Untitled

Authors and Contributions

  • Isabel L. Beck, PhD

  • Emeritus Professor of Education, University of Pittsburgh

  • Research in decoding, vocabulary, comprehension

  • Margaret G. McKeown, PhD

  • Clinical Professor of Education, University of Pittsburgh

  • Extensive research on reading and vocabulary

  • Linda Kucan, PhD

  • Associate Professor, University of Pittsburgh

  • Research in vocabulary instruction and classroom discussion

Overview of Bringing Words to Life

  • Purpose: Focus on robust vocabulary instruction to enhance word knowledge and reading comprehension.
  • Key Concepts:
  • Importance of teaching vocabulary effectively.
  • The role of vocabulary in comprehension and academic success.

Vocabulary Instruction Theoretical Framework

  • Robust Vocabulary Instruction:

  • Directly explain word meanings along with engaging and interactive follow-up activities.

  • Focus on Tier Two words (high utility words used across multiple contexts).

  • Three-tier Framework:

  • Tier One: Basic words (e.g., dog, run).

  • Tier Two: Words that are high utility for mature language users (e.g., emerge, contrast).

  • Tier Three: Specialized words in specific domains (e.g., photosynthesis).

Rationale for Rich Vocabulary Instruction

  • Correlation with Reading Success:
  • Strong evidence that vocabulary knowledge correlates with reading proficiency across all grade levels.
  • Impact of Socioeconomic Status:
  • Children from different SES backgrounds show significant gaps in vocabulary by the time they enter school.

Instructional Sequence for Teaching Vocabulary

  • Introduction of Words:

  • Contextualize within a story.

  • Provide a student-friendly explanation and engage students with the word.

  • Follow-Up Activities:

  • Use the word in varied contexts and encourage students to interact with the vocabulary.

  • Assess understanding through both recognition and production tasks.

Examples of Activities

  • Word Association:
  • Students connect target words to personal experiences.
  • Choosing Examples:
  • Identify situations that embody words' meanings (e.g., describe a situation where someone might feel "gleeful").
  • Creating Sentences:
  • Complete sentence stems to articulate understanding.

Assessments

  • Types of Assessments:

  • Multiple-choice and true/false items to gauge word knowledge.

  • Context integration tasks to assess deeper understanding.

  • Maintaining Vocabulary:

  • Regular review and interaction with previously learned words to reinforce memory and use in varied contexts.

Instructional Strategies for English Learners

  • Considerations:

  • Use cognates and words from students' first languages to support learning.

  • Provide additional background before teaching Tier Two vocabulary.

  • Cognate Instruction:

  • Teach connections between English words and their counterparts in other languages (e.g., Spanish).

Energizing the Classroom Environment

  • Verbal Environment:
  • Foster a classroom culture rich in language by consistently using sophisticated vocabulary and encouraging word exploration.
  • Utilize diverse resources, such as literature and poetry, to create excitement around words.

Summary

  • Goal:
  • The overarching objective is to make vocabulary learning engaging and effective, thereby enhancing both comprehension and expressive capabilities in students.
  • Recommendations:
  • Integrate ongoing vocabulary instruction across all subjects and maintain students' interest in language through consistent exposure and varied activities.