Building Academic
Vocabulary,
Grades 6-12
2014 Catholic Educators Convention
Milwaukee, WI
October 10, 2014
Winnie R. Huebsch, Ph. D
Educational Consultant
Words of Wisdom
• The more you read, the more you
know
• The more you know, the smarter
you grow
• The smarter you grow, the
stronger your voice
• In speaking your mind, or
making your choice.
Anonymous
Why Focus on
Vocabulary?
• Understanding key content
area vocabulary is essential to
gaining a full understanding of
the text.
• You do not need to understand
every word to understand the
‘gist’ of a passage.
How We Learn/
Understand Words:
By reading a lot…
–At the right level of difficulty
–In sufficient amounts
–With sufficient motivation to
pursue understanding
How We Learn/
Understand Words:
By becoming conscious of
words…
•What words have you learned
today?
– In what context?
– Through what means?
– What motivated you?
What Words to Teach?
• In selecting vocabulary words
that you wish to teach, keep in
mind this question…
Ten years from now,
what do I want
my students to
remember?
Common Vocabulary Instruction
in the Middle Grades
Mentioning
Assigning
a word or synonym
looking the word up in a
dictionary
•Teachers spend “little time discussing
the meanings of words” (Scott,
Jamieson-Noel and Asselin (2003, p.
282).
•Words introduced with a reading
selection are rarely followed up (Walsh,
What Is the Result of
”Mentioning" and “Assigning”
Instruction?
Students may learn words as
measured by multiple choice
tests.
No effect on comprehension
(Bauman, Kame’enui & Ash,
2003; Stahl & Fairbanks, 1986).
IRA, 2008
Why Lack of Effect?
•Comprehension requires rapid
and rich access to word
meanings.
•Instruction needs to go beyond
associating words with definitions.
IRA, 2008
What About Dictionaries???
• Most vocabulary instruction
involves the use of dictionaries
• Typical uses of the dictionary
include:
– Looking up a word
– Selecting the appropriate definition
among several
– Discussing the word and its definition
However…
Dictionaries are
NOT the Answer
• Reading a definition does not tell us
how a word is actually used
• We need examples in context to infer
the meaning of a word
• Dictionary examples are often
shortened or incomplete
• Being able to define a word is an end
result of knowing the word very well!
Traditional Start:
Dictionary Definitions
•63 % of the students’ sentences were judged
“odd” (Miller & Gildea, 1985)
•“The train was transitory.”
60 % of students’ responses unacceptable
(McKeown, 1991; 1993)
“He was devious on his bike.”
Students frequently interpreted one or two
words as the entire meaning
(Scott & Nagy, 1989)
IRA, 2008
“The colonists were exotic in America.”
How Did That Happen?
devious
“He was devious on his
bike.”
transitory
“The train was
exotic
“The colonists were
exotic in America.”
straying from the
right course; not
straightforward
passing soon or
quickly; lasting only
a short time
foreign; strange; not
native
So, knowing that dictionaries
are not the answer,
principles should guide
instruction
Principles of Vocabulary
Acquisition
• Vocabulary knowledge is a
network of connected concepts
• Vocabulary is learned from
context—
• Learning is incremental
•
McKeown, M.G. (2008).
Vocabulary knowledge is a
network of connected
concepts
• What is the significance of
that?
• http://www.visuwords.com/
• You don’t have a dictionary
in your head…so, use
http://www.visuwords.com/
Vocabulary is learned from
context—BUT . . .
• The richest context for learning
new words is immediate oral
language, but…
Cautions About ‘Learning
From Context’
There are many different
“contexts”
•oral vs. written
•wide reading across subjects
•individual differences
•not all contexts are created
equal
Learning is Incremental
• A word is not learned the first
time it is encountered.
• A learner needs:
– various facets of information
about a word
– practice in use of a word
– to integrate a word into
existing knowledge
Any best method??
In its analysis of the research on
vocabulary instruction, the
National Reading Panel (2000)
found that there is no one best
method for vocabulary
instruction, and that vocabulary
should be taught both directly
and indirectly.
How to Teach Vocabulary
• Research shows students will
incorporate more words into their
vocabulary and use them correctly,
including spelling, when the focus is
on fewer words at one time for
intensive instruction
Grades 6-8
Grades 9-12
10-15 words per week
12-25 words per week
Tier 1 Vocabulary:
Common, Known Words
• Tier I words are basic, everyday
words that are a part of most
children’s vocabulary.
• These are words used every day
in conversation, and most of
them are learned by hearing
family, peers, and teachers use
them when speaking.
Tier 2 Vocabulary:
High Frequency Words
• Tier 2 words include frequently
occurring words that appear in a variety
of contexts and topics (in social studies,
science, language arts, etc.).
• They play an important role in verbal
functioning across a variety of content
areas.
Tier 2 Vocabulary:
High Frequency Words
• These are general academic words
and have high utility across a wide
range of topics and contexts.
• Another way to think of Tier 2
vocabulary is as cross-curricular
terms. For example, the term
“justify” and “predict” frequently
appear in Science, Social Studies,
and English texts.
Tier 3 Vocabulary
• Tier Three:
–Words whose frequency of use
is quite low, often limited to
specific domains
–Examples: ‘isotope, lathe,
peninsula’
–Probably best learned when
needed in a content area
IRA, 2008
Where Do I Concentrate
Instruction?
• Concentrate on words that
are necessary for the
meaning of the piece to be
clear – Tier Two words….
Activity
“Why They Walked”
Mark Tier 2 and Tier 3 words as
you read the short excerpt. Talk
about your choices with a partner
near you.
Common Core Suggested Tier 2
and Tier 3 Words for ‘Why They
Walked’- p.34
• Tier 2
• Tier 3
•
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Determined
Second class
Worship
Obstacle
Literacy
Rigged
Disqualify
Harassment
Grievances
Racial Segregation
Jim Crow
White Supremacy
Discriminated
Segregated
Poll Tax
Registering
"The greatest benefit from
instructional time spent on
word study can be gained
from exploring roots, prefixes,
suffixes, and networks
of related words."
Henry,1997
English borrows freely…
• The English language borrows
freely from the following languages
for up to 60% of its words…
– Anglo Saxon
– Latin
– Greek
Anglo Saxon influences:
• Anglo Saxon’s influence is mostly seen
in the use of short, common, everyday,
and ‘down-to-earth’ words used in
ordinary situations and found in early
school readers
• Many Anglo Saxon words have
‘nonphonetic’ spellings.
– Examples: bird, cry, girl, jump,
mother, fun, the, of, jump, run, wash
• Often considered Tier 1 words
Links to Old English
‘Anglo Saxon’
HEOFON
EORTHE, LYFT, FYR, WÆTER
REGN, WIND, SNAW, IS
FINGER, HEORTE
SCEAP, LAMB, HORS, FISC
LENCTEN, SUMOR, HÆRFEST,
WINTER
NORTH, EAST, WEST, SUTH
Latin structures:
• Latin’s influence is seen in the use
of technical, sophisticated words
used in formal context, such as in
literature and in many textbooks.
• Examples: audience, extracted,
tenacious, preventive, retract
• Often considered Tier 2 or Tier 3
words
Latin Structure is strict…
• Latin words follow a strict structure
• Prefixes, if used, must be placed before
the root and suffixes must follow the root
• Latin roots (spect, vis, ject, rupt) are
unlikely to stand alone as an English word
• The Latin root usually receives the accent
or stress
e ject’
port’ ability
In script’ ion
Greek Forms which
influence English
• Greek forms are often found in
specialized words used mostly in
science
• Combining forms are compounded
• Examples: atmosphere,
chromosome, photograph,
thermometer
• Often considered Tier 3 words
So, how does this relate?
• Understanding the influences of Anglo
Saxon, Latin and Greek can help us to
understand complicated and new
vocabulary today.
• The Common Core Standards indicate
that the teaching of Latin and Greek
roots and stems is essential for deeper
meaning and independent word study.
Vocabulary Instruction Should
be Fun…
Playing with words increases
understanding
Word Etymology Site
www.etymonline.com
www.etymonline.com
Building Academic
Vocabulary - Robert Marzano
• Step 1: As the teacher, provide
a description, explanation, or
example of the new term first.
• Step 2: Ask students to restate
the description, explanation, or
example in their own words,
either orally or in writing
Building Academic
Vocabulary
• Step 3: Ask students to
construct a picture, symbol, or
graphic representing the term
– Particularly important to ELL learners
• Graphic organizers
• Pictographs
• Pictionary
• Symbols
• Use of ‘nonlinguistic representations’
(Marzano and Pickering, 2005)
Example of “Nonlinguistic
Representation”
• Students can draw a symbol for
the word.
• Example: law enforcement
Building Academic
Vocabulary
• Step 4: Engage students
periodically in activities that help
them add to their knowledge of the
terms in their notebooks
– Games, graphic organizers, semantic
maps, etc
Building Academic
Vocabulary
• Step 5: Periodically ask
students to discuss the terms
with one another
– Pair students together
– Particularly good for ELL
students
Six-Step Process for
Teaching Vocabulary
Step 6: Involve students
periodically in games that allow
them to play with the terms
– Vocabulary Charades
– Pictionary
– Jeopardy
(Marzano and Pickering, 2005)
Online and Powerpoint
Games
•
•
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•
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Jeopardy-jeopardylabs.com
https://jeopardylabs.com/
Password
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
http://www.y8.com/games/who_wa
nts_to_be_a_millionaire
Words to Teach Briefly
(Introductory)
• Specialty words that are not
likely to be encountered again
soon because they are unique
to the setting or theme of that
text.
Words to ‘Explicitly’
Teach (Intensive)
• Words critical to the understanding of
the text/selection
• Words with general utility likely to be
encountered many times
• Difficult words that need
interpretation (metaphors,
abstractions, nuanced)
Actions We Can Take
Right Now
1. Focus on Knowledge – bring
forward the themes of literature,
even in primary grades
2. Create Connections
3. Activate Your Students’ Passions
4. Develop a Strong Vocabulary
Base
5. Increase the Volume of Reading
Contact Information
Winnie R. Huebsch, Ph.D.
wrhuebsch@yahoo.com
414-963-0911 (home)
414-975-5569 (cell)
References
Brewer, C and Gann, J. (2003). Balanced literacy: a learning focused
approach. Boone NC: Learning Concepts.
Cunningham, A. E., & Stanovich, K. E. (1998). What reading does for the
mind. American Educator, 22(1-2), 8-15
Ebbers. S. (2005). Language links to Latin, Greek, and Anglo-Saxon.
PowerPoint Presentation at the International Reading Association
Conference, San Antonio, TX. Susan@readingway.com
Harris, T.et al (1995). The literacy dictionary; The vocabulary of reading and
writing. International Reading Association.Newark, DE.
Marko, J.E. and Medo, M. (2013). Classroom strategies for dynamic teachers.
Stone Cottage Publishing.
Marzano, R. and Pickering, D. (2005). Building academic vocabulary..
Alexandria VA; Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development..
Marzano, R. (2004). Building background knowledge for academic
achievement: Research on what works in schools. Alexandria, VA :
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Santa, C., Havens, L., Maycumber, E. (1996). Project CRISS: Creating
independence through student-owned strategies. Dubuque, Iowa:
Kendall/Hunt
References
Sedita, J. (2005). Effective vocabulary instruction. Insights in Learning
Disabilities. 2(1), 33-45.
State of Delaware. (2004). SSSR Success for secondary struggling
readers - vocabulary. DeleSIG State Improvement Grant, DE
State of Delaware. (2004).Secondary vocabulary Instruction: from
word list to word study. DeleSIG State Improvement Grant, DE
http://www.learningunlimitedllc.com/2013/05/tiered-vocabulary/
http://www.corestandards.org/
http://www.fcrr.org/curriculum/pdf/GK-1/V_Final.pdf
http://www.y8.com/games/who_wants_to_be_a_millionaire
https://jeopardylabs.com/