Does
Vocabulary
Instruction
Make a
Difference?
Mitzi Hoback
and
Suzanne Whisler
ESU 4
February 19, 2013
Explicit Instruction:
Chapter 3
Anita
Archer
http://explicitinstruction.org/
Charles
Hughes
3
Purposes of Session
Participants will be able to:
1. Select vocabulary for explicit
instruction.
2. Provide student-friendly
explanations.
3. Develop examples and nonexamples for vocabulary instruction.
4. Design basic lessons for teaching
vocabulary.
4
Characteristics Effective Vocabulary Instruction
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Instruction is clear and unambiguous.
Instruction involves presentation of
word meanings and contextual
examples.
Multiple exposures to the word are
provided.
Sufficient instructional time is devoted
to vocabulary instruction.
Students are actively engaged in
vocabulary instruction.
5
Characteristics Effective Vocabulary Instruction
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Instruction is clear and ______________.
Instruction involves presentation of
word __________and contextual
__________.
__________ exposures to the word are
provided.
Sufficient instructional ______ is devoted
to vocabulary instruction.
Students are actively _______________in
vocabulary instruction.
6
Explicit Vocabulary Instruction
Preliminary evidence…suggests
that as late as Grade 6, about 80%
of words are learned as a result of
direct explanation, either as a
result of the child’s request or
instruction, usually by a teacher.
(Biemiller, 1999)
7
Preparation for Explicit Vocabulary
Instruction – 3 Steps
1.
Select words for explicit instruction
2.
Develop or adopt student-friendly
explanations
3.
Develop examples and nonexamples for introducing word or
for checking understanding
8
Explicit Vocabulary Instruction –
Step 1 - Selection of Vocabulary
 Select
a limited number of words for
robust, explicit vocabulary instruction
 Three
to ten words per story, portion of
story, or section of a chapter
 Briefly
tell students the meaning of other
words needed for comprehension
9
Explicit Vocabulary InstructionSelection of Vocabulary
 Select
words that are unknown
 Select words that are critical to passage
understanding
 Select words that students will encounter in future
(Stahl, 1986)
 Focus on Tier Two words (Beck & McKeown, 2003)
 Academic Vocabulary – Larry Bell’s Power Words
 Select words that are more difficult to obtain
 Words having an abstract versus concrete
reference
 Words with unknown concept
 Words not adequately explained within the text
10
Selection of Vocabulary
(Beck & McKeown, 1985)

Tier One - Basic words
 chair, bed, happy, house

Tier Two - Words in general use, but not common
General Academic Vocabulary
 concentrate, absurd, fortunate, relieved, dignity,
convenient, observation, analyze, persistence

Tier Three - Rare words limited to a specific domain
Background Vocabulary
 tundra, perimeter, igneous rocks, constitution,
area, sacrifice fly, genre, foreshadowing
Practice Activity -
Select words for robust, explicit instruction
Fifth Graders
The Family Under the Bridge by Natalie
Savage Carlson
Preparation for reading Chapter 1.
monsieur
cathedral
can’t abide
dignity
cowered
hidey-hole
hyacinths
gratitude
fastidious
loitering
adventure
roguish
11
Practice Activity -
Select 5 words for robust, explicit instruction
Reading Level: Eighth Grade
Series: Prentice Hall
Passage: Breaker’s Bridge
Words: *Selected for instruction in manual.
obstacle
district
amplify
writhing
gorge
imperial
piers
miniature
emerged
executioner
defeated
insult
immortals
desperation
deposited
emperor
supervising
deadline
12
13
Preparation – Step 2 - Student-Friendly
Explanations

Dictionary Definition
relieved - (1) To free wholly or partly from pain, stress,
pressure. (2) To lessen or alleviate, as pain or pressure

Student-Friendly Explanations
(Beck, McKeown, & Kucan, 2003)



Uses known words
Easy to understand
You feel relieved when something that was
difficult is over or never happened at all.
14
Preparation - Student-Friendly
Explanations

Dictionary Definition


Attention - a. the act or state of attending through applying
the mind to an object of sense or thought
b. a condition of readiness for such attention involving a
selective narrowing of consciousness and receptivity
Dictionary for English Language Learners
(Collins COBUILD School Dictionary of American English)
If you give someone or something your attention,
you look at them, listen to them, or think about
them carefully.
Practice Activity -
Student-Friendly Explanations
Dictionary Definition
Student-Friendly Explanations
disgusting - to cause to feel
When something is
disgust; be sickening,
disgusting, you really dislike
repulsive, or very distasteful to it. It can almost make you
sick.
fragile - easily broken,
damaged, or destroyed
If something is fragile, it can
be broken or damaged easily.
gratitude - a feeling of thankful
appreciation for favors or
benefits received
loitering - to linger in an
aimless way; spend time idly
15
16
Step 3 - Designing Examples and
Non-examples
Step 1: Examine the definition and determine the
critical attributes or parts of the definition

Glossary Entry
foreshadowing. Foreshadowing is the author’s use of
clues to hint at what might happen later in the story.
Writers use foreshadowing to build their readers’
expectations and to create suspense.

Critical Attributes
foreshadowing
 Author’s procedure
 Use of clues
 Hints at what might happen later in the story
17
Designing Examples and Nonexamples
 Glossary
Entry
Perpendicular lines. Two lines that intersect to form a right
angle.
 Critical
Attributes
Perpendicular lines
18
Designing Examples and Nonexamples
Step 2. Design examples in which all
attributes are present

foreshadowing
 Author’s procedure
 Use of clues
 Hints at what might happen later in the story
Early in the story about Blue Cloud, the author indicated
that Dakota babies are taught not to cry. Later in the
story, the baby who was lost in the grass did not cry,
making it impossible to locate the baby. This is an
example of foreshadowing. The author gave us hints
about what might happen later in the story.
19
Designing Examples and Nonexamples
Step 2. Design examples in which all attributes are present
perpendicular
 two lines
 Intersect
 form right angle
20
Designing Examples and Nonexamples
Step 3. Design non-examples in which some,
but not all, critical attributes are missing

foreshadowing
 Author’s procedure
 Use of clues
 Hints at what might happen later in the story
Early in the story about Blue Cloud, the author told about the
Dakota tribe moving to a new location. This is NOT an
example of foreshadowing. The author is telling what is
happening, but is not giving hints about what will happen
later in the story.
21
Designing Examples and Nonexamples
Step 3. Design non-examples in which some,
but not all, critical attributes are missing
perpendicular lines
 two lines
 Intersect
 for a right angle
Share the 3 steps for preparing
for vocabulary instruction.
23
Basic Lesson Design - Vocabulary
Step 1. Introduce the word
a)
Write word on board or display on screen
b)
Read word and have students repeat word
c)
If word is difficult to pronounce or unfamiliar have
students repeat word a number of times
Introduce the word with me
“ This word is compulsory. What word?”
24
Basic Lesson Design – Vocabulary . . .
Step 2. Introduce meaning of word
Option # 1. Present a student-friendly explanation
a)
b)
Tell students the explanation OR
Have them read the explanation with you
Present the definition with me.
“When something is compulsory, it is required
and you must do it. So if it is required and you
must do it, it is _______________.”
25
Basic Lesson Design Vocabulary (continued)
Step 2. Introduce meaning of word
Option # 2. Have students locate definition in glossary or text
a)
Have them locate the word in the glossary or text
b)
Have them break the definition into the critical attributes
Glossary Entry: Industrial Revolution Social and economic
changes in Great Britain, Europe, and the United States
that began around 1750 and resulted from making
products in factories
Industrial Revolution
o
Social & economic changes
o
Great Britain, Europe, US
o
Began around 1750
o
Resulted from making products in factories
26
Basic Lesson Design Vocabulary(continued)
Step 2.
Option # 3.
o
o
o
o
Introduce meaning of word
Introduce word using morphemes (meaningful
parts of word)
autobiography
auto = self
bio = life
graph = letters, words, or pictures
dehydration
hydro = water
inspection
spect = see
telephone
tele = distant
phone = sound
27
Basic Lesson Design Vocabulary (continued)
Step 3. Illustrate the word with examples
a) Concrete examples
- Object
- Act out
a)
Visual examples
Verbal examples
b)
(Also discuss when the term might be used and who might use the
term.)
Present the examples with me.
“Coming to school as 8th graders is compulsory.”
“Stopping at a stop sign when driving is
compulsory.”
28
Basic Lesson Design Vocabulary (Continued)
Step 4.
Check students’ understanding
Option #1. Firm up with choices
Check students’ understanding with me.
If something is compulsory is it required or not
required? required
If something is compulsory can you choose to not do
it? Yes or No? no
29
Basic Lesson Design Vocabulary (continued)
Step 4.
Check students’ understanding
Option #2. Have students discern between
examples and non-examples
Check students’ understanding with me.
Tell me compulsory or not compulsory
Attending school as 8th graders compulsory
How do you know it is compulsory? It is required
Going to college when you are 25 not compulsory
“Why is it not compulsory?” It is not required. You get to
choose to go to
college.
30
Basic Lesson Design Vocabulary(continued)
Step 4.
Option #3.
Check students’ understanding
Have students generate examples
Check students’ understanding with me.
There are many things at this school that are
compulsory. Think of things that are compulsory.
Talk with your partner. List things that are compulsory at
this school.
31
Basic Lesson Design Vocabulary
I do it
1.
2.
3.
Introduce the word
Present a student-friendly explanation
Illustrate the word with examples
You do it
4.
Check students’ understanding
32
Elaborated Lesson Design Vocabulary and Concepts
I do it.
1. Introduce the word
2. Present student-friendly explanation
3. Illustrate the word with examples and nonexamples
We do it.
4. Guide students in analyzing examples and
nonexamples using critical attributes
You do it.
5. Check students’ understanding
33
Practice Activity: Teaching Critical Vocabulary
(Example A)
1. Introduce the word.
This word is migrate. What word?
2. Introduce the meaning of the word.
Present a student-friendly explanation.
When birds or other animals migrate, they move from one place to
another at a certain time each year.
So if birds move to a new place in the winter or spring, we say that
the birds _________________. Animals usually migrate to find a
warmer place to live or to get food.
3. Illustrate the word with examples.
Sandhill Cranes fly from the North to the South so they can live in a
warmer place. Sandhill Cranes _______________.
Practice Activity: Teaching Critical Vocabulary
(Example A continued)
The wildebeests in Africa move to a new
place so that they can find water and grass.
Wildebeests _______.
4.
Check students’ understanding.
(Deep processing question.)
Why might birds migrate? Tell your
partner. Start by saying: One reason birds
migrate is __________. (Monitor and
coach. Then call on individuals.)
34
35
Vocabulary Instruction Extensions
1.
Introduce the part of speech
2.
Introduce synonyms (same), antonyms
(opposite), homographs (same spelling different meaning)
4.
Tell students when and where the word is often
used
5.
Introduce the etymology (history and/or
origin) of the word
36
Vocabulary Instruction Extensions
5. Introduce students to other members of word
family
conform
wild
conforms
wilderness
conformed
conforming
conformist
protest
non-conformist
Protestant
non-conforming
37
Vocabulary Logs

Have students maintain log of vocabulary to
facilitate study and review

What can be recorded on a vocabulary log?
 Word
 Student-friendly explanation
 Any of these options
 Sentence to illustrate the word’s meaning
 Examples and non-examples
 An illustration

In lower grades, create a group log on flip chart
38
Word Walls
 Create
 Post
a word wall in your classroom
a reminder of the context
 Copy
of the cover of the read-aloud book
 Copy of the first page in the story
 The topic in science or social studies
 Post
the vocabulary words
 Incorporate the words into your classroom
language
 Encourage students to us words when
speaking and writing
39
Conclusion
“Words are all we
have.”
Samuel Beckett