Building Academic Vocabulary with Secondary Students

Renée Davis Irving ISD

Content Objectives Language Objectives

Participants will . . . . .

Learn to emphasize

vocabulary in all

content lessons.

Understand how

vocabulary

development is related

to academic

achievement.

Understand and

address the steps and

activities that

implement vocabulary

in the classroom.

Create a concept map

with brick and mortar

words.

Brain dendrites need to be

activated and simulated.

Websites for vocabulary

• www.dictionary.com

• www.awesomelibrary.org

• www.visualthesaurus.com

• www.google.com images

• Others?

Scaffolding: Scaffolds are supports that lead to independence

.

Extension to the lesson

• Use (Total Physical Response) TPR to create a movement that symbolizes the words.

• Use sentence strips and work with a partner to write a sentence or sentences using all of the words!

The Need

• Teaching specific terms in a specific way

is probably the strongest action a

teacher can take to ensure that ELL

students have the academic background

knowledge they need to understand the

content they will encounter in school.

(Lindsay Carleton 2010)

The Need. . . .is with socially economically disadvantaged

students also. . .

• There is a 4,500 to 5,400 word gap between

students at the 25th and 50th percentile on

standardized test. (David Sousa, 2011)

VISUALS ARE IMPORTANT!!!

• For the last 80 years education

researchers have known of the

powerful relationship between

vocabulary knowledge and

comprehension

Baumann, 2005; Stahl and Nagy 2006

For English language learners

systematic vocabulary instruction is

necessary because. . . . .

Because. . . . . .

• Content area texts which students must read

include very sophisticated vocabulary.

• Reading performance tests given to ELLs rely

on wide-ranging vocabulary.

• English learners’ vocabulary instruction must be

accelerated because ELLs are learning English

later than their native speakers peers.

• English learners find understanding word

meanings very challenging.

(Graves & Fitzgerald, 2006, page 122)

“It is most critical that teachers provide,

especially for those students who do not

come from academically advantaged

backgrounds, systematic instruction in

important academic terms.”

(Robert Marzano & Debra Pickering 2006)

Literate language has 3 key elements

Echevarria, Vogt and Short (2008)

1st Element

• Content words: key vocabulary

words, terms and concepts

associated with a specific topic

(e.g., the American Revolutionary

War, democracy, Patriots, etc).

2nd Element

• Process/ Function

words:

functional language

(e.g., how to request information, justify opinions,

state a conclusion, etc).

transition words (therefore, in conclusion,

moreover, etc.), and sequence words (first,

then, next, finally, at last, etc).

processes and tasks (e.g., share with a

partner, discuss, line up, graph, list, etc).

3rd Element• Words and Word parts that teach

English Structure. For example:

Morphology- (morphemes)

• students learn that many English

words are formed with roots and

base words joined to prefixes and

suffixes (e.g., photo-(light):

photosynthesis, photograph,

photoelectron, photogenic;

common Latin roots-circ: around;

demo-people; port-carry; etc).

Most Common Latin Root Words • Handout

The fourteen root words with asterisks provide

the meaning of over 100,000 words!

By adding suffixes to many of the words that

are included , you can increase further the

number of words on the list.

Also explore how words came about with

students

Direct examination of academic

language is essential in all disciplines

• Teach students to watch out for

“polysemous words”: –words that

take a different meaning in different

contexts (e.g., fault, wave, state,

cell, etc.).

Brick and Mortar words (Dustro &

Moran, 2003., Zwiers, 2008).

• Brick words - the technical words that are specific to

a particular content area, tend to be found in

glossaries and in bold face print in textbook

passages.

• Mortar words and phrases - links the content words

together (e.g., compare & contrast words, sequence

words, discussion words, cause & effect words).

Concept Mapping

• Materials: scissors, glue and teacher

prepared handout of concept cards.

• Students will cut out concept cards and

arrange them in categories.

• After interacting with peers, students can

make any final changes and then glue down

their concept cards.

• Student should connect categories with

words and phrases so that they can read

through the concept map without ever

leaving the page.

Selecting & Introducing Vocabulary

• ELL students can be very easily

overwhelmed by the amount of new

vocabulary words that they are being

exposed to and asked to learn each and

every day (5 to 7 words recommended).

• Words should be carefully selected ahead

of time.

TEKS

STAAR

Text

Academic Vocabulary Word Lists* Marzano

• Effective

vocabulary

instruction

does not rely

on definitions

alone.Marzano and Pickering (2007)

• Students must

represent their

knowledge of

words in

linguistic and

nonlinguistic

ways.Echevarria and Graves (2011)

Nonlinguistic Representations

These are nonverbal means of representing

knowledge including:

illustrations, graphic organizers, physical

models, and kinesthetic activities

astrology as-trol-o-gy n.

The study of the positions and aspects of

heavenly bodies in the belief that they have

an influence on natural earthly occurrences

and the course of human affairs.

Explicitly teaching literacy

vocabulary helps students . . .

Develops background knowledge to

understand the content.

Stores “literate language”

understanding in permanent

memory.

For example. . . . . . . . . .

A Student must write, read, play with, orally

interact with word at least 5-7 time before they

take ownership of the word and it becomes

permanent memory.

Working

Memory

Sensory

Memory

Permanent

Memory

Crystallized (learned)

Intelligence

Background knowledge

Experiences

6 Steps Process for Teaching New Terms

• Step 1: Provide a description, explanation, or example of the new term.

• Step 2: Ask students to restate the description, explanation, or example in their own words.

• Step 3: Ask students to construct a picture, symbol, or graphic representing the term.

• Step 4: Engage students periodically in activities that help them add to their knowledge of the terms in their notebooks.

• Step 5: Periodically ask students to discuss the terms with one another.

• Step 6: Involved students periodically in games that

allow them to play with terms.

How to Teach Vocabulary

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

• Direct experiences

• Tell a story

• Video/computer images

• Have students do initial investigation and present the information

• Use current events to understand the word

• Describe your own mental pictures of the term

• Find or create pictures to explain the term

30

2. Ask students to

restate the

description,

explanation or

example in their

own words.

31

3. Ask student to construct a picture,

symbol, or graphic representing the

term or phrase.

• Students are forced to think of the term in a different way, non-linguistic.

• This is very important to help the students remember the term.

32

Marzano’s Related Terms Chart

Term:

Related Term:

Picture:

4. Engage Students periodically in

activities that help them add to the

knowledge of the terms.

Understanding deepens over time if students continually re-examine their understanding of the given term.

• Highlight a prefix or suffix that will help them remember the meaning

• Identify synonyms or antonyms

• Draw an additional picture or graphic

• List related words

• List brief cautions or reminders of common confusions

• Translate into another language.

34

5. Periodically ask students to

discuss the terms with one

another.

• Compare their description of the term

• Describe their pictures to each other

• Explain to each other any new

information the have learned or any

“Aha’s they have experienced as they

review the terms

• Identify areas of disagreement or

confusion and seek clarification.35

Interacting with other people deepens the

understanding of the terms.

“ If students don’t verbalize,students won’t internalize.”

(Seidlitz, John, Perspective-Based Learning)

R. Vega 03/20/06

6. Involve students periodically in

games that allow them to play with

terms.

Games are one of the most underused

instructional tools in education. Set aside

blocks of time each week to play games,

or use them spontaneously throughout the

period to guide them in the review and use

of important terms.

37

• Games have been

sometimes misused or

underestimated by

classroom teachers,

roughly 60 research

studies have shown, on

average, the use of

academic games in the

classroom is

associated with a 20%

point gain on testing.

Step 1: Provide a description, explanation, or example of the new

term.

Step 2: Ask students to restate the description, explanation, or

example in their own words.

Step 3: Ask students to construct a picture, symbol, or graphic

representing the term or phrase.

Step 4: Engage students periodically in activities that help them

add to their knowledge of the terms in their notebooks.

Step 5: Periodically ask students to discuss the terms with one

another.

Step 6: Involve students periodically in games that allow them to

play with terms.

A Six-Step Process for Teaching New Terms

Step 1: Provide a description, explanation, or example of the new

term.

Step 2: Ask students to restate the description, explanation, or

example in their own words.

Step 3: Ask students to construct a picture, symbol, or graphic

representing the term or phrase.

Step 4: Engage students periodically in activities that help them

add to their knowledge of the terms in their notebooks.

Step 5: Periodically ask students to discuss the terms with one

another..

Step 6: Involve students periodically in games that allow them to

play with terms.

A Six-Step Process for Teaching New Terms

Help students develop sufficient initial understanding

so that they can

• describe the terms and

• represent the terms nonlinguistically

Provide multiple opportunities for students to

• revisit and revise

descriptions and nonlinguistic representations.

Teaching New Terms

• The steps do

not have to

be followed

in order.

Step 1: Provide a description, explanation, or example

of the new term.

Step 2: Ask students to restate the description,

explanation, or example in their own words.

Step 3: Ask students to construct a picture, symbol, or

graphic representing the term or phrase.

Caution

These steps need to be monitored carefully

for accuracy. It may take several sessions

before students are ready to create

permanent record.

Example of what to do if you have a

Level 1 ELL student in your class

• Decide what are the most important

concepts that you want the student to

learn from a unit.

• Make them into sentences or take the

sentences from the text.

(Dr. Gonzalez’ 10 important sentences)

43

What do you do with the sentences?

• Draw a set of pictures to illustrate each of the sentences.

• Put the sentences in sequential order.

• Memorize each sentence and be able to write each one and demonstrate they understand the meaning of the sentence.

• Cut the sentences up and glue them back in order.

• Translate the sentence into another language

www.freetranslation.com

• Make a cloze activity and leave out key terms.

• Cut the sentences in half and play “concentration”.

• Use these sentences when you test the student.

44

Remember. . . . .

• ELL learn social

vocabulary in 1-2

years but it takes 5-7

years for academic

vocabulary

• Use cognates to help

students see the

connections between

their language and

English through roots,

prefixes and suffixes.

• Ensure that you have

a safe environment

where vocabulary

can be practiced,

free of criticism

• Work on oral

conversation. Teach

students to speak in

full sentences, help

with sentence stems.

Thanks!• “Have fun learning

vocabulary.

• Your attitude towards it is 90% of the motivation.

• ELL Students are working twice as hard as everyone else.

• You do miracles every day.

Education Service Center Region XIII (2008). English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS) Toolkit. Austin, Texas.

Fisher, D., Frey, N. & Rothenberg, C. (2008). Content-area conversations. How to plan discussion-based lessons for diverse language learners. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Himmele, P. & Himmele, W. (2009). The language-rich classroom. A research-based framework for teaching English language learners. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Krashen, Stephen D.(1988). Second language acquisition and second language learning. Prentice-Hall International.

Marzano, Robert (2010). Teaching Basic and Advanced Vocabulary: A Framework for Direct Instruction. HeinleCengage Learning, Boston, MA.

Marzano, Robert & Pickering, Debra,(2005). Building Academic Vocabulary: A Teacher’s Manual. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Seidlitz, John (2009). Navigating the ELPS in the Science Classroom. Using the New Standards to Improve Instruction for English Learners. Canter Press, San Antonio, TX.

Bibliography