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Vocabulary:
The Key to Reading Comprehension
Today’s Presentation:
Presenter: Amy Benjamin
How are we teaching vocabulary now?
What would be the ideal?
Deciding what words to teach
How words are learned and remembered
Words of Academic Discourse
Effective processing of a vocabulary list
Useful word roots and prefixes
Various processing devices that lead
to durable learning
You may access today’s visuals at www.amybenjamin.com (Recent Presentations)
Current Practice: How are we
teaching vocabulary?
What words do we select to teach explicitly?
How do we teach the words? How do we introduce them?
explain them?
get students to engage with them?
manipulate them? reinforce them?
How do we assess our students’ vocabulary knowledge and growth?
What would be the ideal?
Best Practices in Vocabulary
Instruction:
Depth of processing:
Multiple exposures
Multiple meanings
Multiple contexts
Multiple forms of a word
Opportunity to communicate
Purposeful repetition
Treating phrases as words
Verbal and Nonverbal processing
Of Limited Value…
Lists alone
Context alone
Definitions alone
Dictionaries and Glossaries alone
Of Durable Value…
Words in clusters
Multiple exposures in various contexts
Chances to speak, hear, write the words
Manipulation of forms of words
Classify and categorize word lists
Word games
“Information Closet”
“The Ransom of
Red Chief”
Typical vocabulary list of words extracted from literature:
bellowing
cauterized
depredation
extortion
forlorn
impudent
palatable
precipice
proclivities
ransom
reconnoiter
seedy
somnolent
spendthrift
sylvan
I.
Frequency outside of the story
II. Importance in understanding this story
III. Leverage to learn related words
IV. Individual student’s curiosity and proximity
What do we know when we know a
word?
Definition
Spelling
Grammatical application (how to use it in a sentence)
Synonyms
Components: prefix,
root, suffix
Morphology (other forms that the word can take)
Connotation (positive, negative, neutral)
Register (formal or informal)
Collocations (words that tend to go with it)
Lesser-used definitions
Other words that are
related to it (having
same root)
Rule of Thumb
New learners need SIX (meaningful)
exposures to a new word during the
initial lesson and at least
THIRTY additional exposures
during the ensuing month.
Tier II Words
Tier I Words:
Everyday Language:
Ask
Dead
Name
Find out; figure out
Answer
Rain
Use
Sharp
Get
Take apart and put
together
balance
Tier III Words
Language of academics,
business, government
“Vocab List” words
Domain-specific
terminology;
“Glossary” words
On-the-job words
Interrogate
Deceased
Designate; designation;
identify, identification
Ascertain; determine
Precipitate, precipitation
Utilize; employ
Acute
Acquire
Analyze; synthesize
equilibrium
Photosynthesis
Cytoplasm
Metamorphosis
Asymmetrical
Bathysphere
Rhetoric
Deoxyribonucleic acid
Artifact
Habeas corpus
Diaspora
Polysyndeton
Adjective
x
chr___
___ic
Code-switching
Prefix/root/suffix
ph
__y__
___sis
High-Incidence Academic Word List (AWL)
570 words
Comprise 10% of the words in academic discourse
Are outside of the 2,000-3,000 words that are necessary for basic social
communication in English
CALP: Cognitive Academic Linguistic Proficiency
570 words on the AWL
2,000-3,000 words
for basic social communication
BIC: Basic Interpersonal Communication
AWL is arranged in 10 sublists, in order of frequency
65% of the words on the AWL have Latin/Greek word components
The words on the AWL can be used to form about 3,000 words (by adding
prefixes and suffixes)
Sampling from the Academic Word List
(AWL)
Subset 1: analyze approach area assess assume authority
Subset 2: maintain obtain perceive potential primary range
Subset 3: alternative scheme sequence technique valid volume
Subset 4: access hypothesis implement option output regime
Subset 5: enforce entity transit trend whereas fundamental
Subset 6: abstract acknowledge ministry nevertheless underlie
Subset 7: adapt advocate dynamic hierarchy intervene mode
Subset 8: offset prospect radical via fluctuate induce
Subset 9: refine subordinate duration compatible passive
Subset 10: adjacent albeit compile straightforward undergo
How can students benefit from a vocabulary list?
Classify
Students
think of ways
in which the
words on
their lists can
be classified
(sorted,
arranged,
organized)
Analyze
Build
Students
build words
into phrases;
Students break
words down
into prefixes,
roots, suffixes
phrases into
simple
sentences;
(Word Study)
simple sentences
into complex
sentences
Morph
Students
manipulate the
words into
different parts
of speech by
adding
endings
Synthesize
Students use
their words to
generate ideas
for a writing
piece:
Purposes:
To inform,
To entertain,
To persuade,
To socialize
Word Components: Level 1 (usually known in elementary grades)
Prefixes
exprereundisnonimmisminimaxi-
Word Components: Level 2 (usually known in intermediate grades)
Prefixes
co-; con-; comsyn-; symin-; en- (into)
sub-; supea-; abinterintramonounibi-; tri-; quad-, etc.
cent-; milli-; megapoly-; multiomnitranssemibio-; geo-; eco-
Word Components: Level 3 (usually known in high school)
Prefixes
pseudodemiendo-; ectoproperperihemiobbenemal-
photonomigmunicontraphilo-
Common Word Roots for Academic Subjects:
Basic:
Often combine with:
-ject (to throw)
-port (to carry)
-scrip, scribe (to write)
-vert, vers (to turn)
-pos, pon (to place)
-tract (to draw)
-pel, pul (to drive)
-struct (to build)
-grad, gress (to step)
-plic, plex (to fold)
-flic, flex (to bend)
-fic, fac (to make)
-miss, mit (to send)
-sid, sed (to sit)
-spec (to see)
-voc (to call)
-dict (to say)
-rupt (to break)
subexdecontrans-
reoba-; abeex-
Often end with:
-ive
-ation; sion
-ate
-able; ible
-or
properco-
Common Word Roots for Academic Subjects:
Advanced:
Often combine with:
-cad, -cas,-cid (to fall)
-dyna (force; power)
-magn (great; large)
-quir, -quis (to seek)
-gen (race, kind origin)
-cham, -cam (vault)
-cen (to judge)
-doc, -dox (to think)
-greg (to flock)
-cau (to burn)
-ess, -sent (to exist)
-close, -clud, -clus (to close)
-mand, -mend (to order)
-junct (to join)
-jur, -jus (to swear)
-lith (stone)
subexdecontrans-
reoba-; abeex-
Often end with:
-ive
-ation; sion
-ate
-able; ible
-or
-ize
-ence, ance
-ary
properne-
Words with High Leverage Value:
INTERMITTENT
REFLECT
intermittent
transmit
admit
commit
remit
submit
missive
admissible
submissive
commission
mission
permission
SUBTRACT
COMPLIANCE
CORRESPONDENT
PROPELLER
TRANSPORTATION
DESTRUCTIVE
PERSPECTIVE
<Slide 13: Print as full page>
Word Components Chart I
Write the words that you’ve heard of that would logically fill in the chart:
(Note: Not all the blanks should be filled in.)
-tract
-struct
prereuna, absubdeproobcon-
-port
-verse
-pel
report
averse
subtract
propel
construct
Word Components Chart II
<Slide 14: Print as full page>
Write the words that you’ve heard of that would logically fill in the chart.
(Note: Not all of the blanks should be filled in.)
-tion
tractportvert-
pelstruct-
scriptcredspecduct-
attraction
-ment
-able
-ible
-er, or
contractor
-ence
-ance
Word Components Chart II
<Slide 14: Print as full page>
Write the words that you’ve heard of that would logically fill in the chart.
(Note: Not all of the blanks should be filled in.)
-ject
prereun-
a, absub-
deproobcon-
-mit,mis -grad
-gress
-plic,
-ply, plex
-duc
-duct
Strength Training: Vocabulary
Here are a few things you can do that will take just a few minute of class time to
build your students’ vocabulary:
1. Analyze word prefixes and roots of key words to show how they are related
to words that students may already know.
2. Embed the target word in a cluster of words related to the topic.
3. Introduce key words that the students will meet in their upcoming readings.
4. Repeat new words in various contexts.
5. Show the word. Emphasize its spelling and how it looks like related words.
6. Give students opportunities to use new words in conversation.
7. If you can, make connections between new words and words in other languages.
8. Give students opportunities to use new words in informal writing.
9. Indulge in word games and crossword puzzles to reinforce new word.
10. Give students opportunities to use non-verbal ways to express meanings
(drawing, gestures, skits, charades).
Word Components: Flip-a-Chip
Model:
Students are shown two chips having prefixes and two other chips having roots.
Any combination of these chips (prefix + root) will produce a word.
Then, given a cloze paragraph, students supply the appropriate word.
Example:
RE
DUCE
PRO
VOKE
Four words:
reduce, revoke
produce, provoke
Mrs. Benjamin was vexed. “My students,” she declared_______ me when they
are late to class. They_________one excuse after another. I want to ________
the number of lateness to class, so I’ll _______ the privilege of using the
lavatory pass to any student who arrives late.” Mountain, Lee. “Flip-a-chip to Build Vocabulary.
Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy. 46:1. September 2002.
Word Components: Flip-a-Chip
Prefix
Prefix
root
root
Contract extract
Contend extend
undo redo
unwind rewind
Interplay replay
Interject reject
Project progress
Reject regress
Play:
Each pair of students is given a baggie, two chips (formed from the bottom of
a dixie cup) markers, and an index card.
Given a list of prefixes and roots, students come up with two prefixes and two
roots that will combine to form four words with every prefix + root combination.
Students then write a paragraph on the index card, leaving blanks for the four
words.
Students then put the chips and index cards (with their name on the back) on
the baggie and pass along to another pair.
compel, repel
comport, report
subtract, detract
subject, deject
distract, extract
dispel, expel
pretend, intend
prevent, invent
comply, imply
comport, import
obtain
detain
obstruct destruct
contract attract
contain attain
universe inverse
uniform inform
dismiss remiss
distort retort
absolve resolve
abject
reject
prescription
preceive
description
deceive
president resident
preview review
receive perceive
retain pertain
suppose expose
support export
transmit submit
transcribe subscribe
retract, attract
retain attain
commit permit
complex perplex
reflect deflect
renounce denounce
Polysemes: Words whose meanings change from
one domain to another
Examples: function,
property, reaction, origin,
tangent, variable,
solve, mean, graphic,
base, extreme, factor,
fact, imaginary, rational,
Irrational, determine
power, prime, product,
multiple, operation,
radical, remainder,
range, regular, proof,
difference, cell, value,
area, cube, root, plot,
complementary, common,
depression, digit, operation,
frequency…
Math
English
Social Studies
Science
Target Word:
Vocabulary Chart:
My guess:
Glossary Definition:
Visual:
Draw or find a picture:
Definition in my own words:
Complete sentence of at least ____words:
Must contain an action verb and a visual image.
Morphology Chart
Noun:
The…
Verb:
They…He…
or Must… or
To…
Adjective
Which one?
What kind?
How many?
The___truck
Adverb
Where? When?
Why? To what
extent? In what
manner?
Morphology Kit
Noun-Making
Suffixes
Verb-Making Suffixes Adjective-making
suffixes
-ment
-ness
-ation, sion
-ity
-ism
-hood
-itude
-ence
-ance
-ide
-ate
-ify
-ize
-acious,icious
-y
-ous, ious
-ant
-able, ible
-er; est
Adverb-making suffix:
-ly