Professional Documents
Culture Documents
MAIN IDEAS:
Marzano (2005) says the best thing teachers can do to help students understand the content is to give
them direct instruction for the vocabulary of the content area. When all teachers in a school focus on the
same academic vocabulary and teach in the same way, the school has a powerful comprehensive
approach. It’s even more powerful if an entire district uses the same method. Choosing critical words
(not just any words) is key to developing the students’ background knowledge.
Students from low socio-economic status neighborhoods tend to come to school without the vocabulary
that helps them to be successful in school. If students can learn 20 critical words in each content area
per year through direct instruction, they are very likely to indirectly learn another 750 to 1500 words in
those content areas. If you think that’s too optimistic, halving or quartering those numbers still offers
the potential for great gain. Some studies show a 24% to 40% gain in general achievement after using
Marzano’s six-step process for direct instruction of vocabulary. Without direct instruction, lower
performing students tend to learn only 8% of the vocabulary indirectly (through independent reading, for
example). Higher performing students may learn 16% of the vocabulary indirectly.
Research shows that a general education student requires about 12 encounters with a new word for the
student to really know that word. A special education student may require as many as 50 encounters
with a new word. In addition, if students do not know the vocabulary, they really do not know the
content area. Therefore, if we want them to learn our content area, vocabulary is a good place to start.
Some examples of activities and games are attached so that students can have a variety of encounters
and experiences with a word.
Refer to Classroom Instruction that Works (p. 123-129) for more vocabulary information.
jackson_peg@aps.edu
CONTENTS:
Academic vocabulary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Forms that students can use to record their vocabulary words. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5-12
including one rubric for knowledge level
Vocabulary Sort . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Kangaroo Word . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Lists of words by content area and grade levels (from other states) . . . . . . . . . . 22-25
Language Arts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Math . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Science . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Social Studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
ACADEMIC VOCABULARY
References
Cunningham, A. and Stanovich, K (1977). Earl reading acquisition and its relation to reading experience and ability
10 years later. Developmental Psychology, 33, 934-945.
Marzano, R., and Pickering, D. (2005). Building academic vocabulary: Teacher’s manual. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
McKeown, M., Beck, I, Onanson, R., and Pople, M. (1985). Some effects of the nature and frequency of vocabulary
instruction on the knowledge and use of words. Reading Research Quarterly, 20, 522-535.
Stahl, S. and Fairbanks, M. (1986). The effects of vocabulary instruction: A model-based meta-analysis. Review
of Educational Research, 56, 72-110.
Step 2: RESTATE – Students restate the description in their own words. Results are not as strong if
they copy the teacher’s or a classmate’s description.
Discuss with a partner.
Students record it on a form teacher provides.
Step 5: DISCUSS – Ask students to discuss terms with each other (or whole group)
Think-pair-share about targeted terms.
Add any pertinent info to the vocabulary folder.
Discuss terms that come up while reading in class.
Periodically review the terms and phrases; provide students with activities that add to their
knowledge base.
If students experience a new term or phrase only once, they will be left with their initial partial
understanding of the term or phrase. To develop deep understanding of the terms and phrases in their
academic vocabulary notebooks, students must be engaged in review activities.
Once a week or perhaps more frequently students might be offered activities that add to their knowledge
base about the terms and phrases in their notebooks. For example, they might make comparisons
between selected terms in a given subject area or between subject areas. They might create analogies or
metaphors for selected terms. They could simply compare their entries with those of other students.
Finally, they could be engaged in games that use the terms and phrases from their academic vocabulary
notebooks.
After each of these activities students should be asked to make corrections, additions, and changes to the
entries in their notebooks. In this way, students’ knowledge of the academic terms and phrases will
deepen and become a sound foundation on which to understand the academic content presented in class.
Word:
In my own words:
___________________
___________________
________________ is Picture:
the same (synonym).
________________ is
the opposite (antonym).
Word:
In my own words:
___________________
___________________
________________ is Picture:
the same (synonym).
________________ is
the opposite (antonym).
CAROUSEL BRAINSTORMING 13.
Each group adds its ideas about the topic. They might list
attributes, an opinion, or compare one thing to another.
Groups are timed. They travel from one poster to the next
until all posters have been visited.
This is a card game for use in a small group of students or with the entire class
divided into teams. The game allows students practice with word associations
and main idea. Given four words (from your content area) that have
something in common, the students must determine what the commonality is.
If a correct answer is given, the student or team keeps the card. If an incorrect
answer is given, the card is returned to the bottom of the pile. The winner is
decided by the student or team who has the most points.
DIRECTIONS
Prepare cards from poster board or card stock. Clip off one corner. This
allows for easy sorting.
With permanent marker write the four common words on the front of the card.
Remember to make one card for the title of the game. Some prefer to use a
database and label making software for this entire step. The finished cards
look professionally made.
With the marker, write the answer on the back of the card. Laminate the cards
for durability if you choose.
LATIN ROOTS/GREEK STEM 15.
Knowing some Latin and Greek will help any student with vocabulary.
I do this activity in two segments: a unit for the Latin roots and a unit for the Greek stems.
1. First I present the list of roots or stems and their meanings by using an overhead projector.
2. Next I assign each student one of the roots or stems. He/she is to research words containing this root
or stem and make a list of as many words as possible, noting the word’s definition and how the root’s
meaning pertains to it.
3. I then ask each student to select ten words from his/her list with which everyone should become
familiar. They write these words on an index card, along with their definitions and turn them into me.
4. I compile these words into a master list from which I select 20-25 per week as a combined
spelling/vocabulary list. I have enough words to make lists for an entire grading period.
5. Finally, I have my students create a visual display of all the words they have found for their root or
stem: a tree for the Latin roots and a flower for the Greek stems. I supply the colored construction
paper; the students supply their imaginations.
* They cut out a tree trunk from black paper and write the Latin root with
white crayon.
• From green or autumn-colored paper, they cut leaves on which they write with marker all
the words they have found for that root, using one leaf per word.
• Have them glue the leaves to the trunk and display the trees on a bulletin board.
• For the Greek stems, have them cut a flower stem from green paper on which they write
the Greek stem with black marker.
• From brightly colored paper, they are to cut flower petals on which they write all the
words they have found for their stem.
• Attach the petals to the stem and display their completed flower on a bulletin board.
From the Teacher’s Desk 16
Oct (eight)
Ped (foot)
Port (carry)
Scrib (write)
Script (write
COMMON WORDS 17
This is a card game designed for an individual student to give him/her practice with synonyms for
common words.
DIRECTIONS:
1. On index cards, write the words from the first column of the table below. These
are the common words.
2. On smaller cards made from poster board, oak tag, or card stock, write the words
from the second column of the table below. These are the synonyms to the
common words.
3. On the back of the smaller cards, write the common word. Thus the activity can be
self-checking.
4. A database and label making software to print the words on removable labels can
be used. These get affixed to the cards. Then laminate. The final product looks
professionally made.
6. Store in Ziploc bags or mailing envelopes on which the game’s name is written.
TO PLAY:
Spread the common words on a table or desk so all can be seen easily.
Shuffle the smaller cards.
Match the words on the smaller cards to the common word for which they are a synonym.
When all the smaller cards have been matched, turn them over to check the answers.
CRY whimper, wail, blubber, howl, weep, moan, whine, bawl, sob, sniffle
RUN dash, speed, dart, race, scramble, chase, scamper, bolt, trot, scoot
www.teachersdesk.org/vocabcommon.html
VOCABULARY SORT 19
Vocabulary sort is an activity designed to get students actively involved with nonfiction or
fiction genres prior to reading a selection. It engages the students in group activity that
requires them to utilize prior knowledge, dictionary skills, and prediction.
DIRECTIONS:
1. Identify eight to ten words from your students’ upcoming reading selection that will
provide a clue as to what the selection is about. More can be utilized once your
students are familiar with the procedure.
2. Write or print the words on a sheet of unlined paper. Divide your students
into groups of three or four. Make enough copies of the words for each group.
3. Distribute the word lists and have your students cut them apart. Tell them to glue
the words in any order they choose on another sheet of paper. They must have a
reason for their choices. Write the reason on the back of the paper.
5. At the bottom of the paper they are to write what they think the selection will be
about based on the vocabulary words. They are also required to tell why they think
this prediction is so.
6. Allow the groups to share their definitions, order of words, and predictions.
Points are awarded for the quality of work and how well the students worked as a group.
The work is saved to refer to them after reading the selection to see how accurate the
predictions were.
www.teachersdesk.org/vocabsort.html
This is a fun, challenging way to practice working with synonyms. It can be played by individual
students, small groups, or the whole class.
Directions:
1. From heavy card stock, oak tag, or poster board, make a set of flashcards,
approximately 2”x4”.
2. On one side of the card write the starting word, the longer word of the pair.
3. Place an asterisk in front of this word indicating that it is the starting word.
4. On the back of the card, write the kangaroo word, the shorter of the pair.
To play:
Read the first word. Find a synonym for it by using some of the letters in the first word.
Start with the first letter, and like a kangaroo, hop over letters that you don’t need.
www.teachersdesk.org/vocabroo.html
Page 21
LANGUAGE ARTS VOCABULARY 22
www.jc-schools.net/tutorials/vocab/index.html
SCIENCE VOCABULARY 24
Books
Bringing Words to Life: Robust Vocabulary Instruction by Beck, McKewon & Kucan; The
Guilford Press, 2002, ISBN: 978-1572307537
Rational for teaching vocabulary, how to choose words for RTI (response to intervention), how to
teach vocabulary
Building Academic Vocabulary: Teacher’s Manual by Marzano & Pickering; Association for
Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2005, ISBN: 978-1-4166-0234-7
How to create a list of academic vocabulary, how to teach vocabulary, word lists for content areas
Building Background Knowledge for Academic Achievement: Research on What Works in Schools
by Robert J. Marzano, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2004, ISBN
978-0-87120-972-6
Rationale for building background knowledge, how to build background knowledge, word lists for
content areas
Research-Based Methods of Reading Instruction for English Language Learners, Grades K-4 by
Linan-Thompson & Vaughn; Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2007,
ISBN: 978-1-4166-0577-5 Field-tested
classroom lessons for ensuring English fluency, chapter on vocabulary
Teaching Basic and Advance Vocabulary, A Framework for Direct Instruction by Robert J.
Marzano, Heinle Cengage Learning, 2010, ISBN: 978-1-42—40-6713-8
Framework for direct instruction in basic terms, those words critical to understanding and using
the English language
Words, Words, Words, Teaching Vocabulary in Grades 4-12 by Janet Allen, Stenhouse Publishers,
1999, ISBN: 978-1571100856
How to develop effective practices in vocabulary instruction, graphic organizers to use
Vocabulary Websites
www.u-46.org/roadmap/dyncat.cfm?catid+246
Examples for all grade levels in English and Spanish
Literacytoolbelt.tripod.com/The%20FAB%20Five/The%20Fab%20Five%20Power
%20Points.htm Links
www.teachersdesk.org/spell_plans.html
spelling and vocabulary games
www.jc-schools.net/tutorials/vocab/TN.html
Tenn. Academic vocabulary games K-8, high school
Note: use the links in the left margin to access games.
www.mckinneyisd.net/departments/curriculum/MISD/Secondary/Language
%20Arts/support_for_academic_vocabulary.htm
Support links, game templates, concept maps, etc.
www.speedofcreativity.org/2007/07/10/building-academic-vocabulary-robert-marzano/
Notes from Marzano presentation at OK State Dept. of Education July 2007
www.jc-schools.net/tutorials/vocab/strategies.html
strategies outline
www.jc-schools.net/tutorials/vocab/wordgames-vocab.html
PowerPoint template and 2-fold game board template
www.jc-schools.net/tutorials/PPT-games/
PowerPoint Games (including Password, 20 Questions, Who Wants to be a Millionaire).
www.quia.com/web
Click on Tour Quia Web in the upper right hand corner. Click on “shared activities” to explore
activities currently available. Sign up for a free 30-day trial membership.
www.jc-schools.net/tutorials/read6-12/word/htm
Links to vocabulary activities and games for middle and high school
www.mckinneyisd.net/departments/curriculum/MISD/Secondary/Language
%20Arts/support_for_academic_vocabulary.htm
Game templates for secondary
www.murray.k12.ga.us/teacher/kara%20leonard/Mini%20T’s/Games/Games.htm
Classroom Game Templates and More includes game templates, music, sound clips and directions
www.4teachers.com
tools and online resources for integrating technology into the classroom
www.wordle.net
Generate word clouds from text
www.quia.com/rr/37717.html
QUIA – Rags to Riches, prefixes
www.vocabulary.co.il/
Learning Vocabulary Fun, Test Preparation and Vocabulary Building, learn basic words from
189 topics, play games (matching, hangman, quizzes, word searches, crossword puzzles).
www.eslfflow.com/gamesl.html
ESL vocabulary games