Download What Does “Vocabulary” Mean? Better Ways to Teach

What Does “Vocabulary”
Mean? Better Ways to
Teach Vocabulary
Carolyn Lowe, Ph.D.
Northern Michigan University
[email protected]
Presentations found at:
http://www-instruct.nmu.edu/education/clowe
Isobar
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a line drawn on a weather map or chart that
connects points at which the barometric
pressure is the same.
Vocabulary in the Typical Science
Classroom
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First the student is given the term.
Then the student is given a definition,
algorithm, or “trick”.
The student memorizes the term and the
definition, algorithm or trick.
The student then is assessed by: multiple
choice, matching or short answer giving either
the term or the definition.
What is the Problem with That?
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The student hasn’t necessarily learned
anything meaningful.
For another example, students are typically
taught that the mitochondria is the powerhouse
of the cell. Ask them what a powerhouse is.
Most have no idea.
They may know a formula or algorithm but
have no idea what it means.
The Monotillation of Traxoline
Attributed to Judy Lanier
It is very important that you learn about traxoline. Traxoline is
a new form of zionter. It is montilled in Ceristanna. The
Ceristannians gristerlate large amounts of fevon and then
bracter it to quasel traxoline. Traxoline may well be one of our
most lukized snezlaus in the future because of our zionter
lescelidge.
Directions: Answer the following questions in complete
sentences.
1. What is traxoline?
2. Where is traxoline montilled?
3. How is traxoline quaselled?
4. Why is it important to know about traxoline?
Other problems with Vocabulary
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Science is not the only way to look at the world.
Scientific definitions of vocabulary words often
conflict with definitions in other realms of knowing.
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Example: food
Example: rotate and revolve
Example: theory
Example: adapt
Scientists are often arrogant about “their definitions”.
We need to get over this and explain the differences
while honoring other ways of knowing.
How Do Children Learn to Talk?
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First: acquire a concept.
Second: recognize the label for the concept
Third: Learn to apply the label to the concept.
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Examples:
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Mama
Doggy
Water
How Do Adults Learn a Foreign
Language?
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First know a concept
Learn to recognize the term for that concept.
Learn to say the term for that concept
Learn to read the term and apply it to the
concept.
Learn to write the term.
So What is a Concept?
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1 : something conceived in the mind
: thought, notion 2 : an abstract or generic
idea generalized from particular instances
(Merriam-Webster Dictionary)
Examples
Aligning instruction to Language
Acquisition
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First a student needs an experience.
 Make sure all students have the same
experiences. You might be surprised.
 Give the students all an experience.
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Anatomy around the heart
Second Step
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Secondly, the student needs to develop the concept.
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Have the students describe the experience in their own
words, explaining the concept (I do not allow any student
to use the scientific term at this stage).
Have them discuss with a group the concept.
Have them use their experience to predict other events.
Discuss problems with looking at the heart and
possible ways to overcome them.
Third – add the Label
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When students have the concept introduce the
term.
Have students analyze the definition to see if
they understand it in terms of their conceptual
understanding.
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Term for TEE
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To Assess Understanding
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Assessment should determine if students
understand the concept – not just be able to
regurgitate the definition.
Application or higher level assessments easily
determine understanding. These do not have
to be essay or difficult-to-grade open ended
assessments (although they can be).
Examples
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When bears eat berries, the seeds are not
digested but instead are deposited in the feces.
What kind of relationship is this and why?
Give an example of this kind of relationship
from your field trip.
Another Approach
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Students learn word parts and decipher what
words mean using those parts.
Example: What is a hydrant? What does
“hydro” mean?
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What is hydrology?
What is the hydrosphere?
What is a hydroelectric power plant?
They need practice
Transesophageal Echocardiogram
What Vocabulary?
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The field of High School Physics and
introductory chemistry have remained roughly
the same for the past 100 years. However….
The field of biology has many times more
content in previous years.
The field of Earth science has not only
increased in content but has added additional
content areas (global warming, hydrology,
etc.).
There are more than five times the words in
the English Language than during
Shakespeare’s time.
Questions for You
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How many terms can we cram into 9 months
and still have meaningful learning?
Do we need to teach all that stuff in the
standards AND all that stuff in the glossary
AND all the stuff we were taught in our
science class AND stuff we find interesting to
us AND…….?
More Questions
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How do we make determinations about what
terminology is important?
Where do we stop teaching the content and
start teaching the students how to learn?
Do standards require that we have students
memorize meaningless (to them) definitions?
Do standardized tests require that students
memorize definitions without understanding?
Is every word highlighted in the chapter or in
the glossary in the standards?
No worry in Chemistry and Physics?
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Students learn algorithms and formulas the
way they learn vocabulary.
Often there is no conceptual understanding;
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Example; density
Example; Increasing speed at a decreasing rate.
Example: torque
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Definition: : a force that produces or tends to produce
rotation or torsion also : a measure of the
effectiveness of such a force that consists of the product
of the force and the perpendicular distance from the line
of action of the force to the axis of rotation
In Summary
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Students need to understand – not just memorize.
Vocabulary without understanding is useless and not
retained or recalled later.
For meaningful learning students need:
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Experiences first
Concept development next
Label (terminology) after concept is developed.
Application of the term in higher level activity.
Standardized tests do NOT require that you have your
students learn without understanding.
Standards do NOT require that you teach your
students every word in the glossary.
If your students know some things very well they will
do better on most other things.