Transcript Specific Word Instruction Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Specific
Word Instruction
Teaching Reading
Sourcebook 2nd edition
Research on Specific Word
Instruction
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Focus on words that are contextualized in
literature, important to text, and used in
many situations.
Provide rich in-depth knowledge of words.
Provide clear student-friendly explanations
and examples of word meanings.
Provide multiple exposures to words in more
than one context.
Engage students to use words in new
contexts and create associations among
words.
Selecting Words to Teach
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The Three Tier System: level of word utility
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Tier one: These are basic words that rarely
require instruction except for ESOL or word
impoverished students.
Tier two: These are understood by mature
language users, are central to comprehension,
and are the best choice for explicit instruction.
Tier three: These are low frequency, specialized
domains, often limited to content areas, and
should be taught only as the words arise.
*See Guidelines for Using the Three-Tier System on page 422.
Word Acquisition Sequence
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Students acquire vocabulary in a relatively
well-defined sequence that is ordered by
vocabulary size rather than grade level.
Students (regardless of their grade) know
certain words well, others only partially, and
are unlikely to learn some.
Word focus should be on words that are
partially known because they are likely to be
learned.
* See Categories of Word Knowledge on page 423.
Modified Criteria for Tier
System for ELLs
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Concreteness: Is the word abstract or
concrete? Can it be shown or demonstrated?
Cognate status: Does it have a cognate?
Depth of meaning: Does it have multiple
meanings?
Utility: Is the meaning of the word key to
understanding selection?
Rich and Robust Instruction
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Using vocabulary contextualized in literature
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Introducing specific words
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student friendly definitions
teacher-created contexts
active engagement with words
Developing in-depth word knowledge
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Text Talk
meaning vocabulary: Direct Explanation Method
method for independently reading text
use the words
explore facets of word meaning
consider relationships among words
Extending word use beyond the classroom
When to Directly Introduce
Specific Words
When to Assess and Intervene
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Assessment that is tied to the instruction (e.g. target
words) will provide better information about
students’ specific learning.
Standardized tests provide a more global measure
of vocabulary and are not usually feasible for
classroom teachers.
Early intensive intervention is critical for students
who enter school with impoverished vocabularies
and are at risk for early failure in learning to read.
Rich and robust instruction of word meanings
through storybook reading activities holds promise
for decreasing vocabulary deficits among students in
the primary grades.