Building Academic Vocabulary

from Marzano and Pickering

Northeast Metro 916August 2010Lynn Grundtner

Impact on comprehension of Direct Vocabulary Instruction (Marzano, 2004)

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No VocabularyInstruction

Direct VocabularyInstruction onwords related tocontent

Why such an impact?

Students who understand terms such as factor, product, sum, number, median, perimeter, linear, symmetry, understand math instruction.

Students who understand terms such as hygiene, bacteria, blood, carcinogenic, injury, understand health instruction.

Vocabulary Instruction

To be effective is

Direct and Systematic

From Marzano and Pickering

A Six-Step Process for

Teaching New Terms

The Six Steps

1. Describe 2. Restate 3. Construct picture, symbol, or graphic

4. Engage 5. Discuss 6. Play

Step 1: Provide Step 1: Provide DescriptionDescription

Provide a description, Provide a description, explanation, or example explanation, or example of the new term.of the new term.

Example, step 1Example, step 1

Muscles Muscles are the organs in the are the organs in the body that make the body body that make the body move. There are muscles in move. There are muscles in the arms, legs, hands, face, the arms, legs, hands, face, neck, and back; everywhere neck, and back; everywhere the body can move. To the body can move. To wave my arm I use a wave my arm I use a muscle.muscle.

More examples pg. 16, 17, More examples pg. 16, 17, Teacher’s ManualTeacher’s Manual

Step 2: Students RestateStep 2: Students Restate

Ask students to restate the Ask students to restate the description, explanation, or description, explanation, or example in their own words.example in their own words.

MusclesMuscles in my legs help me run. in my legs help me run.

I use I use musclesmuscles to lift weights. to lift weights.

More examples pg. 18, 20, Teacher’s More examples pg. 18, 20, Teacher’s ManualManual

Step 3: Students ConstructStep 3: Students Construct

Ask students to construct a Ask students to construct a picture, symbol, or graphic picture, symbol, or graphic representation of the term.representation of the term.– Examples pg. 24 -27, Teacher’s Examples pg. 24 -27, Teacher’s

ManualManual

MusclesMuscles

The first three steps The first three steps are a set. are a set.

Used together, the first three Used together, the first three steps ensure that a new term is steps ensure that a new term is introduced in a way that helps introduced in a way that helps students develop an initial students develop an initial understanding of the term.understanding of the term.

Step 4: Review Activities Engage students periodically in

activities that help them add to their knowledge of the terms in their notebooks.

Teachers plan activities that engage students explicitly in focused review of targeted terms. Pgs. 38-52, Teacher’s Manual

Each time after activities students add to or revise their notebooks.

Step 5: Students Discuss

Periodically ask students to discuss the terms with one another.

Try Think-Pair-Share, described on pg. 29, Teacher’s Manual.

After structured or unstructured discussion of terms, students make additions and revisions to their notebooks.

Step 6: Games

Involve students periodically in games that allow them to play with terms.

Games provide review and energize learning.

Games are on pgs. 53–66 in Teacher Manual.

The Six Steps

1. Describe 2. Restate 3. Construct picture, symbol, or graphic

4. Engage 5. Discuss 6. Play

ManagingManaging

• 2-5 target terms per subject per week.

• 15 minutes three to four times per week.*

• Steps 1, 2 and 3 are done together as a set.

• Steps 4, 5, and 6 can be done on different days.

ManagingManaging

• Example two week schedule for intro steps 1-3 and steps 4, 5, 6.

Monday TuesdayIntro steps1, 2, 3

Wednesday

Activity

Thursday

Discuss

Friday

Game

Monday TuesdayIntro steps1, 2, 3

Wednesday

Discuss

Thursday

Game

Friday

Reflect

• Jot ideas, insights, questions, future actions on the reflect form.

• Share a thought from your reflection.