1. Literacy Lunch Vocabulary November 6, 2015
Sources: LETERS Module 4 The Mighty Word: Building Oral Language by Louisa Moats Ed. D, Put Reading First: The Research Blocks for Teaching Children to Read by the Center for the Improvement of Early Reading Achievement (CIERA)

2. Vocabulary Definition:
The words we must understand to communicate effectively.
Why is it important?
Beginning readers use their oral language to make sense of picture books and words they see in print.
Readers must know what most of the words mean before they can understand what they are reading.

3. Types of Vocabulary
Listening vocabulary: the words we need to know to understand what we hear
Speaking vocabulary: the words we use when we speak
Reading vocabulary: the words we need to know to understand what we read
Writing vocabulary: the words we use in writing to communicate a message

4. Common Core & Vocabulary
Increased vocabulary exposure through increased exposure to non-fiction and other informational media.
Isabel Beck and Margaret McKeown developed a three Tier model for vocabulary

5. Tier 1 Vocabulary Tier 1 Vocabulary: common, everyday words:
Examples: big, little, food, room, mom, dad
Tier I words are basic, everyday words that are a part of most children’s vocabulary. These are words used every day in conversation, and most of them are learned by hearing language.

6. Tier 2 Vocabulary
Tier 2: High-Frequency Words (cross curricular academic language)
Examples: justify, explain, expand, predict, summarize, maintain
Tier 2 words include general academic words and have high use across a wide range of topics and contexts.

7. Tier 3 Vocabulary Tier 3: Low-Frequency, Content-Specific words
Examples: igneous, tectonic plates, vinculum, oblique, ellipsoid
Tier 3 words are domain specific vocabulary. These are low frequency, specialized words in specific fields or content areas. Direct instruction of these words is common.

8. Teaching and Assessing
How is vocabulary taught?
Frontload the vocabulary
Multiple exposures in multiple contexts
Read alouds with higher vocabulary
Language exposure: rich and varied in speaking, listening, reading and writing

9. Teaching and Assessing
Picture or pantomime representations
Directly teaching: pronounce word, define in age appropriate terms, encourage use of personal examples
Teach Word Learning Strategies: context clues, word families, word parts, use of reference tools
Individual reading: increase time to read and discuss text

10. Teaching and Assessing
How is it assessed?
Informal and formal observations in writing, speaking , and reading comprehension

11. Kindergarten Tier 2 Words
Kindergarten has a grade level vocabulary list. This list focuses on Tier 2 words that are important for comprehension across all subjects.
Tier 2 terms also frequently appear on standardized assessments.

12. Kindergarten Tier 2 Words
Describe: tell facts and details in your own words
Identify: point out, discover, locate (information from the text)
Distinguish: tell apart, classify, categorize
Compare: find the likeness between things
Contrast: find the differences between things
Retell: tell it again in your own words

13. Thoughts and Research to Ponder
Vocabulary instruction increases comprehension
A child’s reading comprehension can be no higher than their oral comprehension
“Literacy Events” study

14. How Can You Help?
Regularly engage in meaningful conversations (Research indicates most vocabulary is learned indirectly.)
Read to and with your child (Talk about what you have read/use above grade level text.)
Active, repeated exposure to new words (see, hear, use)

15. Why read outside of school?
Under 5 minutes a day
21,000 words in a year
10 minutes a day
622,000 words in a year
15 minutes a day
1,146,000 words in a year
Over an hour a day
4,358,000 words in a year
A 1988 study (Hayes & Ahrens)