Vocabulary Instruction
What works and what doesn’t
Robert J. Marzano
Building Background
Knowledge for
Academic
Achievement,
Research on What
Works in Schools
WHAT DOESN’T WORK.
• Copying definitions
• Writing sentences using the new
terms
• Telling students to use context
clues
• Memorizing lists of definitions
Characteristics of Effective Direct
Vocabulary Instruction
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Characteristic 1: Doesn’t rely on just definitions.
Characteristic 2: Uses linguistic and nonlinguistic
approaches
Characteristic 3: Requires multiple approaches
Characteristic 4: Includes teaching word parts
Characteristic 5: Relies on different types of instruction
Characteristic 6: Emphasizes discussions
Characteristic 7: Involves playing with words
Characteristic 8: Should focus on high probability
vocabulary terms
Vocabulary Strategies
Concept of Definition Map
What is it ?
Category
What is it like?
Properties
Comparison
Concept
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© 2007
Examples
p. 197
Concept of Definition Map
What is it ?
Category
What is it like?
Properties
Music
Forum to address
social and
political issues
Comparison
Jazz
Rock and Roll
Usually not improvised
Started in the 1950s
Chuck Berry
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© 2007
Mick Jagger
Elvis Presley
Examples of R & R musicians
p. 197
Frayer Model
Helps elaborate on word meaning.
Organizes information about a concept into
four areas:
– Essential Characteristics
– Non-essential Characteristics
– Examples
– Non-examples
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© 2007
p. 209
Frayer Model
Essential
Characteristics
Examples
Non-Essential
Characteristics
Term
NonExamples
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© 2007
p. 209
Frayer Model
Essential Characteristics
•set of pages with protective
cover
•printed or written literary
work
•no advertisements other
than by publisher
Non-Essential Characteristics
•whether the words are prose or
poetry
•color of cover
•color, size, or font of words
Book
Examples
•textbook
•novel
•Bible
•diary
Non-Examples
•magazine
•flyer
•postcard
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p. 209
Vocabulary Map
Definition
Synonym
Term or Concept
Sentence
Picture
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© 2007
p. 204
Vocabulary Map
Modified Example
IS NOT
IS
intersecting
untouching
equidistant
Parallel
SENTENCE
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© 2007
A car driving through
sand or snow leaves a
set of parallel tracks.
PICTURE
Para el
p. 204
Now Try Using One of These
Strategies with a Vocabulary
Term from Your Content Area