Strategies+for+teaching+vocabulary


 * Strategies for Effective Vocabulary Instruction for All Students **
 * Students need to be explicitly taught vocabulary as well as taught skills for how to use the dictionary and context to figure out word meaning
 * Students learn a lot of new vocabulary indirectly through independent reading and conversations with adults
 * Teachers need to judiciously choose words that they teach. These words should be:
 * Important for understanding specific text that students are reading
 * High frequency words that students will see across readings
 * Words that may be difficult to understand such as those with multiple meanings
 * Vocabulary should be taught in a variety of contexts throughout the day – research indicates that students need at least 12 exposures to a word before learning it
 * Show many examples and non-examples of concepts and vocabulary
 * Use this teaching method more often for younger or “early” learners
 * Use “why” questions after example and non-example questions to ensure students understand the rule or concept
 * If needed, modify definitions from the dictionary to ensure that they clearly express the concept
 * Integrate word learning strategies into speech, spelling, and writing activities
 * The more opportunities students have to say or use the word, the greater the possibility that it will become part of their permanent vocabulary
 * Consider two key elements when writing definitions: a small class to which the word belongs and a statement of how the word differs from other members of the class
 * Connect vocabulary to students’ background knowledge and experiences
 * Semantic maps can be used to help illustrate the class a word belongs to, key characteristics, how it relates to other words, and examples of the word
 * Teach students to learn vocabulary in context by looking for definitions, synonyms, antonyms, examples, or general clues to the word’s meaning in the text
 * Teach morphemic analysis, where the student breaks a word into its various parts and considers definitions of each part, to assist students in learning vocabulary independently
 * Teach dictionary skills. These include:
 * Identifying letters
 * Alphabetization
 * Understanding of the concepts before and after
 * Letter position
 * Teach more than one technique for students to learn vocabulary independently
 * Use think-alouds to assist in teaching vocabulary strategies
 * Students must be actively involved in vocabulary learning. This entails thinking about word meanings and creating associations between the meanings and background knowledge/experiences
 * Students are more apt to remember vocabulary that has been written as well as read
 * Vocabulary instruction for older students should look similar to that of younger students but be more connected to text


 * Various software programs can support vocabulary development. Important features of effective vocabulary software include:
 * Immediate feedback for answers
 * Effective error correction
 * Speech output
 * Pictures or animations used in teaching
 * A variety of student responses appropriate for students’ age and developmental level (switches, use of a mouse, cursors, etc.)
 * Easy record keeping/progress monitoring

** How do I adapt these skills for learners with Special needs? **
 * Students at risk often have a significant gap in vocabulary knowledge when compared to their peers. However, many students can learn new words at the same rate as their peers when explicitly taught. Thus, teach, review, and provide many opportunities for practice and growth in vocabulary!!!
 * Provide more repetition of vocabulary words in students’ daily environment
 * Incorporate activities for them to utilize vocabulary items in the community and at home (i.e., homework!)
 * Increase students’ access to text with those vocabulary words in them
 * Provide a list of books to be read outside of class
 * Make time in class to talk about what they have read
 * Model the value you place on reading
 * Utilize themes so vocabulary words are repeated in the classroom more than just during “reading” time
 * Choose books (not just one!) that incorporate the vocabulary words
 * Make crafts or participate in cooking activities related to these words
 * Write stories about the words
 * Do math concepts with the words
 * Sing songs about the words
 * Utilize technology for review and practice of vocabulary
 * Have independent reading activities associated with these words
 * Remember that themed vocabulary needs to include more than just holiday or event words!!!! Remember to prioritize vocabulary instruction and selection of words! Think functionality!
 * Incorporate functional themes that students will talk about outside the classroom (cooking, doctor’s visits, occupational therapy, etc.)
 * Teach students strategies for learning new vocabulary independently
 * Teach them dictionary skills – find out how to access and use dictionaries that are available in software or on devices
 * Teach them to search for context clues
 * Teach them to ask for help when they do not understand the meaning of a word
 * Provide more explicit teaching
 * Use more examples and non-examples when teaching a word – review these often!
 * Use the word in multiple sentences
 * Model, model, model!
 * Model vocabulary use during communication and writing on a student’s device (aided language stimulation)
 * Teach student’s short definitions – what are the main concepts of the words, highlight these features
 * Focus on “I do” and “we do” sections to ensure students learn the word to mastery
 * Pre-teach definitions before reading the words
 * Increase the “quality” of the language to which students are exposed – speak to them, provide wait time for them to respond
 * Students learn many vocabulary through directly talking to adults
 * Don’t teach too many or too little vocabulary items in a set period of time. The general guideline is not to teach more than 10 words per week.
 * Teach vocabulary using multi-modal instruction
 * Use visuals – pictures/symbols, semantic maps, category groups, etc.
 * Visually demonstrate the connection between words
 * Act out the vocabulary in context
 * Use the vocabulary in sentences across situations
 * Stress key words in definitions
 * Teach pre-requisite vocabulary learning skills at an early language
 * Question forms – asking and answering
 * Sentence forms – subject-verb-object and subject-verb-location
 * Prepositions
 * Adjectives, including quality, amount, size, color, shapes, numbers, opposites
 * Categories
 * Yes/no questions
 * Concepts of first, middle, and last
 * Incorporate vocabulary learning into fun activities to keep students’ motivation high
 * Utilize music
 * Utilize puzzles
 * Enact dramas
 * Demonstrate the vocabulary in short video clips
 * Incorporate vocabulary into writing activities – poetry, short stories, etc.
 * Program targeted vocabulary into students’ devices
 * Show them how to use the vocabulary in situations and sentences
 * Role play these situations so the student has practice using the vocabulary with supported feedback
 * Sabotage situations so that student needs to use the vocabulary in everyday activities – possibly work it into morning meeting, social time, lunch group, or show n’ tell
 * Ensure that students are actively engaged in the learning process
 * Ask them questions about the vocabulary items
 * Have them think about the word’s meaning and class
 * Have students link vocabulary to background knowledge and experiences
 * Ensure that students have many opportunities to respond during vocabulary learning activities
 * Have students spell the words
 * Have students participate in writing activities with the word (research shows that students are more likely to remember vocabulary if they have written it)
 * Fill-in-the-blank stories
 * Class stories
 * Each person adds a different line to a story
 * Use grids with vocabulary words/pictures in it – students need to choose a few of the words to make a sentence
 * Vocabulary is about language!!!! Teach language whether it is verbal or written and students will improve in their reading vocabulary skills!

** Tools to Support Vocabulary Instruction for Learners with Special Needs **
 * Intellitools Classroom Suite v. 4
 * Early Literacy Skills Builder
 * Language for Learning
 * __Bringing Words to Life__ by Beck, McKeown, and Kucan