Vocabulary
Importance, Instruction, and Integration
Jay Fleming and Laura Bofferding
Content Design
Copyright © Waterford Institute
“One ERP component that has been widely used in
studies of language processing is the N400
component. This negative voltage deflection occurs
around 400 msec after stimulus onset and was
originally found when sentences with and without
semantic anomalies were compared. However, it
has also been found to be larger in cases in which
semantic integration is more difficult and, therefore,
is related to cloze probabilities.”
(Coulson, 2001; Kutas, 1997; Kutas, et al., 2000)
Copyright © Waterford Institute
“I know vocabulary
is important! What
more is there to
know?”
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Levels of vocabulary knowledge
Types of words to teach
Methods of teaching words
Integration in WERP and WEMS
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Productive
Receptive
Context-dependent
Connotation
No Knowledge
(Beck, et al., 2002, p. 10)
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Goldilocks Words
Too Hard
Too Easy
(Stahl & Stahl, 2004, pp. 64–65)
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Just Right
Useful Words
Key Words
Interesting
Words
Semantically
Related Words
(Heller, 1995, p. 231)
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Effective Teachers . . .
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Emphasize vocabulary importance
Teach relevant vocabulary
Promote vocabulary retention
Address various learning styles
Assess through context
(Block & Mangieri, 2005, pp. 5–8)
Copyright © Waterford Institute
Discussion
• Rich oral language
• During reading
• After reading
Copyright © Waterford Institute
Rich Oral Language
“One ERP component that has been widely used
in studies of language processing is the N400
component. This negative voltage deflection
occurs around 400 msec after stimulus onset and
was originally found when sentences with and
without semantic anomalies were compared.
However, it has also been found to be larger in
cases in which semantic integration is more
difficult and, therefore, is related to cloze
probabilities.”
(Coulson, 2001; Kutas, 1997; Kutas, et al., 2000)
Copyright © Waterford Institute
Rich Oral Language
“What Animals Eat” song
(Waterford Early Math
and Science Level Two)
Weather Boy
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Discussion During Reading
Vocabulary Introduction:
Read-along Book:
Little Miss Muffet
Garden Visitors
(Waterford Early Reading Program
Level One)
(Waterford Early Reading Program
Level Two)
Copyright © Waterford Institute
Discussion During Reading
“One ERP component that has been widely used in
studies of language processing is the N400
component. This negative voltage deflection occurs
around 400 msec after stimulus onset and was
originally found when sentences with and without
semantic anomalies were compared. However, it
has also been found to be larger in cases in which
semantic integration is more difficult and, therefore,
is related to cloze probabilities.”
(Coulson, 2001; Kutas, 1997; Kutas, et al., 2000)
Copyright © Waterford Institute
Discussion During Reading
Picture Story: Eensy, Weensy Spider
(Waterford Early Reading Program Level One)
Copyright © Waterford Institute
Discussion after Reading
• Present word in
context
• Repeat word
• Explain meaning
• Provide varied
examples
• Interact with
examples
• Repeat word
(Beck, et al., 2002, pp. 51–52)
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Reading on Their Own
• Identify the unknown
word
• Look for clues
• Guess meaning
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Examples and Non-examples:
Four-square Method
(Stahl, 2005, pp. 110–111)
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Sorts
Read
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deciduous
pinecone
arborist
farmer
needles
botanist
coniferous
leaves
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Survival
Hunting
Camouflage
Disappear
Chameleon
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Create Sentences and Evaluate
Ask questions
“Would a
recluse enjoy
parties?”
Smuggle a word
into a sentence
(Morrow, et al, 2003, p. 95; Ganske, 2000, p. 110)
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Word Play/Scenarios
“Why is the man who invests all your money
called a broker?”
“Fractions”
(Waterford Early Math and Science Level Three)
Action!
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“I feel more erudite
(or scholarly)
already!”
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Levels of vocabulary knowledge
Types of words to teach
Methods of teaching words
Integration in WERP and WEMS
Copyright © Waterford Institute
“Words are the currency of education.”
(Morrow, et al., 2003, p. 89)
Copyright © Waterford Institute
Bibliography
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Beck, I. L., McKeown, M. G., & Kucan, L. (2002). Bringing Words to Life:
Robust Vocabulary Instruction. New York: Guilford Press.
Block, C. C. & Mangieri, J. N. (2006). Vocabulary Best Practices. In C. C.
Block & J. N. Mangieri (Eds.), The Vocabulary Enriched Classroom: Literacy
Success for All Students (pp. 5–25). New York: Scholastic.
Heller, M. F. (1995). Reading–Writing Connections: From Theory to Practice
(2nd ed.). White Plains, NY: Longman.
Kazmerski, V. A., Blasko, D. G., & Dessalegn, B. G. (2003). ERP and
Behavioral Evidence of Individual Differences in Metaphor Comprehension.
Memory & Cognition, 31, pp. 673–689.
Morrow, L. M., Gambrell, L. B., & Pressley, M. (Eds.). (2003). Best Practices
in Literacy Instruction (2nd ed.). New York: Guilford.
Stahl, S. A. (2005). Four Problems with Teaching Word Meanings (And What
to Do to Make Vocabulary an Integral Part of Instruction). In E. H. Hiebert &
M. L. Kamil (Eds.), Teaching and Learning Vocabulary: Bringing Research to
Practice (pp. 95–114). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Stahl, S. A. & Stahl, K. A. (2004). Word Wizards All!: Teaching Word
Meanings in Preschool and Primary Education. In J. F. Baumann & E. J.
Kame’enui (Eds.), Vocabulary Instruction: Research to Practice. New York:
Guildford Press.
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