There remains a gap between implementing effective vocabulary instruction and what often takes place in the classroom, so vocabulary instruction is important.
These 5 simple steps will make selecting and teaching vocabulary easier than you might think.
Understanding the key characteristics of effective vocabulary instruction is important for K-12 educators. Why? Because they serve as the foundation for selecting instructional strategies and digital tools to support word learning.
“Top 10” Characteristics of Effective Vocabulary Instruction include:
Multiple Exposures: Word learning is shaped through multiple exposures in varied contexts. (Probably THE MOST important idea when it comes to learning new words.
Frontload Key Vocabulary: Before reading text or learning new content, introduce key vocabulary that is critical to understanding. Elicit background knowledge, create conversation and connections, and display or point out the words so that students will recognize them.
Nonlinguistic Representations: When learning new vocabulary, have students create pictographs, mental images, and pantomime word meanings in order to increase the likelihood of remembering new words.
Check out 7 more key characteristics of effective vocabulary instruction here.
Tiered vocabulary is an organizational framework for categorizing words. Understanding tiered vocabulary has practical applications for implementing the standards and classroom instruction.
The Three Vocabulary Tiers
Tier 1: Common, Known Words Examples: big, small, house, table, family
In other words, Tier I words are basic, everyday words found frequently in conversation and are part of most children’s vocabulary.
Tier 2: High-Frequency Words or Cross-Curricular Vocabulary Examples: justify, explain, expand, predict, summarize, maintain
Tier 2 words are made up of are general academic words and have utility across a wide range of topics. Another way to think of Tier 2 vocabulary is as cross-curricular terms. For example, the term “justify” and “predict” frequently appear in Science, Social Studies, and English texts. It is important to keep in mind that Tier 2 words are learned primarily through reading and explicit instruction and are key to building a strong academic vocabulary
Tier 3: Low-Frequency, Domain-Specific words Examples: isotope, tectonic plates, carcinogens, mitosis, lithosphere
Tier 3 words are domain specific vocabulary. Words in this category are low-frequency, specialized words that appear in specific fields or content areas. We anticipate that students will be unfamiliar with Tier 3 words. Beck suggests teaching these words as the need arises for comprehension in specific content areas.
The more you understand and sort vocabulary into the Tier 2 and Tier 3 words, the more instructional implications you’ll find. For example, the tiers will help you create content vocabulary lists. In addition, they’ll provide a focus for instruction and specific words to focus on during instruction.
A print-rich environment is not only important for early literacy development but supports word learning as well. Students learn words through direct instruction, but also develop their knowledge and exposure to new words indirectly through independent reading, word walls, and exposure to print across the school day.
Key elements of a literacy-rich environment include classroom libraries that include:
*a variety of genres and text types,
*content posters,
*anchor charts that are teacher-made and co-created with students,
*word walls,
*labels,
*literacy workstations,
*writing centers,
*computers,
*display of student work,
*displays of books & information,
*bulletin boards, and
*plenty of opportunity to read, write, listen, and speak.
Building a toolbox of effective instructional strategies is essential for creating a language-rich environment that fosters and supports word learning for every student. The best vocabulary strategies engage students in learning words through a variety of strategies that include personalization, visualizing and creating other nonlinguistic representations, identifying synonyms and antonyms, verbalizing, writing in notebooks and journals, and playing with words through game-like activities.
Digital tools have proven quite promising to support word learning. Compared to their more traditional counterparts, online tools provide a broader array of information about words and word meanings. In addition, some tools allow teachers to easily customize words so that students can practice, review, and play games with content or unit-specific words.
Digital tools allows students to:
*hear pronunciations
*read words in a variety of authentic examples
*view photos and images related to words
*reinforce word learning through interactive games
*play with and manipulate language
*discover rhyming words, and
*collaborate with classmates to create virtual words walls.
Final Thoughts
Using these steps teachers become intentional in their vocabulary instruction and become excited about word learning and regularly identify, instruct, and have conversations around words with their students.
The best part is that teachers soon begin to observe measurable growth in their students.
Tyson, Kimberly. "{5 Steps Series} 5 Simple Steps for Effective Vocabulary Instruction L Dr. Kimberly's Literacy Blog." Dr Kimberlys Literacy Blog. N.p., 04 July 2013. Web. 08 Mar. 2016.
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