Vocabulary StrategiesVocabulary Strategies

What do children need to learn?What do children need to learn?

There are 88,700 word families in text up to 12th There are 88,700 word families in text up to 12th grade.grade.20 words account for 25% of spoken English.20 words account for 25% of spoken English.107 words account for 50% of the words in 107 words account for 50% of the words in running text.running text.5,000 more words account for an additional 45% 5,000 more words account for an additional 45% of the words in running text.of the words in running text.Infrequent words (5% of total) carry the most Infrequent words (5% of total) carry the most unique meaning in a passageunique meaning in a passage

(Nagy and Anderson , 1984 estimate) (Nagy and Anderson , 1984 estimate)

Vocabulary Gap at age 6Vocabulary Gap at age 6

Low SES-2,000 wordsLow SES-2,000 words

Middle SES 4,000 wordsMiddle SES 4,000 words

High SES 6,000 wordsHigh SES 6,000 words

In 1st and 2nd grade, children need to In 1st and 2nd grade, children need to learn 800+ words per year, (about 2 per learn 800+ words per year, (about 2 per day)day)

Children need to learn 2,000-3,000 new Children need to learn 2,000-3,000 new words each year from 3rd grade onward words each year from 3rd grade onward (about 6-8 per day)(about 6-8 per day)

An average child increases knowledge of An average child increases knowledge of root words to about 8,000 by 6th grade.root words to about 8,000 by 6th grade.

The verbally limited children may have The verbally limited children may have learned about 4,000 in the same time learned about 4,000 in the same time span.span.

Reading and vocabulary Reading and vocabulary development development

Children’s books have more varying and Children’s books have more varying and unusual words than TV.unusual words than TV.

Rarity and variety of words in children’s Rarity and variety of words in children’s books is greater than that in adult books is greater than that in adult conversation.conversation.

Adult reading matter contains words 2- Adult reading matter contains words 2- times rarer than those heard on TV times rarer than those heard on TV

Who is going to develop a larger Who is going to develop a larger vocabularyvocabulary

Good readers: read an average of 30 Good readers: read an average of 30 minutes per day at 150 wpm=4500 wpdminutes per day at 150 wpm=4500 wpd

Average readers: read an average of 20 Average readers: read an average of 20 minutes a day at 100 wpm=2000 wpdminutes a day at 100 wpm=2000 wpd

Struggling readers: read an average of 10 Struggling readers: read an average of 10 minutes per day at 50 wpm=500 wpdminutes per day at 50 wpm=500 wpd

What does this mean for ELL What does this mean for ELL studentsstudents

ELL students may be more adept at ELL students may be more adept at decoding than they are at interpreting what decoding than they are at interpreting what they read. they read.

ELL students need basic vocabulary that native English speakers possess already.

Background knowledge of ELL’s may be Background knowledge of ELL’s may be very different from native speakers very different from native speakers

ELL students have a lot of catching up to ELL students have a lot of catching up to do. do.

Make sure they can hear the soundMake sure they can hear the sound(Phonemic Awareness)(Phonemic Awareness)

RhymingRhymingOddityOdditySegmentationSegmentation– SyllablesSyllables

Va-ca-tionVa-ca-tion– PhonemesPhonemes

M-a-pM-a-pBlendingBlendingDeletionDeletion– 1st sound:Pink-ink1st sound:Pink-ink– final sound:Belt-bellfinal sound:Belt-bell– initial consonant blend:Plan-paninitial consonant blend:Plan-pan– final blend:Blimp-blipfinal blend:Blimp-blip

If students can’t hear and pronounce If students can’t hear and pronounce the sound they confuse the words:the sound they confuse the words:

Pacific/specificPacific/specific

Then/thanThen/than

Shocked/shot/Shocked/shot/

Bisect/biceptBisect/bicept

Feel/fillFeel/fill

Kinetic/ConnecticutKinetic/Connecticut

Homogeneous/heterogeneousHomogeneous/heterogeneous

Teaching words in context Teaching words in context

It takes 10-12 meaningful encounters with It takes 10-12 meaningful encounters with a word to know a word from context a word to know a word from context

Limited encounters mean limited Limited encounters mean limited knowledge knowledge

Designated means sober?Designated means sober?

Borrowed means given?Borrowed means given?

Job means parent’s particular job?Job means parent’s particular job?

Context may be misdirective:Context may be misdirective:

Sandra won the dance contest and the Sandra won the dance contest and the audience’s cheers brought her to the stage audience’s cheers brought her to the stage for an encore. “Every step she take is for an encore. “Every step she take is perfect and graceful.” Ginny said perfect and graceful.” Ginny said grudginglygrudgingly..

Context may be non-directive:Context may be non-directive:

Dan heard the door open and by the Dan heard the door open and by the lumberinglumbering footsteps he knew it was Aunt footsteps he knew it was Aunt Grace.Grace.

Teaching Vocabulary in Context Teaching Vocabulary in Context

TPRTPRPicturesPicturesRealiaRealiaHands on activitiesHands on activitiesActing out meaningActing out meaningUsing key vocabulary often in many Using key vocabulary often in many contextscontextsThematic unitsThematic units

For level 1 students, context may For level 1 students, context may be the only method.be the only method.

Multiple meanings Multiple meanings

The oldest English words have the most The oldest English words have the most meanings: meanings:

House (Anglo-Saxon 800A.D.)House (Anglo-Saxon 800A.D.)

Residence (Norman French 1300A.D.)Residence (Norman French 1300A.D.)

How many meanings can you find?How many meanings can you find?

FrameFrame

CheckCheck

PitchPitch

SpringSpring

Race Race

Word relationships Word relationships

Words and concepts should be learned in Words and concepts should be learned in relation to one another and in relation to a relation to one another and in relation to a topic of interest.topic of interest.

New words are remembered and retrieved New words are remembered and retrieved more easily if they are filed in a meaning more easily if they are filed in a meaning network.network.

Types of vocabulary activitiesTypes of vocabulary activities

IntroductoryIntroductory– When students are first introduced to a wordWhen students are first introduced to a word– Definitions alone aren’t necessarily Definitions alone aren’t necessarily

meaningfulmeaningful

Types of vocabulary activitiesTypes of vocabulary activities

Deep processing Deep processing – Activities that help students find relationships Activities that help students find relationships

between wordsbetween words– Help students understand the word and its Help students understand the word and its

connotationsconnotations– Help students practice using the word in Help students practice using the word in

meaningful ways (those 12 times)meaningful ways (those 12 times)

Types of vocabulary activitiesTypes of vocabulary activities

Culmination activitiesCulmination activities– Help students solidify their understandings of Help students solidify their understandings of

the wordthe word– Complete the deep understanding of the wordComplete the deep understanding of the word

A vocabulary cycleA vocabulary cycle

Weekly vocabulary instructionWeekly vocabulary instruction

Monday: Introductory activityMonday: Introductory activity

Tuesday-Thursday: Deep processing Tuesday-Thursday: Deep processing activitiesactivities

Friday: Culmination activityFriday: Culmination activity

Introductory activitiesIntroductory activities

Using contextUsing context– TPRTPR– PicturesPictures– RealiaRealia– Hands on activitiesHands on activities– Acting out meaningActing out meaning

Card sortCard sort

Sort the cards into catagoriesSort the cards into catagories

UnknownUnknown KnownKnown OwnOwn

Deep Processing activitiesDeep Processing activities

Cause students to interact with the Cause students to interact with the vocabulary in meaningful waysvocabulary in meaningful ways– Thematic unitsThematic units– Hands on activitiesHands on activities

More cognitively engaging More cognitively engaging

Help build relationships between words Help build relationships between words and conceptsand concepts

Categories:Categories:

Put the cards into categories and Put the cards into categories and subcategories. subcategories.

What did you need to know to do this?What did you need to know to do this?

Semantic feature analysis Semantic feature analysis

The critical of defining features of words can The critical of defining features of words can be analyzed in charts that show the be analyzed in charts that show the contrast between similar concepts.contrast between similar concepts.

AntonymsAntonyms

A common way to form antonyms:A common way to form antonyms:Un, in non, mis, or dis Un, in non, mis, or dis – happy/unhappyhappy/unhappy– hospitable/inhospitablehospitable/inhospitable– conformist/nonconformistconformist/nonconformist– identify/misidentifyidentify/misidentify– allow/disallowallow/disallow

Antonyms and scaling Antonyms and scaling

Gradable antonyms: Gradable antonyms: – tiny---enormoustiny---enormous

Complimentary antonyms:Complimentary antonyms:– black-white, black-white, – dead-alive dead-alive

Latin origin words Latin origin words

Root word, prefix, suffixRoot word, prefix, suffix

Activity: Students list words with similar Activity: Students list words with similar roots, Teacher webs:roots, Teacher webs:

Struct: to buildStruct: to build

Greek origin words Greek origin words

Compound words:Compound words:– Auto: selfAuto: self– Graph: writeGraph: write– Autograph: signatureAutograph: signature

ActivityActivity

Put the words together to identify their Put the words together to identify their meaningmeaning

Culminating activitiesCulminating activities

Help students solidify their knowledge of Help students solidify their knowledge of the wordthe word

DefinitionsDefinitions

More useful at the end of the word studyMore useful at the end of the word study

Enables students to solidify their Enables students to solidify their understandingsunderstandings

Activity: Use the definition form to define Activity: Use the definition form to define three words.three words.

Which words should be directly Which words should be directly taught?taught?

Words critical to understanding the text or Words critical to understanding the text or topic at handtopic at handWords with general utility likely to be Words with general utility likely to be encountered many times.encountered many times.Difficult words that need interpretation Difficult words that need interpretation (metaphorical, abstract, nuanced, (metaphorical, abstract, nuanced, idiomatic)idiomatic)Level 1 and 2 students need direct Level 1 and 2 students need direct instruction in basic vocabulary.instruction in basic vocabulary.

Basic communicationAnglo saxon

Academic Latin origin

Content specificGreek origin

Tier 1 wordsTier 1 words

Common everyday words found in regular Common everyday words found in regular oral usage. oral usage.

Tend to be Anglo-Saxon origin. Tend to be Anglo-Saxon origin.

A native English speaker at the grade level A native English speaker at the grade level would know these words. would know these words.

Important words for Level 1 and 2 Important words for Level 1 and 2 students. students.

Examples: Examples: Run, play, goRun, play, go

Tier 2 wordsTier 2 words

Cognitive academic words. Cognitive academic words.

Tend to be Latin origin. Often these words Tend to be Latin origin. Often these words are cognates and can be easier for are cognates and can be easier for Spanish speakers. Spanish speakers.

Important for developing vocabulary. Important for developing vocabulary.

For language development, place most of For language development, place most of the emphasis here.the emphasis here.

Examples: Examples: Independence, subjugate.Independence, subjugate.

Tier 3 wordsTier 3 words

Unique, unusual words. Unique, unusual words.

Often content specific. Often content specific.

Tend to be Greek origin. Tend to be Greek origin.

Examples: Kinetic, photosynthesisExamples: Kinetic, photosynthesis