LAKENHEATH MIDDLE SCHOOL MAY 22, 2015 Building Vocabulary

Words are not just words. They are the nexus—the interface—between communication and thought. When we read, it is through words that we build, refine, and modify our knowledge. What makes vocabulary valuable and important is not the words themselves so much as the understandings they afford. Marilyn Jager Adams (2009, p. 180) (from Appendix A CCRS)

ESSENTIAL STRATEGIES FOR CCRS LITERACY INSTRUCTION Close Reading and Text Dependent Questions art-lessons-getty

From: Appendix A CCRS

Tier 1 words Tier 2 words Tier 3 words 3 Tiers of Words *Tier 3 – Highly specialized, subject-specific; low occurrences in texts; lacking generalization ◦ E.g., lava, aorta, legislature, circumference *Tier 2 – Abstract, general academic (across content areas); encountered in written language; high utility across instructional areas ◦ E.g., vary, relative, innovation, accumulate, surface, layer *Tier 1 – Basic, concrete, encountered in conversation/ oral vocabulary; words most student will know at a particular grade level E.g., clock, baby, Text: _____________________________________

Why are “academic words” important? Critical to understanding academic texts Appear in all sorts of texts Require deliberate effort to learn, unlike Tier 1 words More likely to appear in written texts than in speech Often represent subtle or precise ways to say otherwise relatively simple things Seldom heavily scaffolded by authors or teachers, unlike Tier 3 words Common Core State Standards, Appendix A, page 33

EIGHT RESEARCH-BASED CHARACTERISTICS OF EFFECTIVE VOCABULARY INSTRUCTION Doesn’t rely on definitions Requires students to represent their knowledge of words in linguistic and nonlinguistic ways Involves the gradual shaping of word meanings through multiple exposures Teaching word parts enhances students’ understanding of terms Requires different types of instruction for different types of words Allowing students to discuss the terms they are learning Allowing students to play with words Focusing instruction on terms that have a high probability of enhancing academic success (Adapted from Building Academic Vocabulary by Robert Marzano and Debra Pickering, 2005)

A Six-Step Process for Teaching New Terms Provide a description, explanation, or example of the new term Ask students to restate the description, explanation, or example in their own words Ask students to construct a picture, symbol, or graphic representing the term or phrase Engage students periodically in activities that help them add to their knowledge of the terms in their notebooks Periodically ask students to discuss the terms with one another Involve students periodically in games that allow them to play with terms Adapted from Building Academic Vocabulary by Robert Marzano and Debra Pickering, 2005

Word I know this word or term. It means… The word or term looks familiar to me. I do not know this word or term. What I learned about the word or term from the text.

Increase independent reading time Facilitate read alouds Keep vocabulary in circulation Use graphic organizers Effective Vocabulary Instruction Strategies

R.A.F.T. helps students to: Understand their role as writers and how to effectively communicate their ideas and mission clearly so readers can easily understand everything Focus on the audience they will address, the varied formats for writing, and the topic on which they'll be writing Write creatively, to consider a topic from multiple perspectives, and to gain the ability to write for different audiences. Use different genres, information and strategies for different purposes and audiences. Develop a sense of audience and purpose in writing and in all communication for this is an important part of growth as a writer. Uncover their own voices and formats for presenting ideas. They learn to respond to writing prompts and think about various perspectives:. R ole A udience F ormat T opi c

Role AudienceFormatTopic R.A.F.T. pre-writing Name:_____________________________________________ Subject: ______________________ Vocabulary terms to use in R.A.F.T. writing: Ideas to include:

IMPLICATIONS FOR INSTRUCTION Teach fewer words Focus on important Tier 2 (high utility, cross-domain words) to know & remember Simply provide Tier 3 (domain-specific, technical) words with definition “If you have a limited vocabulary, you will also have a limited vision and a limited future.”

 Word maps, word clouds  Make flash cards & games  Academic vocabulary games  More games, including games using Latin & Greek roots  Definitions, history and short essays on words  Visual thesaurus    Merriam-Webster's Word Central Vocabulary Websites