BUILDING VOCABULARY
One Word at a Time
Dr. Peggy Marciniec University of Wisconsin – Superior
Vocabulary is….
all of the words of our language. used by or known by a child or adult. both expressive and receptive. closely linked to comprehension. specific to content and situation.
Words are….
labels for concepts. best learned by direct, purposeful
experiences.
Words and Concepts:
Concepts form mental images Are synonymous with forming
categories and relationships Are connected in our schema
Schema building supports vocabulary growth ------
Dr. Principal Smith, How r u? Just shooting you an em to ask u 4 the new txtbks. The class is going SFSG. BTW, thestudents have been asking abt the field trip. Couldyou pls em me back b4 2 long to work out the details? Thnx. TTYL.
Mrs. Jones
UNABRIDGED INSTANT TEXT MESSAGE DICTIONARY
http://www.net-comber.com/acronyms.html
We Will Rock You
Buddy you’re a boy make a big noisePlayin’ in the street gonna be a big man
some dayYou got mud on yo’ faceYou big disgraceKickin’ your can all over the place
We will we will rock youWe will we will rock you
………
Buddy you’re a young man hard manShoutin’ in the street gonna take on the
world some dayYou got blood on yo’ faceYou big disgraceWavin’ your banner all over the place
We will we will rock youWe will we will rock you
-Queen
Schema Building
animals
vertebrates invertebrates
mammals fish birds amphibians
Why Teach Vocabulary? Estimates find roughly 88,000 words appearing
in printed school English. By the end of high school, the average student
knows 44,000. If a child enters 1st grade knowing 6,000 words,
he must learn 3,000 new words/year. Children learn about 3,000 words/year, but only
300 from systematic instruction. 100 words account for 50% of all printed text. 300 account for 65% of words in text.
Principles - Teaching Vocabulary…. Chose words that will be encountered in
text and talking frequently.* for instructional relevance, not just archaic or difficult* key words that convey major concepts* words useful in a variety of contexts
* assume acquaintance, not friendship with words
Teach words in relation to other words.* synonym, antonym, homonym sum= add, all together, plus
..more principles…. Show how to relate new words to
background knowledge.* What do students already know that can
be an anchor point? Teach words in prereading activities and
use them in postreading response.* Actively choose the words and the activities.
Teach words systematically and in depth.* In order to process a word IN DEPTH, students must generate a novel product using the word (say, apply, manipulate).
…one more…..
Awaken interest in and enthusiasm for words.* It is more than vocabulary skill and drill…..
- share yours
(onomatopoeia, peninsula, arachnid…)- demonstration- word of the day
So What’s a Teacher to Do?
Make conscious choices in planning Focus on learning most words
BEFORE you teach Choose the words YOU think need to
be studied Determine the most effective way to
teach words Here are a few (16 or so) ways!
Word of the Day This week's theme
Words related to the names of fish
This week's words - Word.A.Day
tope PRONUNCIATION:(tope) MEANING:verb tr., intr.: 1. To drink (liquor) habitually and copiously.noun: 2. A small shark with a long snout (Galeorhinus galeus).noun: 3. A usually dome-shaped monument built by Buddhists. Also known as a stupa.
Multiple Meanings Words with multiple meanings
In content areas, common words might mean something different:(force, mean, table, bank, spring….)
1. Select words from text2. Have students predict word meanings3. Assign the reading – include page #s where
words can be found4. Have students verify their original predicted
meanings
Context Clues Definition
word appears directly and clearly in the sentence.
Antonym word appears after a signal word …. unlike, as
opposed to Synonym
word is used with similar words in the same sentence
Inference word can be inferred from the context
Contextual Redefinition
1. Select unfamiliar words. 2. Write a sentence which allows students to
guess the meaning through the use of contextual clues.
3. Present the words in isolation and elicit students' predictions and guesses.
4. Present the words in the sentences you've written.
5. Have them revisit their guesses and make changes.
6. Use the dictionary to verify definitions.
Contextual Redefinition…….Example:1. carapace______________________________
Without its carapace, the turtle would be subject to certain death from its enemies or the elements.
2. insipid________________________________________
His teaching lacked spit. He presented the lesson in a dull manner, failing to challenge or stimulate the students. The teacher knew he had made an insipid presentation.
Morphemic Analysis meanings of words can be determined or inferred by
examining their meaningful parts (i.e., prefixes, suffixes, roots, etc.)
morpheme Math terms Means….bi biangular ?(TWO) bilinear ?
bimodalbinomial
cent centimeter(HUNDRED) percent
centigram
Analogies require students to draw inferences and
identify the more subtle aspects of a word's meaning.
noun: subject :: verb:________Gandhi: India :: Martin Luther King: _______
Analogies Grid Vocabulary Term Relates to How?
Gandhi India Gandhi lived in India
Knowledge Rating
word Know it well 1
Think I Know It 2
Don’t Know It 3
caribou
reindeer
tundra
migrate
lichen
graze
marsh
mosquitoes
Possible Sentences Activates prior knowledge/schema * Generate a list of 8 to 10 words prior to
reading* Have students create 5 possible sentences by using two words in each
sentence until all words are gone. * Teach your lesson on the topic. * Have students look at their sentences and mark them + or –
* For sentences marked incorrect, students should write a corrected sentence.
Possible Sentences…example
Sample Words for an lesson about the Internet:
network modem ISP URLwebpage hyperlink graphic textweb browser AUP
POSSIBLE SENTENCES:1. 2.3.
Word Sorts
Students engage in critical thinking as they examine sight vocabulary, concepts, or
word structure.
Open Sort – student defined Closed Sort – teacher defined
TO BEGIN: make cards with words to sort
Sort example……parts of speech
night knight sway
cooking walked wonderful
kitchen turkey albino
shoveling shovel pound
Synonym Continuum(Semantic Gradient)
Look up word in a thesaurus: designate Synonyms might be
indicate, name, specify, pinpoint, choose, nominate, assign, identifyChoose 4 to 6 to make a continuum:
nominate choose select pinpoint designate assign
Concept Circles
ferry
kayak
canoe
_________________
Concept Circles
Concept Circles
Concept Circles
__________
_________
___Green Stuff__
__________
Cube It!
Cubing Use a pattern for a cube. Have students
Write the vocabulary word. Define it.Student writes a personal connection.
Write a synonym. Write an antonym and illustrate it.
Hang the various vocabulary cubes in a mobile form.
Connect Two! Select key words Enter them on a
circle graphic After reading, have
students tell how words next to each other connect
“Bum connects with castle because…”
bum
fiercest
dragon
smashed
burned up
castle
THE PAPERBAG PRINCESS
Semantic Feature Analysis
shape 4-sided?
CurvedLines?
# of line segments?
# of right angles?
triangle no no 3 ???rectangle yes noparallelogram
circle
trapezoid
square
rhombus
Four Square
word
precipitation
Personal connection
bad hair day
definition rain, snow, or hail, all of which are formed by condensation of moisture in the atmosphere and fall to the ground
picture
Vocabulary Mapping
quiz
presentation report
quick write
observation
INFORMAL ASSESSMENT
Collect Words
Teacher modeling! Select a word that is interesting (or
difficult, or long, or foreign) Enter it on a chart or mark it with a
Post It note. Tell why it was chosen. Where (context) did it appear? Define it (try logic/context first)
Some cool words to leave you with….
TornadicThere was tornadic activity along I-35 today.
SkankDoes this shirt make me look like a skank?
ResplendentHe stood resplendent in his rented tux.
CantankerousI wonder if that old coot can be any more cantankerous?
SnarkyShe made a snarky remark about the President.
fromThirteen Cool Wordsby Christine Kane