Vocabulary Is:
- The words we use to communicate that is acquired over a lifetime
- Important to Comprehension
- Often overlooked when assessing reading comprehension
- Readers cannot comprehend text if they do not understand the words
- “Building Block to Oral and Written Language”
How is Vocabulary Taught:
- Vocabulary is learned formally and informally
- Providing students with instruction in specific words that are important to students’ content learning or understanding of a particular text
- Teaching students more general word-learning strategies that they can apply to a variety of words, such as analyzing parts of words (e.g., root words)
- Glossaries
- Dictionaries
- Thesaurus
Activities to Increase Vocabulary:
- Wordsmyth– online kid friendly vocabulary/dictionary with different games and activities
- Word Maps
- Sketch Notes
- Frayer Model
- Graffiti Wall
- Graphic Organizers
- Vocabulary Games
Assessing Vocabulary:
- Vocabulary Knowledge Scale- self report to identify whether a student knows vocabulary words or not
- Vocabulary Recognition Task-yes or no on knowledge of words
- Vocabulary Assessment Magazine-reading passages with open ended questions
- Vocabulary Assessment Worksheets