Tiered Vocabulary
Amory School
District
The Three Tiers
 There are three types of vocabulary words--three tiers of vocabulary---for teaching and
assessing word knowledge.
 A word’s frequency of use, complexity, and
meaning determines into which tier it will fall.
Three Tiers of Words
Tier One Words
 Words used in everyday speech
 Basic words
 Rarely require direct instruction and typically do
not have multiple meanings
 Sight words and early reading words occur at
this level
 Learned in early grades at the same rate by all
children
 Not considered challenging to native speakers
Tier Two Words
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General Academic Words
Important for reading comprehension
Contain multiple meanings
More likely to appear in text rather than speech
Less well defined by context clues
Need specific focus in instruction
Most important words for direct instruction
Tier Three Words
 Domain-Specific Words
 Key to understanding a new concept in a specific
field or domain
 Closely tied to content knowledge
 More common in informational text
 Often defined or explained by context clues
Examples of Tiered
Vocabulary Terms
Tier One Words
Tier Two Words
Tier Three Words
school
determine
igneous
book
mention
pollution
smile
admire
economics
read
deduct
carbohydrate
clock
leisure
polygon
IMPORTANT
 It is important to know that tier two and three
words are not all clear-cut in their tier
classification. There is more than one way to
select the words. Word knowledge is subject to
personal experience.
Criteria for Selecting Words
 Importance of word for understanding text
 General utility of the word
 Student’s prior knowledge of the word and the
concept(s) to which it relates
Elementary Sample
Clouds appear in different layers of the
atmosphere and come in many sizes and shapes. There
are three general categories of clouds: cirrus, cumulus,
and stratus. These names come from the Latin words
describing their shape: wispy (cirrus), layer (stratus), and
heap (cumulus).
Cirrus clouds are the clouds highest up in the
sky. They appear wispy and thin. Stratus clouds are
lowest in altitude, meaning they are closest to the ground.
They tend to form a layer across the sky and when they
are present we often say that the day is overcast.
Cumulus clouds usually have a flattened base and seem to
grow upwards. These clouds tend to be lumped together
in patches and can look like big puffs of cotton or a piece
of cauliflower.
Elementary Sample
Clouds appear in different layers of the
atmosphere and come in many sizes and shapes. There
are three general categories of clouds: cirrus, cumulus,
and stratus. These names come from the Latin words
describing their shape: wispy (cirrus), layer (stratus), and
heap (cumulus).
Cirrus clouds are the clouds highest up in the
sky. They appear wispy and thin. Stratus clouds are
lowest in altitude, meaning they are closest to the ground.
They tend to form a layer across the sky and when they
are present we often say that the day is overcast.
Cumulus clouds usually have a flattened base and seem to
grow upwards. These clouds tend to be lumped together
in patches and can look like big puffs of cotton or a piece
of cauliflower.
High School Sample
The problem of our age is the administration
of wealth, so that the ties of brotherhood may still
bind together the rich and poor in harmonious
relationship. The conditions of human life have not
only been changed, but revolutionized, within the
past few hundred years. In former days there was
little difference between the dwelling, dress, food,
and environment of the chief and those of his
retainers…The contrast between the palace of the
millionaire and the cottage of the laborer with us
today measures the change which has come with
civilization.
Language Anchor Standards
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
4. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and
multiple-meaning words and phrases by using context
clues, analyzing meaningful word parts, and consulting
general and specialized reference materials, as
appropriate.
5. Demonstrate understanding of word relationships and
nuances in word meanings.
6. Acquire and use accurately a range of general academic
and domain-specific words and phrases sufficient for
reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college
and career readiness level; demonstrate independence in
gathering vocabulary knowledge when encountering an
unknown term important to comprehension or expression.
Appendix A of CCSS
 Read Appendix A closely for useful information
about how to teach vocabulary.
Busy Work
Vocabulary Instruction
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Provide student-friendly definitions
Connect to prior knowledge
Discuss antonyms and synonyms of the word
Create word maps
Word Map
Six Steps for Teaching New Terms
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Provide a description, explanation, or example of the
new word.
Students restate explanation of new term in own words.
Students create a nonlinguistic representation of the
word.
Students periodically do activities that increase and
facilitate knowledge of vocabulary term.
Periodically students are asked to discuss terms with one
another.
Periodically students are involved in games that allow
them to play with terms.
To Figure Out Meanings of Words
1. What do I know about the word?
2. Consider the context for that word.
3. Read the words and sentences that come
before and after the word…this will help the
reader infer the word meaning.
4. Think about the literacy equation.
Inferring Equation
BK (Background Knowledge) + TC (Text Clues)= I (Inference)
The Four-Column Form
Word
Inferred
Meaning
Clues
Sentence
Word Keepers
 Having Word Keepers in your classroom is a great
way to get students fired up about words and to help
them learn more.
 Keep a pack of sticky notes in your pocket and when
discussing words in a lesson give away words to
students.
 Students are expected to be responsible for the
meaning, the spelling, and the part of speech.
Frayer Model
Example
Word Wall
 It’s a good idea to use terminology from the Common
Core Curriculum.
Vocabulary Activity
 Provide a stack of prefix cards and suffix cards for
a small group of students. Turn one card over and
start a timer for 2 minutes. Students write every
word they can think of with that prefix or suffix.
After 2 minutes each person shares the words they
have created. For every word that a student has
that someone else has not thought of they receive
one point. Of course, if the word does not make
sense or if the prefixes and suffixes are not used
correctly the word does not count.
Vocabulary Activity
 Fold a sheet of notebook paper hotdog style.
Students cut slits on the side of the paper. On
each outside slit they write a vocabulary word.
Once they have written their vocabulary word
they open the paper. On one side they write a
sentence using the word, and on the other side
they illustrate their word.
Vocabulary Activity
 Students play Vocabulary Charades. Fill a
basket with words. Students pull a vocabulary
word out of the basket and act out the word for
their peers to guess.
Vocabulary Activity
 Challenge students to use their new vocabulary
in their daily language.
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Math Vocabulary Cards
 http://www.graniteschools.org/depart/teachingl
earning/curriculuminstruction/math/Pages/Math
ematicsVocabulary.aspx
Recommended Reading
 Bringing Words to Life by Isabel L. Beck
 Vocabulary Games for the Classroom by Robert
Marzano
 Building Academic Vocabulary Teacher’s Manual
by Robert Marzano
Homework
 Read “A Comprehensive Approach to
Vocabulary Instruction” by Robert J.
Marzano and be prepared to discuss the
article at our February meeting.