Rationale for Vocabulary Instruction

Although research found that when specific instruction designed to promote vocabulary development is
instituted, children do show substantial gains in both vocabulary and comprehension (Beck, Perfetti, &
McKeown, !"#$ McKeown, Beck, %manson, and Pople, !"&', it has also been noted that there is little
emphasis on the ac(uisition of vocabulary in schools)
*Building leadership teams worked with faculty to identify key vocabulary in each curricular area)
+nstructional strategies highlighted in the Mar,ano work were employed to ensure greater effectiveness in
learning these key terms) Methods for direct instruction might include the -rayer Model, personali,ed non.
linguistic representations, noting similarities and differences between words, and other research.based
strategies) /erms critical to understanding and learning were front loaded by either direct instruction or
planned incidental strategies) As procedural vocabulary re(uired more intensive use for mastery, over
twenty e0posures to the term were encouraged and factual vocabulary words were also identified)
1tudent and teacher feedback indicated that this focus on vocabulary throughout the school played a
ma2or role in improved student learning) (/he Academic Achievement 3ap4 5here is the 1ense of
6rgency? http477www)oseda)missouri)edu7step7vol87no97step:8)pdf'
*;/here are many persuasive reasons for helping students build vocabulary, and none is more important
than the contribution to reading comprehension,; (<ehr, %sborn, & =iebert, #::8')> -rom 50 Ways to
Close the Achievement Gap
Best Practices in Vocabulary Instruction (-rom 50 Ways to Close the Achievement Gap)
*-eldman and Kinsella (#::8' indicated that learning vocabulary must be based on the students; active
engagement in constructing understanding of the words7terms)>
*1tudents gain most of their word knowledge through wide reading$ however, e0plicit instruction of specific
words and their meanings also contributes greatly to their vocabulary development) 1uch instruction is
especially important for students whose e0posure to vocabulary of literate ?nglish is limited) +nstruction
needs to @(' use both definitional and conte0tual information about word meanings, (#' involve students
active in word learning, (A' use discussion to teach the meanings of new words and to provide meaningful
information about the words> (!:')
Steps to Building Powerful Vocabulary Development Practices
Bistrict <evel
' Bevelop a position paper on the teaching of vocabulary in the classroom and ensure that all staff
members are aware of and can implement this position)
#' 1pecify words by grade level and course in the district;s written curriculum
1chool <evel
A' Provide the professional development for each teacher and instructional support staff to know
how to teach vocabulary and use effective vocabulary development strategies)
9' %bserve for effective vocabulary development strategies as part of informal walk.throughs and
provide follow.up reflective conversations as desired)
Classroom <evel
&' /each the vocabulary standards to mastery)
D' 6se the following process to provide direct instruction on words that are critical to new content for
the most powerful learning (Mar,ano et al) #::#'4
i) Provide a description, e0planation, or e0ample of the new term)
ii) Ask students to restate the description, e0planation, or e0ample in their own words)
iii) Ask students to construct a picture, symbol, or graphic representating the term or phrase)
iv) ?ngage students periodically in activities that help them add to their knowledge of the
terms in their notebooks)
v) Periodically ask students to discuss the terms with one another)
vi) +nvolve students periodically in games that allow them to play with terms
(Mar,ano, E) F) & Pickering B) F) (#::&') Building Academic Vocabulary: Teachers Manual.
Ale0andria, GA4 Association for 1upervision and Curriculum Bevelopment)'
8' /each new terms in conte0t of meaningful sub2ect matter and facilitate discussion on that term
(?llis, #::#'
"' /each fewer vocabulary terms, but teach them to deep understanding (?llis, #::#')
!' /each terms central to the unit or theme under study (?llis, #::#')
:' /each terms that address key concepts or ideas) Pick one to five terms from a chapter that
address critical concepts in the chapter (?llis, #::#')
' Provide instruction so that students encounter words in conte0t more than once (Mar,ano et al),
#::#'
#' /each terms that will be used repeatedly through the year H that are foundational concepts upon
which much information is built over time (?llis, #::#')
A' -acilitate paraphrasing of a new term;s definitions so students identify the core idea associated
with the meaning of the term and its distinguishing features (?llis, #::#')
9' Make background knowledge connections to each new vocabulary word (?llis, #::#')
&' +dentify e0amples and applications and none0amples and nonapplications related to the meaning
of the vocabulary term (?llis, #::#')
D' Create multiple formats in which students can use and elaborate on the meaning of new
vocabulary terms (?llis, #::#')
Marano Si!"Step Process
6se the following process to provide direct instruction on words that are critical to new content for the
most powerful learning (Mar,ano et al) #::#'4
i) Provide a description, e0planation, or e0ample of the new term)
ii) Ask students to restate the description, e0planation, or e0ample in their own words)
iii) Ask students to construct a picture, symbol, or graphic representating the term or phrase)
iv) ?ngage students periodically in activities that help them add to their knowledge of the
terms in their notebooks)
v) Periodically ask students to discuss the terms with one another)
vi) +nvolve students periodically in games that allow them to play with terms
(Mar,ano, E) F) & Pickering B) F) (#::&') Building Academic Vocabulary: Teachers Manual.
Ale0andria, GA4 Association for 1upervision and Curriculum Bevelopment)'
Mar,ano adds */eachers must block out time for the direct instruction described in the first three steps of
the process, and decide how often and when the activities in the last three steps will be used) /hese
planning decisions will vary from teacher to teacher and will differ somewhat in elementary versus
secondary settings> (Building Academic Vocabulary: Teachers Manual. p. 30)
=e then goes on to offer some suggestions for scheduling academic vocabulary instruction4
' 5hen and how often will you present new termsI Jou might decide it takes & minutes to present
three new terms and take students through the first three steps of the process)
#' Jou might decide that you want to begin by introducing three new terms a week for three weeks H
then add three new terms every other week after that) +n a !.week period, students would be
presented with " words to enter into their notebooks) +n the ne0t ! weeks, you might decide to
introduce fewer terms so that you can focus on 1teps 9 H D which help students review the terms)
Strategies t#at s#ould be moved to t#e $dust bin%&
Copying definitions from the dictionary)
5riting sentences which include the new word before studying the word;s meaning is of little
value$ writing sentences is only effective A-/?E gaining some understanding of the word)
/elling students to *use conte0t> to determine meaning4 research shows that students have about
a one in twenty chance of learning a word;s meaning through conte0t)
Memori,ing a list of definitions is ineffective for new learning$ once students understand a new
word, review is very helpful)