Building Academic Vocabulary with Secondary Students Renée Davis Irving ISD
Content Objectives Language Objectives Participants will..... Learn to emphasize vocabulary in all content lessons. Understand how vocabulary development is related to academic achievement. Understand and address the steps and activities that implement vocabulary in the classroom. Create a concept map with brick and mortar words.
Brain dendrites need to be activated and simulated.
Websites for vocabulary www.dictionary.com www.awesomelibrary.org www.visualthesaurus.com www.google.com images Others?
Scaffolding: Scaffolds are supports that lead to independence.
Extension to the lesson Use (Total Physical Response) TPR to create a movement that symbolizes the words. Use sentence strips and work with a partner to write a sentence or sentences using all of the words!
The Need Teaching specific terms in a specific way is probably the strongest action a teacher can take to ensure that ELL students have the academic background knowledge they need to understand the content they will encounter in school. (Lindsay Carleton 2010)
The Need.... is with socially economically disadvantaged students also... There is a 4,500 to 5,400 word gap between students at the 25 th and 50 th percentile on standardized test. (David Sousa, 2011)
VISUALS ARE IMPORTANT!!!
For the last 80 years education researchers have known of the powerful relationship between vocabulary knowledge and comprehension Baumann, 2005; Stahl and Nagy 2006 For English language learners systematic vocabulary instruction is necessary because.....
Because...... Content area texts which students must read include very sophisticated vocabulary. Reading performance tests given to ELLs rely on wide-ranging vocabulary. English learners vocabulary instruction must be accelerated because ELLs are learning English later than their native speakers peers. English learners find understanding word meanings very challenging. (Graves & Fitzgerald, 2006, page 122)
It is most critical that teachers provide, especially for those students who do not come from academically advantaged backgrounds, systematic instruction in important academic terms. (Robert Marzano & Debra Pickering 2006)
Literate language has 3 key elements Echevarria, Vogt and Short (2008)
1 st Element Content words: key vocabulary words, terms and concepts associated with a specific topic (e.g., the American Revolutionary War, democracy, Patriots, etc).
2 nd Element Process/ Function words: functional language (e.g., how to request information, justify opinions, state a conclusion, etc). transition words (therefore, in conclusion, moreover, etc.), and sequence words (first, then, next, finally, at last, etc). processes and tasks (e.g., share with a partner, discuss, line up, graph, list, etc).
3 rd Element Words and Word parts that teach English Structure. For example: Morphology- (morphemes) students learn that many English words are formed with roots and base words joined to prefixes and suffixes (e.g., photo-(light): photosynthesis, photograph, photoelectron, photogenic; common Latin roots-circ: around; demo-people; port-carry; etc).
Most Common Latin Root Words Handout The fourteen root words with asterisks provide the meaning of over 100,000 words! By adding suffixes to many of the words that are included, you can increase further the number of words on the list. Also explore how words came about with students
Direct examination of academic language is essential in all disciplines Teach students to watch out for polysemous words : words that take a different meaning in different contexts (e.g., fault, wave, state, cell, etc.).
Brick and Mortar words (Dustro & Moran, 2003., Zwiers, 2008). Brick words - the technical words that are specific to a particular content area, tend to be found in glossaries and in bold face print in textbook passages. Mortar words and phrases - links the content words together (e.g., compare & contrast words, sequence words, discussion words, cause & effect words).
Concept Mapping Materials: scissors, glue and teacher prepared handout of concept cards. Students will cut out concept cards and arrange them in categories. After interacting with peers, students can make any final changes and then glue down their concept cards. Student should connect categories with words and phrases so that they can read through the concept map without ever leaving the page.
Selecting & Introducing Vocabulary ELL students can be very easily overwhelmed by the amount of new vocabulary words that they are being exposed to and asked to learn each and every day (5 to 7 words recommended). Words should be carefully selected ahead of time. TEKS STAAR Text Academic Vocabulary Word Lists* Marzano
Effective vocabulary instruction does not rely on definitions alone. Marzano and Pickering (2007) Students must represent their knowledge of words in linguistic and nonlinguistic ways. Echevarria and Graves (2011)
Nonlinguistic Representations These are nonverbal means of representing knowledge including: illustrations, graphic organizers, physical models, and kinesthetic activities
astrology as-trol-o-gy n. The study of the positions and aspects of heavenly bodies in the belief that they have an influence on natural earthly occurrences and the course of human affairs.
Explicitly teaching literacy vocabulary helps students... Develops background knowledge to understand the content. Stores literate language understanding in permanent memory. For example..........
A Student must write, read, play with, orally interact with word at least 5-7 time before they take ownership of the word and it becomes permanent memory.
Background knowledge Permanent Memory Working Memory Experiences Sensory Memory Crystallized (learned) Intelligence
6 Steps Process for Teaching New Terms Step 1: Provide a description, explanation, or example of the new term. Step 2: Ask students to restate the description, explanation, or example in their own words. Step 3: Ask students to construct a picture, symbol, or graphic representing the term. Step 4: Engage students periodically in activities that help them add to their knowledge of the terms in their notebooks. Step 5: Periodically ask students to discuss the terms with one another. Step 6: Involved students periodically in games that allow them to play with terms.
How to Teach Vocabulary 1. Provide a description, explanation or example of the new term. Direct experiences Tell a story Video/computer images Have students do initial investigation and present the information Use current events to understand the word Describe your own mental pictures of the term Find or create pictures to explain the term 30
2. Ask students to restate the description, explanation or example in their own words. 31
3. Ask student to construct a picture, symbol, or graphic representing the term or phrase. Students are forced to think of the term in a different way, nonlinguistic. This is very important to help the students remember the term. 32
Marzano s Related Terms Chart Term: Picture: Related Term:
4. Engage Students periodically in activities that help them add to the knowledge of the terms. Understanding deepens over time if students continually reexamine their understanding of the given term. Highlight a prefix or suffix that will help them remember the meaning Identify synonyms or antonyms Draw an additional picture or graphic List related words List brief cautions or reminders of common confusions Translate into another language. 34
5. Periodically ask students to discuss the terms with one another. Interacting with other people deepens the understanding of the terms. Compare their description of the term Describe their pictures to each other Explain to each other any new information the have learned or any Aha s they have experienced as they review the terms Identify areas of disagreement or confusion and seek clarification. 35
If students don t verbalize, students won t internalize. (Seidlitz, John, Perspective-Based Learning) R. Vega 03/20/06
6. Involve students periodically in games that allow them to play with terms. Games are one of the most underused instructional tools in education. Set aside blocks of time each week to play games, or use them spontaneously throughout the period to guide them in the review and use of important terms. 37
Games have been sometimes misused or underestimated by classroom teachers, roughly 60 research studies have shown, on average, the use of academic games in the classroom is associated with a 20% point gain on testing.
A Six-Step Process for Teaching New Terms Step 1: Provide a description, explanation, or example of the new term. Step 2: Ask students to restate the description, explanation, or example in their own words. Step 3: Ask students to construct a picture, symbol, or graphic representing the term or phrase. Step 4: Engage students periodically in activities that help them add to their knowledge of the terms in their notebooks. Step 5: Periodically ask students to discuss the terms with one another. Step 6: Involve students periodically in games that allow them to play with terms.
A Six-Step Process for Teaching New Terms Step 1: Provide a description, explanation, or example of the new Help students term. develop sufficient initial understanding so that they can Step 2: Ask students to restate the description, explanation, or example in their own words. describe the terms and Step 3: Ask students to construct a picture, symbol, or graphic represent representing the terms the term nonlinguistically or phrase. Step 4: Engage students periodically in activities that help them Provide add multiple to their opportunities knowledge of the for terms students in their tonotebooks. revisit and revise Step 5: Periodically ask students to discuss the terms with one another.. descriptions and nonlinguistic representations. Step 6: Involve students periodically in games that allow them to play with terms.
Teaching New Terms The steps do not have to be followed in order.
Step 1: Provide a description, explanation, or example of the new term. Step 2: Ask students to restate the description, explanation, or example in their own words. Step 3: Ask students to construct a picture, symbol, or graphic representing the term or phrase. Caution These steps need to be monitored carefully for accuracy. It may take several sessions before students are ready to create permanent record.
Example of what to do if you have a Level 1 ELL student in your class Decide what are the most important concepts that you want the student to learn from a unit. Make them into sentences or take the sentences from the text. (Dr. Gonzalez 10 important sentences) 43
What do you do with the sentences? Draw a set of pictures to illustrate each of the sentences. Put the sentences in sequential order. Memorize each sentence and be able to write each one and demonstrate they understand the meaning of the sentence. Cut the sentences up and glue them back in order. Translate the sentence into another language www.freetranslation.co m Make a cloze activity and leave out key terms. Cut the sentences in half and play concentration. Use these sentences when you test the student. 44
Remember..... ELL learn social vocabulary in 1-2 years but it takes 5-7 years for academic vocabulary Use cognates to help students see the connections between their language and English through roots, prefixes and suffixes. Ensure that you have a safe environment where vocabulary can be practiced, free of criticism Work on oral conversation. Teach students to speak in full sentences, help with sentence stems.
Thanks! Have fun learning vocabulary. Your attitude towards it is 90% of the motivation. ELL Students are working twice as hard as everyone else. You do miracles every day.
Bibliography Education Service Center Region XIII (2008). English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS) Toolkit. Austin, Texas. Fisher, D., Frey, N. & Rothenberg, C. (2008). Content-area conversations. How to plan discussion-based lessons for diverse language learners. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Himmele, P. & Himmele, W. (2009). The language-rich classroom. A research-based framework for teaching English language learners. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Krashen, Stephen D.(1988). Second language acquisition and second language learning. Prentice-Hall International. Marzano, Robert (2010). Teaching Basic and Advanced Vocabulary: A Framework for Direct Instruction. Heinle Cengage Learning, Boston, MA. Marzano, Robert & Pickering, Debra,(2005). Building Academic Vocabulary: A Teacher s Manual. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Seidlitz, John (2009). Navigating the ELPS in the Science Classroom. Using the New Standards to Improve Instruction for English Learners. Canter Press, San Antonio, TX.