Utilize; employ
Acute
Acquire
Analyze; synthesize
equilibrium
Photosynthesis
Cytoplasm
Metamorphosis
Asymmetrical
Bathysphere
Rhetoric
Deoxyribonucleic acid
Artifact
Habeas corpus
Diaspora
Polysyndeton
Adjective x
chr___
___ic ph
__y__
___sis
Code-switching
Prefix/root/suffix

9. High-Incidence Academic Word List (AWL)
570 words
Comprise 10% of the words in academic discourse
Are outside of the 2,000-3,000 words that are necessary for basic social
communication in English
CALP: Cognitive Academic Linguistic Proficiency
570 words on the AWL
2,000-3,000 words
for basic social communication
BIC: Basic Interpersonal Communication

10. AWL is arranged in 10 sublists, in order of frequency
65% of the words on the AWL have Latin/Greek word components
The words on the AWL can be used to form about 3,000 words (by adding
prefixes and suffixes)

11. Core Words intermittent transmit admit commit remit INTERMITTENT
submit
missive
admissible
submissive
commission
mission
permission
INTERMITTENT
REFLECT
SUBTRACT
COMPLIANCE
CORRESPONDENT
PROPELLER
TRANSPORTATION
DESTRUCTIVE
PERSPECTIVE

12. Vocabulary Chart: Target Word: Glossary Definition: Visual:
Draw or find a picture:
My guess:
Definition in my own words:
Complete sentence of at least ____words:
Must contain an action verb and a visual image.

13. Morphology Chart Noun: The… Verb: Adjective Which one? What kind?
They…He…
or Must… or
To…
Adjective
Which one?
What kind?
How many?
The___truck
Adverb
Where? When?
Why? To what extent? In what manner?

14. Morphology Kit -ment -ness -ation, sion -ity -ism -hood -itude -ence
Noun-Making Suffixes
Verb-Making Suffixes
Adjective-making suffixes
-ment
-ness
-ation, sion
-ity
-ism
-hood
-itude
-ence
-ance
-ide
-ate
-ify
-ize
-acious,icious -y
-ous, ious
-ant
-able, ible
-er; est
Adverb-making suffix:
-ly

15. Word Components: Level 1 (usually known in elementary grades)
Prefixes
ex-
pre-
re-
un-
dis-
non-
im-
mis-
mini-
maxi-

16. Word Components: Level 2 (usually known in intermediate grades)
Prefixes
co-; con-; com-
syn-; sym-
in-; en- (into)
sub-; sup- e-
a-; ab-
inter-
intra-
mono-
uni-
bi-; tri-; quad-, etc.
cent-; milli-; mega-
poly-; multi-
omni-
trans-
semi-
bio-; geo-; eco-

17. Word Components: Level 3 (usually known in high school)
Prefixes
pseudo-
demi-
endo-; ecto-
pro-
per-
peri-
hemi-
ob-
bene-
mal-
photo-
nom-
ig-
muni-
contra-
philo-

18. Common Word Roots for Academic Subjects:
Basic:
-ject (to throw)
-port (to carry)
-scrip, scribe (to write)
-vert, vers (to turn)
-pos, pon (to place)
-tract (to draw)
-pel, pul (to drive)
-struct (to build)
-grad, gress (to step)
-plic, plex (to fold)
-flic, flex (to bend)
-fic, fac (to make)
-miss, mit (to send)
-sid, sed (to sit)
-spec (to see)
-voc (to call)
-dict (to say)
-rupt (to break)
Often combine with:
sub re pro-
ex ob per-
de a-; ab- co-
con e-
trans ex-
Often end with:
-ive
-ation; sion
-ate
-able; ible
-or

19. Common Word Roots for Academic Subjects:
Advanced:
-cad, -cas,-cid (to fall)
-dyna (force; power)
-magn (great; large)
-quir, -quis (to seek)
-gen (race, kind origin)
-cham, -cam (vault)
-cen (to judge)
-doc, -dox (to think)
-greg (to flock)
-cau (to burn)
-ess, -sent (to exist)
-close, -clud, -clus (to close)
-mand, -mend (to order)
-junct (to join)
-jur, -jus (to swear)
-lith (stone)
Often combine with:
sub re pro-
ex ob per-
de a-; ab- ne-
con e-
trans ex-
Often end with:
-ive
-ation; sion
-ate
-able; ible
-or
-ize
-ence, ance
-ary

20. pre- re- un- a, ab- sub- de- pro- ob- con- Word Components Chart I
<Slide 13: Print as full page>
Word Components Chart I
Write the words that you’ve heard of that would logically fill in the chart:
(Note: Not all the blanks should be filled in.)
-tract
-struct
-port
-verse
-pel
pre-
re-
report
un-
a, ab-
averse
sub-
subtract
de-
pro-
propel
ob-
con-
construct

21. tract- port- pel- script- cred- spec- duct- struct-
Word Components Chart II
<Slide 14: Print as full page>
Write the words that you’ve heard of that would logically fill in the chart.
(Note: Not all of the blanks should be filled in.)
-tion
-ment
-able
-ible
-er, or
-ence
-ance
tract-
attraction
contractor
port-
vert-
pel-
struct-
script-
cred-
spec-
duct-

22. pre- re- a, ab- de- pro- ob- con- sub- Word Components Chart II
<Slide 14: Print as full page>
Write the words that you’ve heard of that would logically fill in the chart.
(Note: Not all of the blanks should be filled in.)
-ject
-mit,mis
-grad
-gress
-plic,
-ply, -plex
-duc
-duct
pre-
re-
un-
a, ab-
sub-
de-
pro-
ob-
con-

23. Strength Training: Vocabulary
Here are a few things you can do that will take just a few minute of class time to
build your students’ vocabulary:
Analyze word prefixes and roots of key words to show how they are related
to words that students may already know.
2. Embed the target word in a cluster of words related to the topic.
3. Introduce key words that the students will meet in their upcoming readings.
Repeat new words in various contexts.
5. Show the word. Emphasize its spelling and how it looks like related words.
6. Give students opportunities to use new words in conversation.
7. If you can, make connections between new words and words in other languages.
8. Give students opportunities to use new words in informal writing.
9. Indulge in word games and crossword puzzles to reinforce new word.
10. Give students opportunities to use non-verbal ways to express meanings
(drawing, gestures, skits, charades). 23

24. Word Components: Flip-a-Chip
Model:
Students are shown two chips having prefixes and two other chips having roots.
Any combination of these chips (prefix + root) will produce a word.
Then, given a cloze paragraph, students supply the appropriate word.
Example:
PRO RE
VOKE
DUCE
Four words:
reduce, revoke
produce, provoke
Mrs. Benjamin was vexed. “My students,” she declared_______ me when they
are late to class. They_________one excuse after another. I want to ________
the number of lateness to class, so I’ll _______ the privilege of using the
lavatory pass to any student who arrives late.”
Mountain, Lee. “Flip-a-chip to Build Vocabulary.
Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy. 46:1. September 2002.

25. Word Components: Flip-a-Chip
root
Interplay replay
Interject reject
Contract extract
Contend extend
Prefix
Prefix
root
undo redo
unwind rewind
Project progress
Reject regress
Play:
Each pair of students is given a baggie, two chips (formed from the bottom of
a dixie cup) markers, and an index card.
Given a list of prefixes and roots, students come up with two prefixes and two
roots that will combine to form four words with every prefix + root combination.
Students then write a paragraph on the index card, leaving blanks for the four
words.
Students then put the chips and index cards (with their name on the back) on
the baggie and pass along to another pair.

26. president resident
preview review
compel, repel
comport, report
universe inverse
uniform inform
subtract, detract
subject, deject
dismiss remiss
distort retort
receive perceive
retain pertain
distract, extract
dispel, expel
absolve resolve
abject reject
suppose expose
support export
pretend, intend
prevent, invent
prescription description
preceive deceive
transmit submit
transcribe subscribe
comply, imply
comport, import
retract, attract
retain attain
commit permit
complex perplex
obtain detain
obstruct destruct
reflect deflect
renounce denounce
contract attract
contain attain

27. “The Ransom of
Red Chief”
Typical vocabulary list of words extracted from literature:
bellowing
cauterized
depredation
extortion
forlorn
impudent
palatable
precipice
proclivities
ransom
reconnoiter
seedy
somnolent
spendthrift
sylvan
Frequency outside of the story
Importance in understanding this story
Leverage to learn related words
Individual student’s curiosity and proximity

28. Common Word Roots for Academic Subjects:
Basic:
-ject (to throw)
-port (to carry)
-scrip, scribe (to write)
-vert, vers (to turn)
-pos, pon (to place)
-tract (to draw)
-pel, pul (to drive)
-struct (to build)
-grad, gress (to step)
-plic, plex (to fold)
-flic, flex (to bend)
-fic, fac (to make)
-miss, mit (to send)
-sid, sed (to sit)
-spec (to see)
-voc (to call)
-dict (to say)
-rupt (to break)
Often combine with:
sub re pro-
ex ob per-
de a-; ab- co-
con e-
trans ex-
Often end with:
-ive
-ation; sion
-ate
-able; ible
-or

29. Common Word Roots for Academic Subjects:
Advanced:
-cad, -cas,-cid (to fall)
-dyna (force; power)
-magn (great; large)
-quir, -quis (to seek)
-gen (race, kind origin)
-cham, -cam (vault)
-cen (to judge)
-doc, -dox (to think)
-greg (to flock)
-cau (to burn)
-ess, -sent (to exist)
-close, -clud, -clus (to close)
-mand, -mend (to order)
-junct (to join)
-jur, -jus (to swear)
-lith (stone)
Often combine with:
sub re pro-
ex ob per-
de a-; ab- ne-
con e-
trans ex-
Often end with:
-ive
-ation; sion
-ate
-able; ible
-or
-ize
-ence, ance
-ary

30. How can students benefit from a vocabulary list?
Classify
Analyze
Morph
Synthesize
Build
Students break
words down
into prefixes,
roots, suffixes
(Word Study)
Students
build words
into phrases;
phrases into
simple
sentences;
simple sentences
into complex
sentences
Students use
their words to
generate ideas
for a writing
piece:
Purposes:
To inform,
To entertain,
To persuade,
To socialize
Students
think of ways
in which the
words on
their lists can
be classified
(sorted,
arranged,
organized)
Students
manipulate the
words into
different parts
of speech by
adding
endings

31. The Sentence-Making Kit
Fold a 5 x 8 index card in half, width-wise:
Bicycle:
Who or what?
What about it?
Guess
What!
They
believed
that…
Yes/no
question
Stick-on
question 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

32. The Sentence-Making Kit
On the inside of the card:
AAAWWUBBIS:
although, as, after
while, when
until
because, before
if, since
If a sentence begins
with any of these words,
it must have two parts.
Place a comma between
the two parts if one of
these words begins
the sentence.
These words, plus the comma, may join
two sentences. Writers sometimes begin
sentences with these words if they are
doing so for emphasis.
,and
,but
,so
Use as many
ACTION VERBS as possible.
Flip the switch into formal English:
a lot = a great many or a great deal
gonna= going to
wanna= want to
hafta= have to
get,got = become, became, receive
received, obtain, obtained
gotta: must
These words will help you
give detail in your sentences:
Try beginning some of your
sentences with these words:
Use words and groups of words that
answer the ADVERB QUESTIONS:
When? Where? Why? How?
To what extent? How often?
IN FOR
ON WITH AT

33. The Sentence-Making Kit
On the back of the card:
Substitutions for homophones and spelling problems:
their = his
there = here
they’re = they are
your = his
you’re = you are
its = his
it’s = it is; it has
woman = man
women = men
I before E except after C
Or when sounded as A
As in neighbor or sleigh