Vocab PP For Mod 4 of 702

Vocabulary Review
Strategies for vocabulary instruction

in content areas
SELECTION OF VOCABULARY WORDS
How many words per week do you think

students should be required to learn?
You will probably be able to
thoroughly teach only a few new words
per week— perhaps 8 or 10!!
Remember-those would include words in ALL
subject areas—not just reading!!
SELECTION OF VOCABULARY WORDS
What words should you teach?

Focus on three types of words:
– Important- integral for understanding a concept or
the book
– Useful- words that might be used again and again
across contexts and in conversation
– Difficult- multiple meaning and idiomatic
expressions- These can be especially difficult. Content
related words (i.e. photosynthesis, map key, scale,
etc.)
Tiered Words
• Tier 1-requires no instruction, concepts that are already familiar
(i.e. baby, cry, house, etc.)
• Tier 2-More sophisticated synonyms for words many children

know—can be used “daily.” Students encounter these words in
texts, less often in spoken language (i.e. infant, bawled,
residence, etc.)
• Tier 3-Content/Domain specific-words used in content areas like

science, social studies, history, and or math classes (i.e. volcano,
atmosphere, cumulus cloud, Emancipation Proclamation,
Pythagorean theorem)
An example of explicit instruction:
1. Introduce the word “fancy.”
Read the word to the students
“Say the word fancy with me. Look at the
little word “fan” and then the ending “cy”. The
c makes an s sound and they y makes a long e
sound in this word”
Say it in a sentence.
“I like to dress up in my fancy clothes when I go to a party.”
Tip 2
2. Provide a Student Friendly Definition
“Fancy means to go above the normal. It is more
than your ordinary, every day stuff.”
• Student-Friendly Explanation (Beck, McKeown, & Kucan,

2003)
– Uses known words.
– Is easy to understand.
Provide multiple exposures
-Review the words after you finish the book.
-Match the words to the corresponding
pictures/concepts in the book.
-Use the word in other contexts/conversations
during the day.
-It is also helpful to require students to actively
work with words, use in sentences, redefine,
classify, etc.
Try a Vocabulary Overview Guide
1. Together, review “tier 2 words”, their meaning, what they
may look like.
2. Have students read a book, paragraph, chapter, etc.
3. As they read, remind them to attend/look for tier 2 words.
4. After reading, distribute the vocabulary overview guide for
students to complete.
5. Upon completion, have students share their tier 2 words
identified from their reading.
6. Be sure to refer and use tier 2 words in your daily instruction
or display on a word wall if these are important for student
understanding.
Vary the Types of Independent Vocabulary
Practice Activities!
Example of Independent Activities:
Day 1: Write new vocabulary words on vocabulary cards to add to a vocabulary ring or
vocabulary card file.
Day 2: Write student-friendly definitions on back of vocabulary cards.
Day 3: Complete Word Diagram or Four Square Page with 4 new vocabulary words.
Day 4: Complete Word Diagram or Four Square Page with 4 new vocabulary words.
Day 5: Partner up and test each other on vocabulary definitions (using vocabulary cards
students take turns saying the word and the other student gives the student-friendly
definition -- or -- one student gives the student-friendly definition and the other student
says the word).
Using Structural Analysis in Vocabulary
Development
• Many words in the English language are made up of
words parts called prefixes, roots, and suffixes.
– These word parts have specific meanings that, when
added together, can help you determine the meaning of
the entire word.
• Example: The students thought the book was
incomprehensible.
– in = not
– Comprehen = to understand
– ible = able to do something; also changes this word from verb to
adjective
– incomprehensible = not able to understand
Structural Analysis
• In most cases, a word is built upon at least one root.
• Words can have more than one prefix, root, or suffix.
– Two or more roots – geo/logy: earth/study of
– Two prefixes – in/sub/ordination: not/under/order
– Two suffixes – beauti/ful/ly: beauty/full of- noun to
adjective/ly- adjective to adverb
• Words do not always have a prefix and a suffix.

– Some words have neither a prefix or a suffix – read
– Others have a suffix but no prefix – read/ing
– Others have a prefix but no suffix – pre/read
Structural Analysis
•The spelling of roots may change as they are combined with suffixes –
Root: terr/terre = territory
•Different prefixes, roots, or suffixes may have the same meaning:

bi-, di-, duo- all mean two
•Sometimes you may identify a group of letters as a prefix or root but

find that it does not carry the meaning of that prefix or root:
Ex. The letters mis in the word missile are part of the root and are
not the prefix mis- which means “wrong; bad”
Prefix, Suffix and Root tables

Word Family Tree
• Try a word family tree for structural analysis
and vocabulary development (see example).
• Choose one content specific word for students
to process the meaning and structural
analysis.
References
• Armbruster, B. B., Lehr, F., & Osborn, J. (2001). Put reading first: The research
building blocks for teaching children to read. Retrieved from Put reading first
• Beck, I.L., McKeown, M.G., & Kucan, L. (2014). Bringing words to life: Robust
vocabulary instruction. (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Guilford.
• Buehl, D. (2014). Classroom strategies for interactive learning. (4th ed.).

Newark, DE: International Reading Association.
• Trelease, J. (2013). The read-aloud handbook. New York, NY: Penguin.
• Yaeger, J.A. (2014). “Wisconsin foundations of reading study guide.”

Retrieved from jenniferyaeger.weebly.com

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Vocabulary Review

Strategies for vocabulary instruction

How many words per week do you think

What words should you teach?

• Tier 2-More sophisticated synonyms for words many children

• Tier 3-Content/Domain specific-words used in content areas like

• Student-Friendly Explanation (Beck, McKeown, & Kucan,

Day 2: Write student-friendly definitions on back of vocabulary cards.

• Words do not always have a prefix and a suffix.

•Different prefixes, roots, or suffixes may have the same meaning:

•Sometimes you may identify a group of letters as a prefix or root but

Prefix, Suffix and Root tables

• Buehl, D. (2014). Classroom strategies for interactive learning. (4th ed.).

• Trelease, J. (2013). The read-aloud handbook. New York, NY: Penguin.

• Yaeger, J.A. (2014). “Wisconsin foundations of reading study guide.”

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