1. Building Academic Vocabulary Through Technology
Sean Christopher & Steve Graser
CSLO/Model Schools/IRT /
www2.wnyric.org/schristopher

2. Name
School, Grade Level, Content
What are you/your school currently doing in regards to vocabulary instruction?

3. Dr. Bobb Darnell’s major contribution to our workshop is……….

4. My PD Idol

5. His philosophy on staff development…
His philosophy on staff development….. Start Late, Take Breaks, and End Early……

6. INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITY
We will introduce a topic and you will break into three activity groups….
Create a word list of associated terms
Draw a picture of term
Discuss one of your favorite experiences with the term.
Image: courtesy Microsoft

7. The first term we will be discussing – Summer
YOUR TOPICS ARE…
The first term we will be discussing –
Summer
The second term we will be discussing-
Galeophobia

8. RTTT
CCLS ELA
NYS Teaching Standards

9. Example…
“Carving is appropriate for most green and blue slopes, and even some black slopes. However, if you try to carve through moguls, especially in packed powder or corn snow, you're going to face-plant."

10. BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE
Differences in background knowledge are directly correlated to differences in student achievement.
Image: courtesy Microsoft

11. Facts About Words/Vocabulary
There are approximately 200,000 words in a dictionary (Does not include many words).
By inception to school student have heard between 13, and know 5,000-25,000.
Research indicates that the socio-economic status of a family greatly impact early vocabulary development.

12. More Facts
86-98% of a child’s vocabulary mimics that of a parents/care giver
Words heard in a hour:
Professional: 2153
Working Class: 1251
Welfare: 616

13. And Even More Facts Affirmations and prohibitions: Professional: 32:5
Working Class:12:7
Welfare/Poverty 5:11
New words learned (Grades 1-3):
Advantaged 8/ Disadvantaged 2/750

14. Classroom Instruction Pyramid
Click HERE for the Pyramid Activity

15. Instructional Retention Rates

16. Questions to Ponder
How was vocabulary taught when you went to school? In elementary school, in middle school, in high school.
How many of your pre-service teacher education classes focus on vocabulary instruction?

17. A few more question…..
Does your school have a required protocol for teaching vocabulary?
Has your school developed a prioritized list of vocabulary? If so, please explain.
Do you implement the same strategies for vocabulary instruction in all content areas?

18. Impact of Direct Vocabulary Instruction
Research shows a student in the 50th percentile in terms of ability to comprehend the subject matter taught in school, with no direct vocabulary instruction, scores in the 50th percentile ranking.
The same student, after specific content-area terms have been taught in a specific way, raises his/her comprehension ability to the 83rd percentile.

19. BUILDING STUDENTS’ VOCABULARY
Allows them to discuss academic content
Provides a foundation for them to build new learning upon
Allows easier transfer of learning from one subject to another
“People’s knowledge of any topic is encapsulated in the terms they know that are relevant to the topic.”

20. VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT
-Depends on an interaction between two key factors:
The ability to process and store new information in our fluid memory
The number and frequency of our museum like experiences
Taken together – we are talking about background knowledge!

21. What students need to learn.
The meanings for most of the words in a text so they can understand what they read.
How to apply a variety of strategies to learn words meanings. How to make connections between words and concepts.
How to accurately use words in oral and written language.

22. Criteria to Consider
Has the word been introduced in previous grade levels?
Is this term critically important to the content I will be teaching the entire school year?
Does the term have endurance and leverage?

23. Generating Vocabulary Lists
Phase 1:
Make a decision regarding number of words for each grade level/content area

24. What Words should I be Teaching?
1. How do I currently choose the vocabulary words I explicitly teach?
2. How many words do I teach in a school year for each grade level and content area?

25. Rank order a list of words for each grade level and content
Phase 2
Rank order a list of words for each grade level and content

26. Phase 3
Based on these lists determine how many terms should be taught in each academic area.

27. Phase 4
Generate the final list of terms in each academic area by making additions, deletions or other alterations.

28. Phase 5
Assign terms to specific grades.

29. Six-Steps for Teaching New Terms
THE PROCESS
Six-Steps for Teaching New Terms
First 3 steps – introduce and develop initial understanding.
Last 3 steps – shape and sharpen understanding.
Image: courtesy Microsoft

30. THE (6) STEP PROCESS
Provide a description, explanation, or example of the new term…no definitions!
Ask students to restate the description in their own words
Ask students to construct a picture, symbol, or graphic that represents the term or phrase
Engage students periodically in activities that help them add to their knowledge of the terms they are using
Ask students to discuss the terms
Involve students in games that allow them to play with terms

31. How to Teach Vocabulary
Provide direct, explicit instruction to help students learn word meanings.
Provide many opportunities for students to read in and out of school to encourage indirect learning of vocabulary.
Introduce new vocabulary in multiple contexts.
Engage children in daily interactions that promote using new vocabulary in both oral and written language.
Actively involve students connecting concepts and words.
National Panel Report

32. INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGY
Visit/Meet: Virtual Field Trips, Videoconferencing
Multi-media: United Streaming, EdVideo Online,
Graphic Organizers: Kidspiration or Inspiration
Current events - make new terms applicable; MSNBC Videos, Google News
Use photos or images: Pics4Learning, FreeFoto, Worth1000
Website resources: Vocabulary Hangman, Free Rice
Use Smart Board Notebook Files: Example
Play with words and learn at Visuwords
Oh my! Take them there using Google Earth
Download Google Earth

33. INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGY
Create Word templates that students can use – 4 Square
Use pictures, symbols or graphic representations – Addition (Kidspiration), Food Chain (Kidspiration), Climate (Word), Frustrated (Word)
Create PowerPoint or Word templates that students can use - 4 Square
Tell a story that integrates the term; Photo Story (or iPhoto for Mac)
Download Photo Story and Windows Media Player 10
KidPix - Create Pictures and Slideshows
Here is an example of the Jeopardy Template

34. THIS IS JEOPARDY!
Here is an example of the Jeopardy Template

35. We have more for you….
The child comes home from his first day at school.
Mother asks, "What did you learn today?"
The kid replies, "Not enough. I have to go back tomorrow."

36. Step 1
Provide a description, explanation, or example of the new term…no definitions!
Use video or virtual field trips
Describe your own mental pictures
Tell a story that integrates
THE (6) STEP PROCESS

37. Ask students to restate the description in their own words:
Step 2
Ask students to restate the description in their own words:
Rely on background knowledge and experience
Use description, example, explanation of their own
Form links between new term and those already known
THE (6) STEP PROCESS

38. Step 3
Ask students to construct a picture, symbol, or graphic that represents the term or phrase.
Allows processing of information in new modality
Provides second processing of the information to
reinforce and deepen meaning
THE (6) STEP PROCESS

39. Step 4
Engage students periodically in activities that help them add to their knowledge of the terms they are using
An academic vocabulary notebook encourages students to write their continuing impressions and understandings of the word
Encourage students to use the new term in writings and conversation to make term familiar to student
THE (6) STEP PROCESS

40. Ask students to discuss the terms
Step 5
Ask students to discuss the terms
Students can write about their understanding in the academic vocabulary notebook
Discuss with class understandings of the term and note what class members have discovered about the word
THE (6) STEP PROCESS

41. Involve students in games that allow them to play with terms
Step 6
Involve students in games that allow them to play with terms
Various games will provide further exposure to the new term
Students will gain a deeper integration of the word by its continued review
THE (6) STEP PROCESS