Building Academic Vocabulary Coweta Committed to Student Success

Systematic Approach “Teaching specific terms in a specific way is probably the strongest action a teacher can take to ensure that students have the academic background knowledge they need to understand the content they will encounter in school.” ― Marzano and Pickering

Systematic Approach “When all teachers in a school focus on the same academic vocabulary and teach in the same way, the school has a powerful comprehensive approach.” “When all teachers in a district embrace and use the same comprehensive approach, it becomes even more powerful.” ― Marzano and Pickering

Research Findings A student in the 50th percentile in terms of ability to comprehend the subject matter taught in school, with no direct vocabulary instruction, remains at the 50th percentile. The same student after specific content-area terms have been taught in a specific way, increases to the 83rd percentile.

Background Knowledge Instruction in specific content-area terms builds a student’s background knowledge in the content area. Students who understand content in the new state math standards document regarding fractions have an understanding of terms such as numerator, denominator, part, whole, equivalent and so on.

Do the Math Reading 14 minutes a day means reading over 1,000,000 words a year. Preschool or children’s books expose us to more challenging vocabulary than do prime- time adult TV shows. Math vocabulary can be learned through reading, talking, and playing games.

Teaching New Terms 6-step process First three steps: Introduce and develop initial understanding Next three steps: Multiple exposure to shape and sharpen understanding

Step 1 Provide a description, explanation, or example of the new term. Strategies: Direct experiences Tell a story Use a video Individual or small group does investigation and presents to class Current events Mental pictures Find or create pictures Give student some initial understanding Have students share what they already know or think they know (prior knowledge) Listen for misconceptions to clarify Build on their understanding

Step 2 Students restate description, explanation, or example in their own words. Strategies: Academic Notebook Math Term Math Vocabulary (Frayer Model) Students should not simply copy teacher work They should construct their own descriptions, explanations, or examples Teacher should ensure no major errors and clear up any confusion Initial understanding will be rudimentary Marzano suggests students keep a journal called the Academic Notebook.

Step 3 Students construct a picture, symbol, or graphic representing the term. Strategies: Create math stories using pictures Model, model, model Use space in Academic Notebook for pictures (non-linguistic representations) Search internet for representations Steps 1 – 3 follow a related instructional sequence: Teacher presents new term along with description; students create their own linguistic description of term, then students create a nonlinguistic representation of it. Discuss the difference between sketching and drawing. Allow students to work together.

Step 4 Engage students periodically in activities that help them add to their knowledge of the terms. Strategies: Explicit focused review Add to and revise Academic Notebook Find examples and non-examples List related words Discuss common confusions/errors Translate into another language Discuss words with multiple meanings Understanding deepens over time. Common sense and research tells us students need opportunities for explicit focused review. Multiple meaning words such as Quarter Divide

Step 5 Periodically ask students to discuss the terms with one another. Strategies: Think-Pair-Share Think time to review term in Academic Notebook Pair to discuss and explain to each other Share with whole class “aha’s” Monitor student discussions “listen to children’s voices” Compare activities “Compare 3” and “Similarities and Differences” Do acute right obtuse for “compare 3,” and vertical and horizontal for similarities and differences.

Step 6 Involve students in games that allow them to play with terms. Strategies: Vocabulary Charades Use arms, legs, and bodies to show the meaning of terms like radius, diameter, circumference (individual or in teams) Talk a Mile a Minute “Talker” given list of words in a category such as shapes. Gets team to say each word by quickly describing them. Draw Me Patterned after Pictionary Name that Category Patterned after $100,000 Pyramid Pyramid - Write a category in each cell. Clue giver can see categories. Other students determine the category. If using game board on overhead put sticky notes on categories

“Given the relationship between academic background knowledge and academic achievement, one can make the case that it should be at the top of any list of intervention intended to enhance student achievement.” ― Marzano and Pickering