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- Phonological Awareness
- Sound-Letter Knowledge
- Morphology
- Fluency
- Vocabulary
- Comprehension
- Composition / Writing
- Genre Knowledge
- Motivation
- Students with Special Needs
- English Language Learners
- Urban Education
- Education Resources
What is Vocabulary?
Vocabulary is considered to be all words. Vocabulary is also the knowledge to be able to use words effectively.
There are two different types of vocabulary:
There are two different types of vocabulary:
- Receptive vocabulary "refers to vocabulary that one can understand" (Holdgreve-Resendez, 2010).
- Expressive Vocabulary or "productive vocabulary refers to vocabulary one can use" (Holdgreve-Resendez, 2010).
Why is Vocabulary Important?
"Vocabulary is related to success in a number of arenas, to perceived intelligence, to content learning, and to reading comprehension. These relationships are causal at least some of the time. For example, learning unfamiliar words that appear in a text will generally make someone a better comprehender of that text" (Ehri & Rosenthal, 2007).
In other words, vocabulary helps lay the ground work for students success in education! Students use vocabulary to comprehend and understand the genre that they are reading.
In other words, vocabulary helps lay the ground work for students success in education! Students use vocabulary to comprehend and understand the genre that they are reading.
How does Vocabulary Develop?
Vocabulary develops in the following stages:
Students learn vocabulary from:
Students learn words through:
(Holdgreve-Resendez, 2010a) & (McKenna & Stahl, 2009)
- No knowledge
- General sense
- Narrow, context-related knowledge
- Knowledge of words but unable to recall
- Rich, decontextualized knowledge of words
Students learn vocabulary from:
- Direct instruction and/or exposure
Students learn words through:
- Contextual analysis: using context around a word to help figure out word meaning
- Morphological analysis: using parts of words to help figure out word meaning
- Lexical resources: using tools such as paper or electronic dictionaries, thesauruses, etc.
(Holdgreve-Resendez, 2010a) & (McKenna & Stahl, 2009)
Assessments for Vocabulary
Informal Assessments
"Informal reading inventories provide a pretest for prior knowledge" (McKenna & Stahl, 2009).
The following assessment is from the Florida Department of Education. The department publishes this "Cool Tool" to aide teachers in assessing students!
"Informal reading inventories provide a pretest for prior knowledge" (McKenna & Stahl, 2009).
The following assessment is from the Florida Department of Education. The department publishes this "Cool Tool" to aide teachers in assessing students!
informal_reading_assessments.pdf | |
File Size: | 529 kb |
File Type: |
Formal Assessments
The Third Grade Vocabulary Assessment is a assessment of sight words that all third graders should be able to identify.
3rd_grade_fall_vocab_assessment_1.pdf | |
File Size: | 338 kb |
File Type: |
Instructional Strategies for Vocabulary
“The essence of vocabulary learning is regarded as associating the meanings of new words with their pronunciations in memory” (Ehri & Rosenthal, 2007, p. 395). There are several different ways that teachers and parents can engage their student/child in vocabulary learning:
- Independent reading
- Time for oral language development
- Make learning new vocabulary fun
Issues with Vocabulary for Second Language Learners (SLL)
There are several different issues that Second Language Learners can have:
(Holdgreve-Resendez, 2010a) & (Celce-Murcia, 1983)
The following YouTube videos are produced for SLL, specifically English Language Learners (ELL). Jennifer explains idioms and vocabulary for ELL.
- SLLS develop vocabulary in their first and second language, which can be difficult and very challenging
- Vocabulary knowledge in one language can help develop vocabulary in another language
- Not all words that seem to be cognates are really cognates of other words
- Idioms are hard for SLLs.
- Words with multiple meanings can be confusing for SLLs.
(Holdgreve-Resendez, 2010a) & (Celce-Murcia, 1983)
The following YouTube videos are produced for SLL, specifically English Language Learners (ELL). Jennifer explains idioms and vocabulary for ELL.
Additional Journals, Articles, and Power Points for Vocabulary
Articles and Journals (PDF)
examining_continuity_of_early_educational_vocabulary.pdf | |
File Size: | 207 kb |
File Type: |
remedial_and_special_education-2010-burke-385-99.pdf | |
File Size: | 385 kb |
File Type: |
Articles and Journals
Glass, J. (2010). Encounter with words: vocabulary instruction. Vanderbilt University: Peabody College.
Loftus, S. (2010). Effects of a supplemental vocabulary intervention on the word knowledge of kindergarten students at risk for language and literacy difficulties. Learning Disabilities Research and Practice, 25(3), 124.
Maynard, K. (2010). Teaching vocabulary to first grade students through repeated shared storybook reading: a comparison of rich and basic instruction to incidental exposure. Literacy Research and Instruction, 49(3), 209.
Pullen, P. (2010). A tiered intervention model for early vocabulary instruction: the effects of tiered instruction for young students at risk for reading disability. Learning Disabilities Research and Practice, 25(3), 110.
Loftus, S. (2010). Effects of a supplemental vocabulary intervention on the word knowledge of kindergarten students at risk for language and literacy difficulties. Learning Disabilities Research and Practice, 25(3), 124.
Maynard, K. (2010). Teaching vocabulary to first grade students through repeated shared storybook reading: a comparison of rich and basic instruction to incidental exposure. Literacy Research and Instruction, 49(3), 209.
Pullen, P. (2010). A tiered intervention model for early vocabulary instruction: the effects of tiered instruction for young students at risk for reading disability. Learning Disabilities Research and Practice, 25(3), 110.
Power Points
Holdgreve-Resendez, R. T. (2010). Fluency and Morphology. Extracted from www.angel.msu.edu on November 17, 2010. Phonological Awareness
fall_vocabulary_morphology.ppt | |
File Size: | 519 kb |
File Type: | ppt |
References
Celce-Murcia, M., & Larsen-Freeman, D. (1983). The grammar book: An ESL/EFL teacher’s course.
Ehri, L, & Rosenthal, Initials. (2007). Spelling words: a neglected facilitator of vocabulary learning. Journal of Literacy Research, 39(4), 389.
Florida Department of Education. (2002). Cool Tools. http://www.myfloridaeducation.com/commhome. Retrieved on November 29, 2010.
Holdgreve-Resendez, R. T. (2010). Fluency and Morphology. Extracted from www.angel.msu.edu on November 17, 2010. Phonological Awareness.
McKenna, M.C., & Stahl, K.A.D. (2009). Assessment for reading instruction, second edition. New York: Guilford.