increasing comprehensible input in vocabulary instruction
DESCRIPTION
TRANSCRIPT
Increasing Comprehensible Input in Vocabulary Instruction
Keith Pruitt, Ed.S.Doctoral Candidate
Words of Wisdom Educational Consulting
www.woweducationalconsulting.com
www.myspace.com/wowedu
Agenda
9-10:30- Comprehensible Input and what it means to understand, Transfer theory, Schema
10:30-10:45 Break 10:45-12:00 Vocabulary Instruction Method 12:00-1:00 Lunch 1:00-2:30 Method, Exploding Vocabulary 2:30-2:45 Break 2:45-4:30 How to Create New Schema
What is
Comprehensible
Input?
What Level of Comprehension is Active in This?
Martin dining room front door over main entrance partook ignited flames sanguine
faces rebel Dean.
1. You have understanding of each word.
2. Perhaps background knowledge creates schema connections.
3. But is this comprehensible input at the sentence level? Word level?
What is the level of Understanding Here?
“A related observation about the F distribution is that it is positively skewed, not symmetric as are z and t. This is because F is always positive: It is the ratio of variances, both of which are positive, so F itself must be positive. There is no left-hand tail of F because the F distribution ends abruptly at 0.”
Russell T. Hurlburt (2003). Comprehending Behavioral Statistics. Thomson: Australia, p. 336.
Observations
In the first example, there was no syntax. So there was no comprehensible input at the sentence level even though there was understanding of every word.
In the second example, syntax was present but a void developed of word level meaning not allowing contextual understanding of the paragraph. “It had something to do with…”
Could We Conclude…
Teaching grammar is not the same as acquiring or learning language? (Krashen, 2003)
Just learning words does not equal comprehension. (Word callers)
Knowing words is a pre-requisite to comprehension.
There are multiple factors for comprehension.
fi yuo cna raed tihs, yuo hvae a sgtrane mnid too Cna yuo raed tihs? Olny 55 plepoe out of 100 can.
i cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm.. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt!
Can You Read This?
The evidence strongly supports a simple hypothesis. We acquire
language in only one way: when we understand messages; that is, when we obtain “comprehensible input.”
We acquire language, in other words, when we understand what we hear or what we read, when we understand
the message. Krashen, 2003
Comprehensible
Input
Is Comprehensible Input something done by the teacher to the student or by the student based on the teacher?
The Greater the Comprehensible Input …
… the greater the capacity to comprehend.
So which is more desirable?
The student who reads every word?
Or
The student who understands the meaning?
What is Involved In Comprehension?
What Does it Mean to Understand?
•Making Sense of text based on author’s intention and message.
•Understanding how the words interplay to relay a message.
•To exercise intellectual muscle
•To context with a text in a meaningful way
Jamika’s Story
And in the midst of normal conversation regarding comprehension, English Language Learners enter the picture and try to comprehend the input they receive.
What must it be like? Perhaps this video will shed some light.
Cummins’ Interdependence Theory: Increasing CI through Transference
To the extent that instruction in Lx is effective in promoting proficiency in Lx, transfer of this proficiency to Ly will occur provided there is adequate exposure to Ly (either in school or
environment) and adequate motivation to learn Ly.
--J. Cummins, 1981. “The Role of Primary Language Development in Promoting Educational Success for Language Minority Students.” In Schooling and Language Minority Students: A Theoretical Framework. P. 29
The Principles
Common Underlying Proficiency
Cognitive and linguistic abilities L1 background serves as the basis
for schemata of L2 Using commonality of language,
transfer of linguistic features and skills across languages
In this sense, Cummins is defining comprehensible input
Friendship = amistad
What Do ELL Students Need?
The keys to effective reading instruction for ELLs include activating or building background knowledge, helping students use psychological strategies and linguistic cueing systems to construct meaning from English texts, choosing appropriate materials, and organizing curriculum around themes.
--David and Yvonne Freeman
Theoretical Reasons It Works
1) Brain-based research on functionality (Anderson)
2) Schema Theory (Piaget, Anderson)3) Connection with background knowledge
How Does The Mind Work in Learning?
Questions to Make Connections
What do I already know about…rocks?What is this called in my language?
Can I transfer that language?
English
Word
What I Know
About Word
Is This In
My Language?
Background Transfer Chart
CLOCK
CUP
FORK
English
Word
What I Know
About Word
Is This In
My Language?
Tell Time 时钟
Drink coffee
杯子
Eat 叉 ; 耙
Background Transfer Chart
CLOCK
CUP
FORK
English
Word
What I Know
About Word
Is This In
My Language?
Time reloj
Coca copa
Food tenedor
Background Transfer Chart
CLOCK
CUP
FORK
How Is Schema Created?
What Comes to Your Mind When You Think of…
Dog Bridge Statue Man How about when I spell this word?
The Work of J R Anderson
SensoryMemory
WorkingMemory
Discards
OR
PermanentMemory Files
Anderson, J.R. (1995). Learning and memory: An integrated approach. New York: John
Wiley & Sons
Learn new vocabulary by creating schema that connects with what is already known. (Beck, McKeown, Kucan and Marzano)
What words come to your mind as you look at this picture? Turn and Talk
How About Now?
What Schema Do You Have For This Picture?
Can you transfer your learning?
Can you adopt new schemes for this if I give you information?
How Can We Use Cummin’s Theory?
Transfer of concept. If student knows concept in native language, it will be easier to transfer it to English.
Teacher = Maestro
Backpack = Mochila
Hat = Sombrero
Now Let’s Look At Harder Concepts
Find a partner: Discuss how you would go about explaining to students the following concepts:
LIBERTY
Photosynthesis
Cell
Is This Liberty?
Fact Monster/Information Please® Database, © 2007 Pearson
Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
Is This A Dilemma?
Cell Sale
Sail
WareWhere
Wear
They’re
There
Their
Let’s Review: Strategies Used
Alternative Texts Visuals Engagement Illustration/ stories Graphic Organizers Collaboration Humor- Keep it interesting and
fun
Beck, McKeown, Kucan
Vocabulary must first be orally introduced. Vocabulary is not grade specific. Words must be explained, not defined. Must be contextualized. Multiple usages in a meaningful context (8-10). Create Schema (visual representation) Students reflect with each other Three Tiers of Vocabulary
Working With Vocabulary
Explain Restate Show Discuss Refine and Reflect Apply and Learning Games
Robert Marzano, Building Background Knowledge
Explain
Putting words in terms students already know.
How would you explain to students the word comforting?
Comforting- Something or someone that is comforting makes you feel good when you are sad or hurt.
Beck & McKeown, Elements of Reading Vocabulary, Steck Vaughn, 2004
Further explain by putting the word in a context.
A warm cup of tea is comforting when my throat hurts.My dog feels comforting when I am hurt.
Your TurnYour Turn
With a partner, come up with an explanation and a context for each of the following words.
Versatile Serenade Glimpse Skyscraper Enhance
Your TurnYour Turn Versatile If someone is versatile, they can do many different
things.
Serenade To serenade someone you would sing or play a song on a musical instrument.
Glimpse If I get a glimpse of something I look at it quickly.
Skyscraper A skyscraper is a very tall building in a city.
Enhance To enhance something means to make it better.
Working With Vocabulary
ExplainRestate Show Discuss Refine and Reflect Apply and Learning Games
Robert Marzano, Building Background Knowledge
Using Vocabulary Journals
Have students create journals Words Schema Explanations Reflections Consultations
Working With Vocabulary
Explain RestateShow Discuss Refine and Reflect Apply and Learning Games
Robert Marzano, Building Background Knowledge
By creating the visual representation, they are
making the learning concrete by making permanent memory
files.
Why is this important?
Hooking The Learning
Have you ever met someone and then five minutes later…you couldn’t remember their name?
Have you ever met someone for the first time that you had talked with on the phone for a long time only to think,… they don’t look like what I thought?
Do you think in images? Think about your husband or wife. Do you just dream in words, or do you create
images?
Do Not Under-estimate the power of a picture.
The Heart of the Tulip
By Keith Pruitt
Exaggerate
Beck and McKeown, Elements of Reading Vocabulary, Steck Vaughn, 2004
scheming
The cats were scheming against the birds.
Invisible
Fatigue
The bear was very fatigued from walking so far.
Icon
Michael Phelps is an Icon of Olympic swimming.
Spider
Would this be helpful in a Science lesson?
©Keith Pruitt, Art by Keith
Connecting an image to a vocabulary word is the way in which the brain files information. For ELL students, creating the visual representation is tantamount to creating the file in the permanent memory.
See- Building Background Knowledge, Marzano
Working With Vocabulary
Explain Restate ShowDiscuss Refine and Reflect Apply and Learning Games
Robert Marzano, Building Background Knowledge
Open For Discussion
What are the possible advantages of students discussing with each other their concepts of a
word (context, visual representation, etc.)? Ability to transfer from L1 to L2 using peer
tutoring. Sharing personal understanding broadens
each understanding. Creates multiple contexts for usage.
Working With Vocabulary
Explain Restate Show DiscussRefine and Reflect Apply and Learning Games
Robert Marzano, Building Background Knowledge
Reflection allows a refinement of understanding. It permits the memory file to be adjusted to incorporate new understandings.
Working With Vocabulary
Explain Restate Show Discuss Refine and ReflectApply and Learning Games
Robert Marzano, Building Background Knowledge
http://www.gamequarium.com/evocabulary.html
http://eslbears.homestead.com/Contact_Info.html
http://www.manythings.org/lulu/
Games on Facebook
Using Graphic Organizers
Graphic organizers take concepts and organize them visually enabling students recall of their comprehensible input.
May be used as part of the games/ practice. Valuable as a tool for assessment.
EATATE Will Eat
A Graphic Way of Showing Tense
Past
Present
Future
Drinking warm teawhen my throat
hurts
Holding my cat inmy lap
A warm blanket ona cold night
Comforting
Use graphic organizers to help students use the words in meaningful contexts
Using Word Maps Helps Students Integrate New Words
comforting
Sandpaper A blanket Being hit
Check the box that matches the meaning of the word at the top
Versatile
Sing and dance Play piano Read a book
Companionship
A strangerSomeone in
Anothercity
A Pet
Fashionable
Hoop Skirt Tailored suit Coveralls
The Flow Chart
Exploding The Vocabulary
Through direct instruction, 5-8 words/week Adds approximately 160 words to
reading/writing vocabularies. If we take the connective words for those
five… look what happens.
So work becomes
Works
Worker
Worked
Working
Will Work
Labor
Job
Employment
Exert
Lazy
A Word Tree Starts with Base Word
Using Word Tree Those five words have become @50 words. Now in 32 weeks we have instructed 1600
words. Students may gain another 320-600 words
via reading. Now we have exploded the vocabulary by a
maximum of 2200 words in 32 weeks. In the traditional program 640 words are
instructed, but only 64-120 of them are learned. And emphasis is on spelling.
You Try It
Here are some common words taught. What other words may we teach in conjunction with these:
Glimmer
Vast
Artistic
Disturb
Using Word Sorts Morris suggests that using the tactile
experience of word sorts provides mental stimulus for students and creates schema files.
How might word sorts look in your classroom?
Here are a couple of examples.
A. Using children, create a photo collection of these words and have students match pictures to words.
B. Have students act out the action words using the nouns (TPR). Which part of my body can I raise?
C. Have set of words and then other words with which I can make compound words.
Create a word sort activity using these root words.
Toy Fish Seal
Preview, View, Review
Method presented by Freemans of pre-teaching read aloud text---
Build Vocabulary and Background Knowledge Distribute copies of the Modeled Reading Text Organizer. Ask children to share what they know about bumblebees. Explain that a colony means a group of the same kind of animals living together. Tell children that a bumblebee colony is made up of a queen, the workers, and the drones. Then point to the picture on the organizer and tell children that it shows the inside of a bumblebee queen’s nest. Next say the words bumblebee queen, egg, honey pot, and larvae, and have children say the words with you.
Preview Using Story Mapping
Build schema with Visual AnchorVisual Transference
Word SubstitutionSometimes Known as Trading Penny Words for $ Words
Make= Create, Build, Construct, Craft
Went= traveled, drove, walked
Like- admire, enjoy, ?, ?, ?
Fast- ?, ?, ?, ?
Creating New Schema
New Experiences New Vocabulary
What ways can we use to create new experiences for students?
Turn and Talk
Creating New Schema
Virtual Learning (Marzano)
Visit www.woweducationalconsulting.com
For a list of virtual tour sites.
Creating New Schema
Read Alouds (Linda Hoyt, Freemans)
Steps to Using
What words need explaining? What substitute words could I use that
students might understand? How can I explain the word so as to create a
context for the students? What schema can I build- can I hook the
learning?
Your Turn
Get in groups of three-four Examine a big book and select three words
that need pre-teaching before reading the story.
Create a lesson of how you would teach those words using our steps from Beck.
Creating New Schema
Using Spanish CognatesHundreds of words in Spanish and English
have common roots in Latin. Many of the these words are the same except for one letter. These serve as good basis of conversation.
Turn and Talk: Tell me what the English word is for these Spanish cognates.
Spanish Cognates
Ocurrir Reptil Ciclo Paciente Invitar Cooperar Educacion Sociedad Presente
Creating New Schema
Teaching By Theme (Freemans)
My Family Suitcase
My Family
Mi Familia
أسرتي
--Dr. Stephen White
Building The Family
Each student receives a cardboard luggage cut out.
They may use pictures or text to tell the story of their family.
They may work together to work with language, but each person in the luggage should be labeled (L1 and L2).
Teacher then helps to fill in the story.
Summary
ELL students (and all others) are engaging learning based on the accumulation of words.
Having multiple strategies in the classroom can help boost reading achievement and the acquisition of a new language.
Research shows that using Beck methodology brings success for every disaggregated group, ethnicity, socio-economic class.
Your Turn
Turn and Talk:
What strategy have you learned today that you want to incorporate into your classroom?
What impact would learning 2000+ words/year have on your students?
What are your first steps?
Thank You
Words of Wisdom
Educational Consulting
Keith [email protected]
615-448-7304
www.woweducationalconsulting.com
www.myspace.com/wowedu