Vocabulary
Teaching Strategies and Examples: Three Goals for Vocabulary Instruction
1. Provide students with skills/opportunities to learn words independently
Vocabulary instruction in grades K-3 is informed by two distinct literatures:
- Vocabulary Literature
- Storybook Literature
Vocabulary Literature:
Students use strategies to access word meanings:
Contextual Analysis: A strategy readers use to infer or predict a word from the context in which it appears.
Morphemic Analysis: A strategy in which the meanings of words can be determined or inferred by examining their meaningful parts (i.e., prefixes, suffixes, roots, etc.)
Storybook Literature:
Students learn new vocabulary from oral language experiences like listening to storybooks (Robbins & Ehri, 1994; Elley, 1989; see References).
"The relative rarity of words in children's books is, in fact, greater than that in all adult conversation, except for courtroom testimony. Indeed, the words used in children's books are considerably rarer than those in the speech on prime time adult television" (Cunningham & Stanovich, 1998; see References).
Recommendations:
- Primary focus of instruction in grades K-3 should be on developing critical reading skills
- Read storybooks to younger children to develop vocabulary
- Teach older students strategies for contextual analysis and morphemic analysis
2. Teach students the meanings of specific words
Vocabulary Literature:
300-400 new word meanings can be taught per year through direct instruction. This is a significant proportion of the words that students who are at risk will learn. (Stahl & Shiel, 1999; see References)
- Select words to teach
- Choose words that are important for text comprehension.
- Choose functionally important words that students will encounter often.
- Use both context and definitions to teach words
- Encourage "deep" processing of word meanings
Strategy Examples that encourage deep processing Find a synonym or antonym - Which word goes with fabulous - o.k. or super?
- Why does super go with fabulous?
- Is it fabulous if you fall and scrape your knee?
Make up a novel sentence with a word - Maria thought her car was fabulous because...
Classify the word with other words - Is a masterpiece fabulous? Why?
- The concert was the best he had ever heard. Every note seemed perfect. Am I talking about fabulous or discover?
Relate the definition to one's own experiences - The family had a fabulous time at the park.
- How could a family have a fabulous time?
- When have you had a fabulous time?
- Give multiple exposures
Stahl, 1986 (See References)
Storybook Literature:
"Because children with weaker vocabularies are less likely to learn new words from listening to stories than children with larger vocabularies, teachers need to provide more direct instruction for children with smaller vocabularies" (Robbins & Ehri, 1994; see References).
Recommendations: for younger children
- Choose 2-5 words to teach directly from storybooks
- Choose words that are important for the story or important for students to know
- Give simple definitions (i.e., examples, synonyms, or definitions) & discuss them in the context of the story
- Provide students with the opportunity to process the words "deeply"
- Discuss the words multiple times
Recommendations: for older children
- Choose words that will enhance the meaning of what students are reading or important for students to know
- Use both context and definitions
- Teach word meanings by using examples, synonyms, and definitions
- Provide students with the opportunity to process the words "deeply"
- Discuss the words multiple times
3. Nurture a love and appreciation of words and their use
Vocabulary Literature:
"Word Awareness" - Good vocabulary teaching makes students excited about words and leads them to attend more closely to them (Stahl & Shiel, 1999; see References).
Storybook Literature:
"It is important to choose stories that attract and hold children's attention" (Elley, 1989; see References).
Recommendations:
- Choose quality storybooks that children enjoy listening to
- Model "word awareness" and show students that words are important, interesting, and fun
- Provide students with rich oral language experiences