1
English Composition 1 with Workshop
Instructor: Myra Thomas
Presentation:
“Defining Moments: Teaching Vocabulary in an Engaging Manner”
Introduction
For instructors of English Composition 1 with Workshop, the students come to
the class in need of additional help in many areas. But before we can get to the
point of writing a very rudimentary essay or breaking down a brief nonfiction
story, the students need to have a basic understanding of vocabulary.
1. Words in Reading
Without a good command of the English language, it is impossible for the
students to read well. Many of the difficulties in reading the essays in Fields of
Reading happen, not only because the students do not like to read or don’t read
often enough, it is because many of them are truly struggling with the definition of
words we assume they should know by their age.
2. Words in Student Essays
Without a decent vocabulary, they simply cannot produce a college-level paper.
As instructors, I know we often read papers with syntax problems. Proper syntax
is very much determined by the interplay of words, so instructors need to
emphasize vocabulary in the community college setting.
Additionally, there are students who will get in the habit of using “BIG” words,
trying to write what they think is a college paper. Many of these attempts with “big
words” fail. The students will misuse words or mix-up unrelated words.
3. Best Practices
A. The Dreaded Vocab List
I give a vocabulary assessment. They are advised that it will not be held
against them. But, it gives me an idea of the words they do not know. The
quizzes are made up of words pulled from Kaplan’s SAT review words and
other words I pull from the essays we will read in Fields of Reading. From
that, I build a vocabulary list for the students. They are required to find the
definitions on their own. At this point, the students need motivation. I give
pop vocabulary quizzes. If they do well, they can earn extra credit points
on an essay.
2
English Composition 1 with Workshop
Instructor: Myra Thomas
Presentation:
“Defining Moments: Teaching Vocabulary in an Engaging Manner”
B. Team Exercises
The word lists become the basis for a number of “fun” projects and games
we do throughout the year. I will actually post a game on the white
board—a Soul Train scramble. They play in teams, and each team gets a
vocabulary list word to unscramble, define and use in a sentence. They
compete for participation group points. I keep track of the people in each
team game we play, making sure to mix the people up in subsequent
games and projects. The team approach helps to avoid embarrassment.
C. Encourage Cheating
Near the very end of the year, when we are past the final out of class
essay, the students will play a game of Scrabble. They are able to bring in
paper dictionaries and use dictionary.com on their phones. While some
might consider it cheating, I get them in the habit of thinking about words
and using dictionaries to help them.
D. Group Presentation Work
Students are required to work in teams, leading grammar and vocabulary
presentations. Students are broken up into groups of 4 to 5. Each team
needs to teach a short lesson, offer study material and then give a short
quiz. After the quiz, they go over the material with the class.
E. Rethink Academic Writing
Students will often write what they call “fancy” or “academic” writing “like
my teacher wanted”. They Say, I Say has a wonderful chapter on this,
which I do assign for student reading. Many of my comments on papers
focus on definitions and the need to use “fancy” language. In my in-class
lectures, I emphasize streamlining sentences—short and sweet. I provide
examples of complicated sentences and ways to revise and rewrite.
F. Educate, Backtrack, Restate
In class conversations, I make sure to use language that might be
considered “above their heads”. Then I will purposely restate the same
idea, again in a new and simpler fashion. Often, I will use the words I used
in conversation, as the basis for a new word list. The word lists I give do
not turn into a dreaded thing after all, since the students come to learn that
any activity related to the definitions will result in a stronger participation
grade or extra credit points.