1. Does Vocabulary Instruction Make a Difference?
Mitzi Hoback
and
Suzanne Whisler
ESU 4
February 19, 2013

2. Explicit Instruction: Chapter 3
Anita
Archer
Charles
Hughes

3. Purposes of Session Participants will be able to:
Select vocabulary for explicit instruction.
Provide student-friendly explanations.
Develop examples and non-examples for vocabulary instruction.
Design basic lessons for teaching vocabulary.

4. Characteristics - Effective Vocabulary Instruction
Instruction is clear and unambiguous.
Instruction involves presentation of word meanings and contextual examples.
Multiple exposures to the word are provided.
Sufficient instructional time is devoted to vocabulary instruction.
Students are actively engaged in vocabulary instruction.

5. Characteristics - Effective Vocabulary Instruction
Instruction is clear and ______________.
Instruction involves presentation of word __________and contextual __________.
__________ exposures to the word are provided.
Sufficient instructional ______ is devoted to vocabulary instruction.
Students are actively _______________in vocabulary instruction.

6. Explicit Vocabulary Instruction
Preliminary evidence…suggests that as late as Grade 6, about 80% of words are learned as a result of direct explanation, either as a result of the child’s request or instruction, usually by a teacher.
(Biemiller, 1999)

7. Preparation for Explicit Vocabulary Instruction – 3 Steps
1. Select words for explicit instruction
2. Develop or adopt student-friendly explanations
3. Develop examples and non- examples for introducing word or for checking understanding

8. Explicit Vocabulary Instruction –Step 1 - Selection of Vocabulary
Select a limited number of words for robust, explicit vocabulary instruction
Three to ten words per story, portion of story, or section of a chapter
Briefly tell students the meaning of other words needed for comprehension

9. Explicit Vocabulary Instruction-Selection of Vocabulary
Select words that are unknown
Select words that are critical to passage understanding
Select words that students will encounter in future
(Stahl, 1986)
Focus on Tier Two words (Beck & McKeown, 2003)
Academic Vocabulary – Larry Bell’s Power Words
Select words that are more difficult to obtain
Words having an abstract versus concrete reference
Words with unknown concept
Words not adequately explained within the text

10. Selection of Vocabulary (Beck & McKeown, 1985)
Tier One - Basic words
chair, bed, happy, house
Tier Two - Words in general use, but not common
General Academic Vocabulary
concentrate, absurd, fortunate, relieved, dignity, convenient, observation, analyze, persistence
Tier Three - Rare words limited to a specific domain Background Vocabulary
tundra, perimeter, igneous rocks, constitution, area, sacrifice fly, genre, foreshadowing

11. Practice Activity - Select words for robust, explicit instruction
Fifth Graders
The Family Under the Bridge by Natalie Savage Carlson
Preparation for reading Chapter 1.
monsieur
can’t abide
cathedral
dignity
cowered
gratitude
hidey-hole
fastidious
hyacinths
loitering
adventure
roguish

12. Practice Activity - Select 5 words for robust, explicit instruction
Reading Level: Eighth Grade Passage: Breaker’s Bridge
Series: Prentice Hall Words: *Selected for instruction in manual.
obstacle
district
amplify
writhing
gorge
imperial
piers
miniature
emerged
executioner
defeated
insult
immortals
desperation
deposited
emperor
supervising
deadline

13. Preparation – Step 2 - Student-Friendly Explanations
Dictionary Definition
relieved - (1) To free wholly or partly from pain, stress,
pressure. (2) To lessen or alleviate, as pain or pressure
Student-Friendly Explanations
(Beck, McKeown, & Kucan, 2003)
Uses known words
Easy to understand
You feel relieved when something that was difficult is over or never happened at all.

14. Preparation - Student-Friendly Explanations
Dictionary Definition
Attention - a. the act or state of attending through applying the mind to an object of sense or thought
b. a condition of readiness for such attention involving a selective narrowing of consciousness and receptivity
Dictionary for English Language Learners
(Collins COBUILD School Dictionary of American English)
If you give someone or something your attention,
you look at them, listen to them, or think about them carefully.

15. Practice Activity - Student-Friendly Explanations
Dictionary Definition
Student-Friendly Explanations
disgusting - to cause to feel disgust; be sickening, repulsive, or very distasteful to
When something is disgusting, you really dislike it. It can almost make you sick.
fragile - easily broken, damaged, or destroyed
If something is fragile, it can be broken or damaged easily.
gratitude - a feeling of thankful appreciation for favors or benefits received
loitering - to linger in an aimless way; spend time idly

16. Step 3 - Designing Examples and Non-examples
Step 1: Examine the definition and determine the
critical attributes or parts of the definition
Glossary Entry
foreshadowing. Foreshadowing is the author’s use of clues to hint at what might happen later in the story. Writers use foreshadowing to build their readers’ expectations and to create suspense.
Critical Attributes foreshadowing
Author’s procedure
Use of clues
Hints at what might happen later in the story

17. Designing Examples and Non-examples
Glossary Entry
Perpendicular lines. Two lines that intersect to form a right angle.
Critical Attributes
Perpendicular lines

18. Designing Examples and Non-examples
Step 2. Design examples in which all
attributes are present
foreshadowing
Author’s procedure
Use of clues
Hints at what might happen later in the story
Early in the story about Blue Cloud, the author indicated
that Dakota babies are taught not to cry. Later in the story, the baby who was lost in the grass did not cry, making it impossible to locate the baby. This is an example of foreshadowing. The author gave us hints about what might happen later in the story.

19. Designing Examples and Non-examples
Step 2. Design examples in which all attributes are present
perpendicular
two lines
Intersect
form right angle

20. Designing Examples and Non-examples
Step 3. Design non-examples in which some,
but not all, critical attributes are missing
foreshadowing
Author’s procedure
Use of clues
Hints at what might happen later in the story
Early in the story about Blue Cloud, the author told about the
Dakota tribe moving to a new location. This is NOT an example of foreshadowing. The author is telling what is happening, but is not giving hints about what will happen later in the story.

21. Designing Examples and Non-examples
Step 3. Design non-examples in which some,
but not all, critical attributes are missing
perpendicular lines
two lines
Intersect
for a right angle

22. Share the 3 steps for preparing for vocabulary instruction.

23. Basic Lesson Design - Vocabulary
Step 1. Introduce the word
Write word on board or display on screen
Read word and have students repeat word
If word is difficult to pronounce or unfamiliar have students repeat word a number of times
Introduce the word with me
“ This word is compulsory. What word?”

24. Basic Lesson Design – Vocabulary . . .
Step 2. Introduce meaning of word
Option # 1. Present a student-friendly explanation
Tell students the explanation OR
Have them read the explanation with you
Present the definition with me.
“When something is compulsory, it is required and you must do it. So if it is required and you must do it, it is _______________.”

25. Basic Lesson Design - Vocabulary (continued)
Step 2. Introduce meaning of word
Option # 2. Have students locate definition in glossary or text
Have them locate the word in the glossary or text
Have them break the definition into the critical attributes
Glossary Entry: Industrial Revolution Social and economic changes in Great Britain, Europe, and the United States that began around 1750 and resulted from making products in factories
Industrial Revolution
Social & economic changes
Great Britain, Europe, US
Began around 1750
Resulted from making products in factories

26. Basic Lesson Design - Vocabulary(continued)
Step 2. Introduce meaning of word
Option # Introduce word using morphemes (meaningful parts of word)
autobiography auto = self bio = life graph = letters, words, or pictures
dehydration
hydro = water
inspection
spect = see
telephone
tele = distant
phone = sound

27. Basic Lesson Design - Vocabulary (continued)
Step 3. Illustrate the word with examples
Concrete examples
- Object - Act out
Visual examples
Verbal examples
(Also discuss when the term might be used and who might use the term.)
Present the examples with me.
“Coming to school as 8th graders is compulsory.”
“Stopping at a stop sign when driving is compulsory.”

28. Basic Lesson Design - Vocabulary (Continued)
Step 4. Check students’ understanding
Option #1. Firm up with choices Check students’ understanding with me.
If something is compulsory is it required or not required? required
If something is compulsory can you choose to not do it? Yes or No? no

29. Basic Lesson Design - Vocabulary (continued)
Step 4. Check students’ understanding
Option #2. Have students discern between
examples and non-examples
Check students’ understanding with me.
Tell me compulsory or not compulsory
Attending school as 8th graders compulsory
How do you know it is compulsory? It is required
Going to college when you are 25 not compulsory
“Why is it not compulsory?” It is not required. You get to choose to go to college.

30. Basic Lesson Design - Vocabulary(continued)
Step 4. Check students’ understanding
Option #3. Have students generate examples
Check students’ understanding with me.
There are many things at this school that are
compulsory. Think of things that are compulsory.
Talk with your partner. List things that are compulsory at this school.

31. Basic Lesson Design - Vocabulary
I do it
1. Introduce the word
2. Present a student-friendly explanation
3. Illustrate the word with examples
You do it
4. Check students’ understanding

32. Elaborated Lesson Design - Vocabulary and Concepts
I do it.
1. Introduce the word
2. Present student-friendly explanation
3. Illustrate the word with examples and non-examples
We do it.
4. Guide students in analyzing examples and non- examples using critical attributes
You do it.
5. Check students’ understanding

33. Practice Activity: Teaching Critical Vocabulary (Example A)
1. Introduce the word. This word is migrate. What word?
2. Introduce the meaning of the word. Present a student-friendly explanation. When birds or other animals migrate, they move from one place to another at a certain time each year.
So if birds move to a new place in the winter or spring, we say that the birds _________________. Animals usually migrate to find a warmer place to live or to get food.
3. Illustrate the word with examples. Sandhill Cranes fly from the North to the South so they can live in a warmer place. Sandhill Cranes _______________.

34. Practice Activity: Teaching Critical Vocabulary (Example A continued)
The wildebeests in Africa move to a new place so that they can find water and grass. Wildebeests _______.
Check students’ understanding.
(Deep processing question.) Why might birds migrate? Tell your partner. Start by saying: One reason birds migrate is __________. (Monitor and coach. Then call on individuals.)

35. Vocabulary Instruction - Extensions
1. Introduce the part of speech
2. Introduce synonyms (same), antonyms (opposite), homographs (same spelling - different meaning)
4. Tell students when and where the word is often used
5. Introduce the etymology (history and/or origin) of the word

36. Vocabulary Instruction - Extensions
5. Introduce students to other members of word family
conform wild
conforms wilderness
conformed
conforming
conformist protest
non-conformist Protestant
non-conforming

37. Vocabulary Logs
Have students maintain log of vocabulary to facilitate study and review
What can be recorded on a vocabulary log?
Word
Student-friendly explanation
Any of these options
Sentence to illustrate the word’s meaning
Examples and non-examples
An illustration
In lower grades, create a group log on flip chart

38. Word Walls Create a word wall in your classroom
Post a reminder of the context
Copy of the cover of the read-aloud book
Copy of the first page in the story
The topic in science or social studies
Post the vocabulary words
Incorporate the words into your classroom language
Encourage students to us words when speaking and writing

39. Conclusion
“Words are all we have.”
Samuel Beckett