Learning Academic Vocabulary

Robert Marzano’s Six-Step Vocabulary Instruction Process

Step 1

• The teacher provides a description, explanation, or example of the new term.

polder

polder

Student writes vocabulary word and circles degree of understanding.

Step 2

• Students restate the explanation of the new term/vocabulary in their own words.

Examples of Student Work

Examples of Student Work

Examples of Student Work

Examples of Student Work

Step 3

• Students create a non-linguistic representation of the term.

Step 4

• Students participate in activities that help them add to their knowledge.

Highlight a prefix or suffix that will help them remember the meaning of a word.

Examples: hydroelectric power Mesopotamia Subsistence agriculture Democracy, autocracy, oligarchy

Step 4 continued)

List related words

Step 5

• Students are asked to discuss terms with one another.

Think-Pair-Share• THINK: Students review their own

descriptions individually and quietly.• PAIR: Organize the students in pairs

within their groups and ask them to discuss their descriptions and pictures of the terms with their partners.

• SHARE: Students share with the class any new insights.

Step 6• Students are involved in games that

allow them to “play” with new terms.Name That Term

• Teacher calls out clues about the new vocabulary term.

• Students in each group collaborate to come up with the correct answer.

• One student from each group writes the answer on a small white board and holds it up for the teacher to see.

• First group to answer correctly wins.• Each member of the group takes turns being

the scribe.