Building Vocabulary Through Voice and Choice Jennifer D. Montgomery July 5, 2005 Greater Houston Area Writing Project

The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug. Mark Twain

What is vocabulary? “a sum or stock of words employed by a language, group, individual, or work or in a field of knowledge” (Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, Eleventh Edition) Listening, speaking, reading, and writing  Expressive: speaking, writing  Receptive: listening, reading

Why is it important? Vocabulary learning: “the acquisition of words and allusions which permit quality expression” (Manzo & Sherk, ) “…a rich vocabulary is generally equated with a high degree of education. The best communicator is one who uses words that express precisely the meaning that he is intending to convey….” (Fillmer, 1977)

Why is it important? “Acquiring a rich vocabulary is everyone’s idea of being learned…a rich vocabulary is not only a sign of learning, but it is also an important means by which we learn. That is to say, vocabulary is central to concept formation, acculturation, articulation, and, apparently, all learning.” Manzo & Sherk ( )

Challenges Number of words in the English language  290,500 entry words in Oxford English Dictionary (Berg, 1993 in Johnson, 2001)  Growth of language: science, technology, slang, jargon  Idioms Nagy & Anderson (1984) identified “88,533 distinct ‘word’ families in printed school English”

Challenges Number of words students acquire  “Average child has acquired around 9000 root words” by the end of elementary school (Biemiller, 2003)  Vocabulary gap of at-risk learners Hart & Risley (2003): at about 36 months, a significant difference in the number of words known by a child from a professional family and the number of words a child from a welfare family knows – 1116 versus 525 words High-knowledge third graders had vocabularies about equal to lowest-performing 12 th graders (Smith, 1941 in Beck, McKeown, and Kucan, 2002).

What does it mean to know a word? Precision Breadth of knowledge  Number of words  Multiple meanings of words Ability to use the word (Russell, 1954 in Graves, 1986)

How do we learn new words?

Learning New Words Conditions/Reasons for Learning Sound/Adultness Strong Emotion Immediate Usefulness Peer Usage Role of Affect (Haggard, 1980)

Effective Vocabulary Development Wide reading Teaching individual words Teaching word-learning strategies Fostering word consciousness (Graves, 2002)

Vocabulary Self-Collection Strategy (VSS) (Haggard, 1986; Ruddell & Shearer, 2002)

Vocabulary Self-Collection Strategy Words come from the students Capitalizes on students’ experiences and world knowledge Student choice and voice Attention to affect Haggard, M.R. (1986)

Vocabulary Self-Collection Strategy Students select words for study Students bring words to class  Words listed on chalkboard  Share where word found, definition from context, why think class should learn  Teacher clarifies and extends as needed Class list is finalized for study

Modes of Implementation General vocabulary development Basal reading vocabulary development Content area vocabulary development

VSS with At-risk Learners Focused on what students wanted to know, what was important to them, what was interesting to them Sought to give access to words students needed, teach ways to learn new words, and develop skills to continue to learn new words Ruddell, M.R., & Shearer, B.A. (2002)

VSS with At-risk Learners Utilized peer talk and social interaction Gave multiple and varied opportunities to interact with language

VSS with At-risk Learners Students and teacher each selected one word per week from any source Words nominated Class finalized words for the week, refined definitions, and recorded words/definitions in their vocabulary journals

VSS with At-risk Learners Types of words  “Significant difficulty”  From content-area subjects, outside reading, home, conversations, music, etc. Test results  94% correct mean Journal entries  Becoming “strategic, independent word learners”

VSS in Third Grade Words selected Magma, lava, destruction, tsunami, venom, occur, plummet, concentrate, outrageous Vocabulary activities Word maps Webs – word parts, semantic relationships, multiple meanings, derivations Word sorts 20 questions Drama Acrostics

Trying It Out Skim the book you have selected. Select one word you think the group should learn. Be ready to explain why you selected your word. We will compile and vote on a group list.

Extensions/Adaptations Unique use of language Word choice  Precision  Connotation vs. denotation cheap - inexpensive “Words I Love” section of Writer’s Notebook Word Wizard (Beck, McKeown, & Kucan, 2002) Word Wall

Vocabulary Self-collection Strategy (VSS) CHOICE = OWNERSHIP INTEREST  MOTIVATION  Word Consciousness  Lifelong Word Lovers

Questions and Comments Jennifer D. Montgomery

References Beck, I.L., McKeown, M.G., & Kucan, L. (2002) Bringing words to life: Robust vocabulary instruction. New York: Guilford Press. Biemiller, A. (2003). Vocabulary: Needed if more children are to read well. Reading Psychology,24, Fillmer, H.T. (1977). A generative vocabulary program for grades 4-6. The Elementary School Journal, 78(1), Graves, M.F. (1986). Vocabulary learning and instruction. Review of Research in Education, 13, Graves, M.F. (2002). A vocabulary program to complement and bolster a middle-grade comprehension program. In B.M. Taylor, M.F. Graves, & P. van den Broek, P. (Eds.), Reading for meaning: Fostering comprehension in the middle grades (pp ). New York: Teachers College Press. Haggard, M.R. (1980). Vocabulary acquisition during elementary and post-elementary years: A preliminary report. Reading Horizons, 21,

References Haggard, M.R. (1986). The vocabulary self-collection strategy: Using student interest and world knowledge to enhance vocabulary growth. Journal of Reading, 29, Hart, B. & Risley, T.R. (2003). The early catastrophe: The 30 million word gap by age 3. American Educator, Spring. Retrieved July 3, 2003, from Johnson, D.D. (2001). Vocabulary in the elementary and middle school. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon. Manzo, A.V. & Sherk, J.K. ( ). Some generalizations and strategies for guiding vocabulary learning. Journal of Reading Behavior, 4(1), Nagy, W.E. & Anderson, R.C. (1984). How many words are there in printed school English? Reading Research Quarterly, 19, Ruddell, M.R., & Shearer, B.A. (2002). “Extraordinary,” “tremendous,” “exhilarating,” “magnificent”: Middle school at-risk students become avid word learners with the Vocabulary Self-Collection Strategy (VSS). Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 45,