increasing reading vocabulary ch. 6 the essentials of teaching children to read
TRANSCRIPT
Students Acquire New Vocabulary through language interactions.
Conversation (oral language) Independent reading Media Vocabulary through conversation (will assist in recognizing and
comprehending) Independent reading Read alouds Shared reading Language-rich backgrounds and reading Limited vocabularies and reading
Research Findings
Use of computers in vocabulary instruction/software programs more effective than traditional methods
Vocabulary learned incidentally through storybook reading or listening to others read
Repeated exposure – encounter words in various forms
Learning words before reading is helpful
Four Types of Vocabulary
Listening vocabulary – largest, words we hear and understand
Speaking vocabulary – words we use when we speak
Reading vocabulary – words we identify and understand when we read
Writing vocabulary – smallest, words we use in writing
All should be nurtured in an effective teacher’s clasroom
Levels of Vocabulary
Unknown – unfamiliar and meaning unknown Acquainted – somewhat familiar; some idea
of its basic meaning Established – very familiar; immediately
understands meaning and uses it correctly Learning words and concepts in content
areas is more challenging.
What Research Tells Us About Teaching Vocabulary
Most learned indirectly through everyday experiences (oral and written language)
Direct teaching of individual words and word-learning strategies
Preteaching new words associated with text assists students with comprehension
Word consciousness – call students attention the way authors use/choose words
Play with words – riddles, puns, raps, research a word’s history
Which Words Should Be Taught?
Words that are key to understanding the text and those the student will encounter in adult life
Limit vocabulary teaching time to 5 to 10 minutes
Limit news words to 8 to 10 per week
Sight Words/High Frequency Words
Occur frequently in most texts Account for the majority of written words Structure words – carry little meaning but
affect the flow of the text Lexical words – less frequent words
(meaning is dependent upon these words) Fry Word Lists – p. 120
Key Vocabulary
Teacher indicates lexical words students need to learn (individually or small group)
Make vocabulary word cards Student shares word with people during the
day Students adds words to their writing folder or
word bank/personal word wall
Assessing Students’ Vocabulary Knowledge
Word maps 1. Word
2. What is it? 3. What is it like? 4. What are some examples? Before and After Word Knowledge Self
Ratings – (1 do not know the word ,2 have heard the word, 3 can define and us the word)
Teacher Constructed Vocabulary Tests – 1. read and match picture 2. match picture to word 3. read word in isolation and match to its definition 4. read word and find synonym in a list 5. read word and find it opposite (antonym) in a list 6. read word in context of a sentence or paragraph find definition, synonym, or antonym in a list
7. Fill in missing words 8. Categorize words Cloze passages – certain words (targeted
vocabulary) have been deleted (usually every 5th word)
1. Requires child to use background knowledge of a subject 2. Informs teacher of child’s background knowledge and ability to cope with a particular text
Making Words
Excellent word-learning strategy Helps improve phonetic knowledge Similar to Scrabble Steps in a making words lesson (textbook pp.
132-133)
Making Words
Making words activity Take out envelope of letters cut out Make words Start with the small two and three letter
words Build up to one or two big words at the end
Function Words(“Four-Letter” Words)
Abstract meanings rather than concrete Referred to as structure words Most difficult to teach Try to define the word “what”
Drastic Strategy
Step 1: Choose a function word (a word that has little
meaning) Write the word on a card Find a story or create one that uses this word
multiple times Have students hold up their card with the word
on it every time they hear the word read in the story
Step 2: Have volunteers make up a story using the word Classmates hold up the card each time the “function”
word is heard
Step 3 Students study word Cut the letter apart from the word Direct students to arrange the letters into the word
Step 4 Write the word on the board Students are to study the word (take a picture of it) see the word
in their mind Students write the word from memory
Step 5 Write several sentences on the board with a blank where the
“word” should be placed Read sentences aloud Have students come to the board and write the “word” in the
blank
Step 6 Give students real books/text where the word
appears As they read the text, when they come upon
the word, lightly underline it in the text
What is a drawback to using this strategy?
Teaching Word Functions and Changes
Synonyms – similar meanings Antonyms – opposites or near opposites Euphemisms – words/phrases used to soften
language
Ex. dentures (euphemism)
false teeth (real meaning) Onomatopoeia – imitation of a sound
Word-Learning Strategies
Using dictionaries and other reference aids Using word parts (ex. Affixes, root words) Using context clues