Vocabulary
Development
The Relationship Between Word
Knowledge and Comprehension
Questions About Vocabulary
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What is the relationship between
vocabulary knowledge and reading
comprehension?
How many words do people know?
What are effective methods of teaching
vocabulary knowledge?
Vocabulary Knowledge and Reading
Comprehension Relationship
The Instrumentalist Hypothesis
Vocabulary Knowledge
Reading Comprehension
Knowledge of words causes reading comprehension:
1) If word knowledge helps people to understand, texts with more
difficult words are more difficult to understand.
2) Teaching word meanings should improve comprehension.
Vocabulary Knowledge and Reading
Comprehension Relationship
The Knowledge Hypothesis
Vocabulary Knowledge
Reading Comprehension
Topic Knowledge
1) Knowledge of word meanings themselves do not cause
people to comprehend text.
2) Word meanings are not unrelated bits of information,
but are parts of larger knowledge structures.
Vocabulary Knowledge and Reading
Comprehension Relationship
The General Ability Hypothesis
General Ability
Vocabulary Knowledge
Reading Comprehension
1) Vocabulary knowledge is strongly related to intelligence.
2) Correlation between vocabulary and comprehension is due to
general ability.
Vocabulary Knowledge and Reading
Comprehension Relationship
Which is true?
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All three say something important.
Instrumentalist is most important for
teachers because it suggests that teaching
words will improve comprehension.
How many words do people know?
45,000
250,000-500,000
88,700
How many words do people know?
107
5,000
83,000
How many words do people know?
300
10x30
3,000
What are effective methods for
teaching vocabulary knowledge?
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Direct Instruction
Wide Reading
Use of Context
Frayer Diagram
Sentence
Definition
Example
Word
Non-Example
Frayer Diagram
Sentence
Definition
Lacking life, spirit, or
zest
Example
The lackadaisical dog couldn’t be
bothered to leave the porch, even
when the cat strolled by
with a taunting glare.
lackadaisical
Non-Example
languid, lazy
energetic, vivacious
Orangutans at the zoo
Jack Russell terrier
Inductive Word Study
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Students are given cards with words to be
learned.
In small groups, students sort the words in
ways that make sense to them.
The students explain how they defined their
groups.
Students are encouraged to regroup the
words in a different way.
3x3 Vocabulary
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Students are given a 3x3 grid and write one
word in each box.
Once the sheet is filled out, students write
six sentences which illustrate the
relationships between the words: column 1,
down; row 2, across; etc.
3x3 Vocabulary
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Context clues
Background
knowledge
Meaning
Concept
Graphic organizers
Strategy(ies)
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Direct instruction
Word walls
Comprehension
Word maps
Graphic organizers
Word study
Definitions