Improving Vocabulary for ELLs in the Content Area
Using the ExC-ELL Method
It is words in contexts that create meaning.
It is not just single words, but all the other words around
the content words that nest the concepts.
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 Vocabulary knowledge correlates with reading
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comprehension.
Reading comprehension correlates with procedural
and content knowledge.
Content knowledge correlates with academic success.
Comprehension depends on knowing between 90%
and 95% of the words in a text.
Knowing words means explicit instruction, not just
exposure. Students need at least 12 production
opportunities to own a word.
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 Before any instruction, select the words that need to be
taught.
 Categorize words into tiers.
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Tier 1
Tier 2
Tier 3
• words that ELLs need for everyday speech
• for academic conversations and explanations
• for scaffolding more complicated text
Examples: find, search, answer, so, if, then, simple idiomatic
expressions
• challenging words that we need in order to access cognitively
demanding content
• may be polysemous (multiple-meaning) words
Examples: round, right, table, ring, bad
• discipline-specific academic words for content area concepts
Examples: peninsula, osmosis, democracy
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Tier 1
Tier 2
Tier 3
Basic, simple words
that native English
speakers know, but
might cause difficulty
for ELLs due to
meaning, spelling,
and/or pronunciation.
Information processing
words, polysemous
words, transition
words, sophisticated
words, NOT content
specific.
Look for Tier 2 words in
your tests.
Academic content
specific. Are usually in
bold letters and
defined in the glossary
of most textbooks.
fell
mad
wish
umbrella
indoors
see
sea
stumbled
enraged
because
in order to
on the other hand
likewise
most likely
best conclusion
Square root
Radical numbers
Atom
Matter
Bailout
Government
Metaphor
Stanza
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Polysemous words are words that have multiple
meanings across academic content areas.
• table
• prime
• cell
• trunk
• leg
• power
• radical
• state
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 40% of words in Science and Math
 30% of words in Social Studies
 10% of words in English/Language Arts
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• Literature -- literatura
• Context - contexto
• Multisyllabic -- multisilábico
• Respond -- responder
• Irony -- ironía
• Comprehension – comprensión
Recognizing the word as a cognate does NOT mean they
know the concept!
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• Library ≠ librería (bookstore) = biblioteca
• Story ≠historia (history) = cuento
• Exit ≠éxito (success) = salida
• Success ≠suceso (event) = éxito
• Character ≠carácter (personality) = personaje
Be careful of false cognates!
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1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Teacher says the word.
Teacher asks students to repeat the word 3 times.
Teacher states the word in context from the text.
Teacher provides the dictionary definition(s).
Teacher explains meaning with student-friendly
definitions.
Teacher engages students in activities to
develop word/concept knowledge.
Teacher highlights features of the word (cognate,
polysemous, spelling, prefix, suffix, etc.).
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1. Teacher says the word.
1. Weather can have a big effect on your life.
2. Teacher asks students to repeat the 2. Say effect 3 times.
word 3 times.
3. Teacher states the word in context
from the text.
3. Two cups of coffee in the morning have a
big effect on me -- I can’t sleep at night!
4. Teacher provides the dictionary
definition(s).
4. Influence, or the power to make
something happen.
5. Teacher explains meaning with
student-friendly definitions.
5. The result or consequence of something.
6. Teacher engages students in
activities to develop
word/concept knowledge.
6. What has had a big effect on your life
recently? TTYP, then share with the
class.
7. Teacher highlights features of the
word (cognate, polysemous,
spelling, prefix, suffix, etc.).
7. How do you spell effect? What other
word is similar?
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Question, Reasons, Examples
• If you are studying for a test, you need to do it
persistently. What else do you need to do
persistently?
• Say faithful if it applies:
– A cat who always comes home before dark.
– A brother who takes care of his sister.
– A girl who has 3 boyfriends.
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Making Choices & Review
• What would you do - feel fortunate or feel
unfortunate if you:
– won a million dollars?
– had to clean somebody else’s mess?
– got a hug from your favorite movie star?
– were told you had 3 months of vacation?
• Applaud if you’d like to be described by the word:
- faithful
- stubborn
- awesome
- awkward
 Cooperative Learning strategies
- Roundtable, Conga Line, WriteAround, 3-Step
Interview, 8-Rectangles, etc.
 Games - Jeopardy, Charades, let students invent!
 Charts, graphs, cognitive organizers, semantic maps,
word webs!
 Poems, chants, songs, rhymes!
 Summaries, syntheses, story-related writing, reports,
related research, personification plays, cartoons, comic
books -- all should include as many of the key words as
possible
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Sensory Supports
Graphic Supports
Interactive
Supports
• Real-life objects
(realia)
• Manipulatives
• Pictures &
photographs
• Illustrations,
diagrams & drawings
• Physical activities
• Videos & films
• Broadcasts
• Models & figures
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Charts
Graphs
Tables
Timelines
Graphic organizers
Number lines
Maps
Smartboards
Adapted from M. Gottlieb et al.
(2007)
WIDA Proficiency Standards
Pairs
Triads
Foursomes
Whole group
Cooperative learning
strategies
• Internet or software
programs
• Use of native
language
• Peer coaches
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Sentence
Explanation
Examples
Drawing
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Word
Picture
Word in context
Definition
•
Clear your desks.
•
Only one paper and pencil.
•
Each student writes one answer and passes the paper to
the right.
•
Everyone must write an answer.
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Continue this process until the teacher calls time out.
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Count the number of correct responses by your team.
Delete repeated words and report your numbers.
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•
Write a key word from the text and pass the
paper.
•
Keep writing one word at a time until time is up.
•
The words must be Tier 2 or 3.
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 Avoid translation for Level 3-5 students.
 Students need to use the word at least 12 times orally.
 Step 6 is the most important.
 Spend 12-15 minutes at the beginning of each class
teaching vocabulary.
 Post the tiers so students can see them.
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