Vocabulary
What the experts say about vocabulary:
Words are the instruments that authors and poets use to enchant us, delight us, sadden us, amaze us. ~ Isabel L. Beck, Margaret G. McKeown, & Linda Kucan
A robust approach to vocabulary involves directly explaining the meanings of words along with thought-provoking, playful and interactive follow-up.~ Isabel L. Beck, Margaret G. McKeown, & Linda Kucan
Written text places high demands on vocabulary knowledge...Learning new concepts and the words that encode them is essential for comprehension development.~ Catherine E. Snow, Susan Burns, & Peg Griffin
Read more about vocabulary!
OVERVIEW of vocabulary
Students need to develop both their speaking and listening vocabulary. The first refers to those words a student can use when speaking and the latter refers to the spoken words that a student can understand. Each type of vocabulary supports literacy development, as well as learning in other subject areas. Vocabulary knowledge is especially important to reading and listening comprehension.
TEACHING vocabulary
There are several effective ways to boost vocabulary. Provide students with the opportunity to learn new word meanings indirectly, such as through conversations and shared storybook reading, explicitly teach word meanings, and teach effective word-learning strategies. Create opportunities for students to use new and interesting words in meaningful ways in different contexts.
ASSESSING vocabulary
Assess students’ knowledge of word meanings frequently. Students can tell you the meaning of a word, name objects or pictures, or match pictures with words. They can also act out words, phrases, or ideas. Attend to the words students use when writing and speaking and note whether they can use a variety of words in an appropriate manner.
Featured Videos
Dramatic Vocabulary:
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Super Words:
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Four Square Vocabulary Cards:
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All Vocabulary Recipes
Café Drama Center: Developing Language and Vocabulary Through Play (Virtual Tour)
Designing Music Albums: Developing Descriptive Writing (Virtual Tour)
Gathering Place: Promoting Independent Reading and Comprehension Strategies (Virtual Tour)
Nouns, Verbs and Adjectives: Practicing Parts of Speech (Virtual Tour)
Map It!: Integrating Social Studies and Literacy (Virtual Tour)
Super Words: Expanding Vocabulary in Second Grade (Virtual Tour)
Interactive Word Wall: Learning to Spell High Frequency Words in First and Second Grade (Virtual Tour)
Word Banks: Supporting Spelling and Vocabulary Growth (Virtual Tour)
Instructional Terms: Helping Students Expand Vocabulary (Virtual Tour)
New Words Game: Expanding Vocabulary (Virtual Tour)
Word Wall in the Upper Grades: Expanding Vocabulary and Spelling (Virtual Tour)
The Daily Five: Fostering Literacy Independence in Second Grade (Virtual Tour)
CAFÉ: Engaging Second Grade Students in Assessment and Instruction (Virtual Tour)
Word Work In The Second Grade: A Component of the Daily Five (Virtual Tour)
Simple Machines: Introducing Non-Fiction Text Features (Virtual Tour)
Expand Vocabulary Wall: Introducing New and Interesting Words (Virtual Tour)
Student Made Books: Promoting the Enjoyment of Writing (Virtual Tour)
Word Wall: Learning To Spell High Frequency Words in Second Grade (Virtual Tour)
Where in the World: Extending Understanding of Mapping Skills (Virtual Tour)
Fraction Friends: Developing Informative Writing (Virtual Tour)
Math Word Wall: Expanding Vocabulary in Third Grade (Virtual Tour)
CAFÉ: Engaging Third and Fourth Grade Students in Assessment and Instruction (Virtual Tour)
The Daily Five: Fostering Literacy Independence in Third and Fourth Grade (Virtual Tour)
Word Wall: Expanding Vocabulary in Third and Fourth Grade (Virtual Tour)
Procedure Match Up: Building the Foundation for Procedural Writing
The Conversation Station: A Center for Developing Oral Language and Vocabulary Skills
Get to the Root of It: Exploring Word Roots to Enhance Vocabulary and Spelling
What Does That Word Mean?: Using the Dictionary to Support Vocabulary Learning
Five Senses Story Reading: Building Reading Comprehension
Fist Lists: A Graphic Organizer for Learning Vocabulary
Creating Crossword Puzzles: Engaging Students with Content Area Vocabulary
Transform-a-Verb: Enhancing Students' Understanding of Inflectional Endings
Four Square Vocabulary Cards: Providing a Rich Context for New Words
Blooming Prefixes and Suffixes: Developing Word Knowledge by Looking at Word Parts
Exploring Compound Words: Improving Vocabulary Knowledge and Spelling Skills
The Said Web: Improving Written Compositions by Brainstorming Interesting Synonyms
Cinquains with a Twist: Building Vocabulary Through Cinquain Poetry
Using "Fancy" Words: Exploring Synonyms to Improve Writing
Who's That Community Helper?: Building Knowledge, Language, and Early Literacy Skills
The Lost Suitcase: Creating a Purpose for Descriptive Writing
Hunting for Opposites: Expanding Vocabulary Knowledge by Exploring Antonyms
Word Explosion: Linking Vocabulary and Spelling
Recipe for Me: Motivating Procedural Writing
Climb the Word Ladder: Raising Spelling, Vocabulary and Phonics Skills
Concept Maps: Expanding Vocabulary Networks
Imagine That Word!: Expanding Vocabulary Through Visual Imagery
Personal Dictionary: Making Real-Life Connections to Build Vocabulary
Concept Muraling: Organizing Knowledge Visually to Improve Comprehension
Contractions Review: Promoting Meaningful Understanding of Writing Conventions
Word Finder Think-Marks: Promoting Vocabulary Growth
Balderdash!: Building Vocabulary by Studying Word Roots and Affixes
Semantic Web: Activating Prior Knowledge to Promote Understanding
Action Words: Helping Students Understand Verbs
Miss Nelson Is Missing!: Read-Aloud Activities to Build Vocabulary and Comprehension
How to Use CAFÉ : Involving Students in Building Essential Reading Skills
Making and Breaking Compound Words: Building Students' Word Knowledge
People, Places and Things: Understanding Nouns (Virtual Tour)
Word Wall and Star School Word List: Spelling High Frequency Words in First Grade (Virtual Tour)
Interactive Word Wall: Spelling High Frequency Words in First and Second Grade (Virtual Tour)
Tree Art: Understanding Possessive Nouns (Virtual Tour)
Math Flowers: Writing and Solving Word Problems (Virtual Tour)
The Literacy Umbrella: Understanding Figurative Language (Virtual Tour)
Double the Fun: Exploring Homonyms (Virtual Tour)
Word Study: Using Characters to Anchor Understanding of Words (Virtual Tour)
Vocabulary Vine: Understanding the Meaning of Words (Virtual Tour)
Extra Special Student: Using a Vocabulary Wheel to Ask Questions (Virtual Tour)
Healthy Me: Extending Understandings and Expanding Vocabulary (Virtual Tour)
Story Re-enactment: Promoting Comprehension with an Oral Retell (Virtual Tour)
Felt Board Retell: Promoting Comprehension with an Oral Retell (Virtual Tour)
Mystery Bag: Promoting Oral Language (Virtual Tour)
Supported Dramatic Play: Building Vocabulary and Oral Language in Kindergarten (Virtual Tour)
Puppets and Props: Building Oral Language by Retelling Familiar Stories (Virtual Tour)
Images and Words: Building Vocabulary Knowledge with Pictures (Virtual Tour)
Daily Read Alouds: Using Non-Fiction and Math Books in the Literacy Program (Virtual Tour)
Making it Real!: Using Sentence Strips with Pictures to Retell a Lived Experience (Virtual Tour)
Literacy in the Math Center: Introducing Math Concepts and Vocabulary with Literature (Virtual Tour)
Listening Center: Supporting Understanding with Props (Virtual Tour)
Sand Table and Flannel Board: Contexts for Retelling Stories (Virtual Tour)
Café Drama Center: Developing Language and Vocabulary Through Play (Virtual Tour)
