Tiered

Vocabulary
Instruction

Three Tiers of Words

Tier One words are the words of everyday speech usually

learned in the early grades. They are not considered a
challenge to the average native speaker, though English
language learners of any age will require support from
teachers.
Tier Two words (what the Standards refer to as general
academic words) are far more likely to appear in written texts
than in speech. They appear in all sorts of texts. Tier Two
words often represent subtle or precise ways to say relatively
simple things. Because Tier Two words are found across many
types of texts, they are highly generalizable.
Tier Three words (what the Standards refer to as domainspecific words) are specific to a domain or field of study and
key to understanding a new concept within a text. Because of
their specificity and close ties to content knowledge, Tier
Three words are far more common in informational texts than
in literature. Recognized as new and hard words for most
readers, they are often explicitly defined by the author of a
text, repeatedly used, and otherwise heavily scaffolded.
Adapted from Common Core State Standards Appendix A

Sorting Activity
Relative

Cloud

Accumulate

Arm

Misfortune

Impressionism

Lava

Carburetor

Legislature

Pizza

Circumference

House

School

Walk

Expectation

Falter

Eclipse

Aorta

Vary

friend

itemize

Tier One Words

Tier Two Words

Tier Three Words

Answers
Tier One Words
Cloud
Arm
Pizza
House
School
Walk
Friend

Tier Two Words

Relative
Accumulate
Misfortune
Exception
Falter
Vary
Itemize

Tier Three Words

Impressionism
Lava
Carburetor
Circumference
Legislature
Eclipse
Aorta

What do I do with the tiered

words?
Teachers

have always been very good

about teaching Tiered 3 words.
Focus also needs to be on Tier Two words.

These dont always show up in vocabulary

lists, but are still very important for students
to know.

Vocabulary Charts with Sticky

Notes

Divide a large piece of paper into four

sections: Noun, Verbs, Adjectives, Adverbs.
As students read and they come across a
word they dont know, they should write it on
a sticky note.
Have students discuss the words, use context
clues to define the words, and then have
them put them into one of the four
categories.

Vocabulary Word Wheels

Cut out some larger circles and draw a

wheel.
Inside the smaller circle put in a Greek or Latin
word or suffix.
Have students brainstorm words with the
same root or suffix and put them in the spokes
of the wheel.
Students then write in smaller print the
meanings of the word.
Hang the wheels in the classroom for students
to study and learn.

Indirect Instruction
Teachers

substitute hard words for easy or

already learned words in classroom and
one-on-one discussion.
By using multiple exposure ideas such as
repeating words and/or pointing out
previously learned words students can
gather broader connections to words.

Vocabulary Resources

Vocabularys Code

20 Vocabulary Lesson Ideas

http://vocabularyscode.weebly.com/
http://ebi.missouri.edu/wpcontent/uploads/2012/10/Vocabulary-LessonClassroom-Ideas.pdf

Teachnology

http://www.teachnology.com/teachers/lesson_plans/language_a
rts/vocab/

Six Steps to
Teaching
Vocabulary

Step 1:Provide a Description,

Explanation, or Example of the
New Term
Determine

what the
students already know

Verify:

What do you
think you know about
this term?

Step 1: Provide a Description

Definition

vs. Description
Providing info. about a words meaning is
an integral part of direct vocabulary
instruction
The use of dictionaries is ineffective
practice-it does not explains word
concepts

Step 1
Explaining Features of Different
Types of Words
Types

Questions about
Features

What actions does this

kind of person perform?
What is required to
become this kind of
person?
What physical or
psychological
characteristics does this
kind of person have?

People
(for

example,
author, character,
villain, narrator,
guest speaker,
host, hostess, film
director,political
cartoonist)

Step 1
Providing Examples
Description and explanation of a term must be
accompanied by examples, such as the
following:
Experiences (field trips or guest speaker)
Stories (personal experiences with the term)
Images (videos, descriptions of mental
pictures, or drawings)
Drama (skits or pantomimes)
Current events related to the term (news
stories or magazine articles)

Step 2: Ask Students to

Restate the Description,
Explanation, or Example in
Their Own Words
Students

record their own descriptions,

explanations, or examples in their
vocabulary notebooks.
Do not copy teachers description, but
consider other situations, circumstances
and personal connections that exemplify
the term.

Step 2: Ask Students to

Restate the Description,
Explanation, or Example in
Their Own Words

Linguistic and Nonlinguistic Representations

Vocabulary Notebooks (a place to record and revise)
The Term
The Academic Subject Associated with the Term
The Category or Measurement Topic
The Students Current Level of Understanding of the
Term
The Students Linguistic Description
The Students NonLinguistic Representation of the
Term
Words Related to the Term, Such as Synonyms or
Antonyms

Step 3: Ask Students to

Construct a Picture, Symbol, or
Graphic Representing the
Term or Phrase
Term

Sketch the actual Object (concrete)

Sketch a symbol (abstract)
Sketch an example (abstract)
Sketch a cartoon or vignette with a
character using the term. (abstract)
Sketch a graphic for the term (abstract)

Step 4: Engage Students

Periodically in Activities That Help
Them Add to Their Knowledge of
the Terms in Their Vocabulary
Notebooks
Identifying

Similarities
and Differences
Comparing and
Contrasting
Classifying
Creating Metaphors
Creating Analogies

Say

or write words they

think of when they hear
a Target Word
Brainstorm lists of words
related to the target
word
Examining affixes and
root words.

Step 5: Periodically Ask

Students to Discuss the Terms
With One Another
Corrects Misconceptions and Provides
Multiple Perspectives
Role Cards: Etymology Expert, Root
Researcher, Synonym/Antonym
Explorer/Discusser Leader
Paired Thinking
Inside/Outside Circle (like speed dating)

Step 6: Involve Students

Periodically in Games That
Allow Them to Play With Terms
Games

should present challenges that

are appropriate and manageable for
students.
Games should arouse students curiosity.
Games should prompt students to
imagine different circumstances and
situations.
For AIG students, let them make the
game and then teach it to their fellow
students.

Step 6: Games
Alphabet

Antonyms-vocabulary that begins with

the same letter
Classroom Feud-questions about vocabulary
Create a Category- categorize in a limited amount
of time
Definition Shmefinition- student created definition
match
Digital Vocabulary Field Trip-explore websites to
answer teacher designed questions
Draw Me- Pictionary
Name It!- use vocabulary terms to express what
they see in various photographs