Discovering Meanings of Unfamiliar Words Althea W. Peak 2 nd Grade SWP Summer 2013

“Turn and Talk” Children don’t have full vocabularies that they need, so word study and strategies are imperative Cover up unfamiliar words and let kids use photos and illustrations to figure out the meaning Even in content studies, vocabulary can be taught through visuals and through experiences (ie. Science)

I found that during and after reading texts many of my students did not understand what they read. Many of the students in my school do not have the background knowledge they need to be equipped for the understanding of vocabulary they will encounter in books they read independently for pleasure or for information. When giving assessments like the Dominie, I found that the most commonly missed questions were questions that asked students about word meaning within the context. So, I asked the question, “How do I strengthen how I teach students the meanings of unfamiliar words?”

The CCSS require the teaching of phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, and other foundational literacy skills in Grades K–5. This makes sense since research has demonstrated the value of explicitly and systematically teaching these skills. In order to meet the requirements of the Standards, teachers will need to continue to provide high quality explicit and systematic instruction in these foundational skills if students are to succeed in learning to read.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.2.4 Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 2 reading and content, choosing flexibly from an array of strategies CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.2.4e Use glossaries and beginning dictionaries, both print and digital, to determine or clarify the meaning of words and phrases. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.2.5b Distinguish shades of meaning among closely related verbs (e.g.,toss, throw, hurl) and closely related adjectives (e.g., thin, slender, skinny, scrawny). CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.2.6 Use words and phrases acquired through conversations, reading and being read to, and responding to texts, including using adjectives and adverbs to describe (e.g.,When other kids are happy that makes me happy)..

The lungs’ main air pipes, the bronchi, branch many times until they form hair-thin tubes, terminal bronchioles. Those end in grape-like bunches of air bubbles, called alveoli. Nonfiction Craft Lessons: Teaching Information Writing K-8 by Joann Portalupi and Ralph Fletcher

Re-read Use schema: look for familiar terms or words Pay attention to the words Take time Think Look for punctuation helpers Use context clues Pay close attention to the pictures

Research has concluded that systematic vocabulary instruction is one of the most important instructional interventions that teachers can use, particularly with low-achieving students. Students who received direct instruction of vocabulary words critical to learning new content had an increase of 33 percentile points in summative assessments. Direct instruction enhances achievement. Students that were taught vocabulary through direct instruction also had a 12% increase in comprehension of new material. Their ability to comprehend new vocabulary increased as a result of direct instruction. Classroom Instruction that Works By Robert Marzano, Pickering, and Pollock

Vocabulary instruction is the strongest action a teacher can take to ensure that students have the background knowledge they need to understand the content they will encounter in school. (Marzano, Pickering, 2005)

" Direct instruction on words that are critical to new content produces the most powerful learning." —Robert Marzano.

Mini- lesson: Choose a Read Aloud that has rich vocabulary. Read aloud the first few pages by using the think aloud method. Think aloud about the meanings of words from the page(s). When talking out loud ask questions, refer to your background knowledge(schema), re-read, look at the picture and talk about it. Model other words Ask students to think about what they heard you do Chart what they noticed

Then tell students it’s their turn to listen carefully Raise their hand when they don’t understand a word Record their unfamiliar word(s) on a chart “What can you do to help yourself figure out the meaning of an unfamiliar word?” Next have students to work with partners using other texts to find unfamiliar words and record their findings on the chart Come back together and share findings

Unfamiliar WordWhat I think it means?What helped me? collectedTo have a lot of something, same thing but different colors or sizes Pictures, schema

Mini-lesson- identify important vocabulary from content area/unit. Show students the word(s) that they are expected to understand in order to master the lessons objective. Review vocabulary words or concept list with the class before students read the selection. Students may work in groups on the vocabulary words. Have students read the assigned text selection and carefully define the key concepts after talking about the vocabulary. Have each group of students complete the four-square chart for each concept word. Have the groups to share what they learned when they come back together.

Content-Word Boards Writing Open word discussions Use concrete objects

What to do when you can read a word but you don’t know what it means: 1. Cover it up. 2. Read all around the word. 3. Think about a word that would make sense in its place. 4. Read the sentence again using the new word instead. 5. That’s probably what the hard word means. 6. It works most of the time, but not all the time. Created by Daisy Bokus and Her Third Graders One Child at a Time by Pat Johnson

Turn and talk

Promotes critical thinking Discuss meaning of unfamiliar words Opportunities to clear up misconceptions Familiarizes students with unknown vocabulary Gives visual representation Imagery Builds connections to new concepts Deeper understanding

Fountas, Irene and Pinnel, Gay Su. Guided Reading. Heinemann, Portsmouth,NH Johnson, Pat. One Child at a Time. Stenhouse Publishers, Porland, Maine Marzano, Robert, Pickering and Pollock. Classroom Instruction that Works Miller, Debbie. Reading with Meaning. Stenhouse Publishers. Portland, Maine Parker, Steve. “Brain Surgery for Beginners and Other Major Operations for Minors.” Brookfield,CT:Millbrook Press Portalupi, Joann and Fletcher, Ralph. Nonfiction Craft Lessons-Teaching Information Writing K-8. Stenhouse Publishers /Frayer model. Zimmerman, Susan and Hutchins Chryse. 7 Keys to Comprehension. Three Rivers Press, NY,NY. 2003