Presented by Dottie Pownall, NBCT
Academic Coach
2014
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The Meaningful Differences Study (Hart and
Risley, 1995) states that there is a 30
MILLION WORD GAP between children from
professional families and children from
poverty.
The Matthew Effects ( Stanovich, 1986): “ the
rich get richer and the poor get poorer.” The
gap widens as the students progress through
school.
Same findings from Dickinson and Tabots,
White, Graves and Slater……
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High poverty students can be compared to
English language learners.
They both usually learn new concepts while
dealing with unfamiliar language.
(Echevarria, 1998)
When it comes to risk factors for vocabulary
development, poverty trumps race, urban
versus rural community, limited English
proficiency and language impairments.
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We must make sure students learn vocabulary
that will EMPOWER them and help them
OVERCOME the circumstances of their birth.
Strong word knowledge can be life changing!
We CAN, We MUST, and We WILL….LET”S GO!
Let’s Make An Impact with VIVACIOUS
VOCABULARY INSTRUCTION!
THE RIGHT APPROACH MAKES A WORLD OF
DIFFERENCE!
EMPOWER AND SHARE YOUR PASSION!
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(WHOLE GROUP PRACTICE)
Goal #1: To get students to speak in complex
sentences while practicing new vocabulary!
Goal #2: Get students to look at each other in
the eye, shake hands, and speak politely in social
interactions.
COUNTING DUDES: Line up on one side of the
room.
BRAGGING DUDES: Line up on the other side of
the room.
All students wear a vocabulary word.
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1. Counting Dudes and Bragging Dudes pair off.
2. Introduce themselves as their words.
“Hello. My name is _______. I am a vocabulary word.” says the
BRAGGING DUDE while he holds his hand out for a handshake.
“Glad to meet you,_______. My name is _____, and I’m a synonym
for _______.” replies COUNTING DUDE, returning the shake.
3. BRAGGING DUDE must use his word in a 7-UP sentence.
4. The COUNTING DUDE counts the words on his fingers.
5. If the BRAGGING DUDE has used the word correctly in a
meaningful 7-Up sentence, they do the silent jig.
6. THE TEACHER MUST CIRCULATE AROUND THE ROOM GENTLY
CORRECTING ANY MISCONCEPTIONS.
7. At the signal, the students mingle and find a new partner.
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How could you use this strategy with your
students this year?
What benefits would you expect to see?
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Students create a human concept map.
Fosters creative and abstract thinking because student must
delve deeper into the context of the words.
1. Students wear their vocabulary lanyards.
2. One student is chosen to go to the front of the room,
pronounce his or her word, and state its meaning.
3. The rest of the class contemplates ways their own words can
connect to the first word.
4. From volunteers, a student is chosen to explain the link.
5. If the link makes sense, the chosen student walks to the front
of the room and links elbows with the first student.
6. Continue making links to the first or last word in the chain.
7. The object is not to be the last student sitting.
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Should be planned at the end of a vocabulary
cycle.
Wait time is imperative
At the very end, the challenge is to see who
can link the two words at the end of the chain
to make the circle complete.
There are no losers. We are a vocabulary
community!!!!
HOW COULD YOU USE THIS STRATEGY WITH
YOUR STUDENTS THIS YEAR?
WHAT BENEFITS WOULD YOU EXPECT TO SEE?
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1. Students write a sentence or paragraph
recalling a personal experience or content
connection with a word.
2. The students then choose a color that might
represent the word. ( Students practice higher
level thinking as they review the definitions of
words).
3. Each student is given an index card with the
vocabulary word written in marker.
4. On one side of the card, the student uses a
crayon or colored pencil to shade the background
of the card in their chosen color.
5. On the other side, they write the explanation
of the color they chose to symbolize the word.
 HELPFUL HINTS: Students can only use ONE
color. Paint swatches can be used instead.
SOME EXAMPLES: “RED is SEGREGATE because
bricks are red and they can separate people.”
“GREEN is FREEDOM because if you have freedom
you can run in the grass.”
“I used brown for SWIFT because it is the color of
me and I am swift.”
“SWIFT is yellow because when you move super fast
you feel like a ball of fire.”
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How could you use this strategy with your
students this year?
What results would you expect to see?
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“Celebrate what you want to see more of.” (Thomas
Peters)
BLOCK PARTY: Students use their words to meet,
greet and mingle. The teacher calls out a vocabulary
word, that student stands out and invites his
synonyms and antonyms to the party. After that,
mingle and meet people who are not related to your
word. Introduce yourself and shake hands. Chat
about your definition, tell a sentence you might be in,
or talk about ways you can be used. Pretend to be
the word you are wearing.
Lights off. Party is over. Ask the students to share
something they learned at the Block Party.
Provide snacks while the students take an
assessment.
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Dance party: Students answer a vocabulary
question and do some moves to dance music.
Luau Party: Students answer a vocabulary
question while doing the limbo.
American Idol Party: Students use a plastic
microphone and sing a few lines of a song they
have created about their vocabulary word.
Art Show Party: Students mingle and discuss
artwork they have created depicting vocabulary
words.
Make connections to literature, character
vocabulary parades……
DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER PARTY IDEAS???
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“The difference between the almost right
word and the right word is really a large
matter---it’s the difference between the
lightning bug and the lightning.”(Mark Twain)
CONTINUE TO SPREAD VOCABULARY WINGS
FAVORITE RESOURCES: Word Nerds by
Overturf, Montgomery, and Smith
COMPREHENSION CONNECTIONS, by Tanny
McGregor
dpownall@accesss.k12.wv.us