Vocabulary Instruction

The eighth graders went on a field trip today, so I did not have my regular hours in the classroom.

Instead, I focused on researching the area of vocabulary instruction.

Many of my experiences with vocabulary instruction have been the same: the teacher writes the word on the board and provides a definition, and I copy the material into a notebook to be quizzed on later. This a regular activity for many teachers. However, studies show that this vocabulary practice is not truly sustaining education. If the material does not provide a rich sense of the word in many contexts and a deep understanding, it rarely makes it's way into the student's social vocabulary for future or current use.

I began reading Word Nerds: Teaching All Students to Learn and Love Vocabulary by Leslie J. Overturf in order to further investigate the issue of vocabulary instruction in the classroom. A goal for teaching vocabulary is for students to be “taking ownership” on the words (3)--that is, they are understanding a deep understanding and can use that word effectively and confidently.

There are several strategies for increasing vocabulary. One is independent reading. Studies show that students are exposed to a variety of words in different contexts through independent reading. As I've already been interested in the value of independent reading in the classroom, this is an exciting connection.

In order to really build a strong word schema for the students, they need to have time to work with the words in a variety of ways. Wide reading, as mentioned, is one way. Beyond that, classroom discussions in a language-rich environment can be helpful. We need to create an environment that is playful with language, encouraging the students to use words and feel safe exploring new words. Other strategies include word play, drama, and music.

Vocabulary can't be put on the back burner to other content. Conversely, it should be made a priority. Vocabulary instruction is transferable to other content areas, and is directly related to real-life. It should be a hallmark in and out of the classroom. Teaching vocabulary should be “intentional, transparent, useable, personal, and a priority” (17).

Individual word instruction can be maximized by word learning strategies, word consciousness, and, eventually, rich and varied language experiences where the student owns the word.

Encouraging vocabulary instruction should really be happening every day. It shouldn't be a scenario where students are introduced to vocab on Monday, not using it until the quiz on Friday. It should be intentional and useful in everyday classroom conversations.

I began reading initially about activities that will be infused with vocabulary instruction. Shared reading, writing workshops, small group guided readings, and free reading are all examples that I plan to look into more as the semester progresses.