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

Explicit Instruction: Chapter 3 Anita Archer Charles Hughes http://explicitinstruction.org/

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.

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.

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.

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)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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

Share the 3 steps for preparing for vocabulary instruction.

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?”

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 _______________.”

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

Basic Lesson Design - Vocabulary(continued) Step 2. Introduce meaning of word Option # 3. 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

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.”

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

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.

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.

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

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

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 _______________.

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.)

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

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

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

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

Conclusion “Words are all we have.” Samuel Beckett