Teaching Vocabulary:
Types of Vocabulary Instruction

• Direct instruction that teaches specific vocabulary to be read.
• Pre-instruction of vocabulary in reading lesson.
• Multiple exposures
• Task restructuring
• Active engagement
• Computer technology
• Incidental learning through reading.
• Multiple methods versus single methods.
• Use of context to learn unfamiliar word meanings.

Simplifying Direct Vocabulary Instruction: Matching Instruction to Your Goal

• There are a limited number of ways to teach vocabulary directly!
• The way you teach depends on learner knowledge and what you want students to be able to do.
• Three Prominent Oral Vocabulary Teaching Strategies:

  Modeling (Examples):
  	When it is impossible to use language to explain the meaning of a word (e.g., between, in).
  Synonyms:
  	When a student knows a word(s) that can explain the meaning of a new, unknown word (e.g., damp means a little wet).
  Definitions:
  	When students have adequate language to understand a longer explanation and when the concept is too complicated to be explained through a synonym (e.g., service station is a place where gasoline is sold and cars are repaired).

The Way You Teach Vocabulary Depends on Your Goal

Kindergarten Standard: Identify Common Words and Sort in Basic Categories (colors, shapes, foods)

• Other examples of categories: animals, position words, clothing

Use concept teaching (modeling) when children have limited language and explanations contain words children do not understand.

Features of Concept Teaching (Modeling):

• Set up (use the same material and vary only the dimension that changes it from the concept to not the concept).
• Show a range of positive and negative examples
• Include negative examples that are minimally different
• Keep language consistent