Effective Vocabulary Instruction for NGSSS

Dr. Sherwin JoseRED 3013

The Facts

• There are about 1.8 million words in the English language.

• The average person knows between 40 and 60 thousand words.

• Only 5-10% of words are in our working vocabulary.

• 23 prefixes account for 85% of the words in the English language.

• Language is dynamic.

• 500 new words are added daily to our language.

Research Findings

• Looking up words in a dictionary and memorizing definitions is not effective. (Nagy & Scott, 2001)

• The meaning of a word must be expanded beyond a simple definition.

• Greater vocabulary knowledge happens when students select words and/or the strategies for learning words. (Blachowicz and Fisher, 2000)

• In classrooms where students have opportunities to become immersed in reading and writing, vocabulary development improves.

THE WORD SET HAS 194 DEFINITIONS.

For example, set \’set\ vb

1. To cause to sit2. To put a fowl (on eggs) to hatch them3. To place (oneself) in position to start running a race4. To fix (a hook) firmly into the jaw of a fish5. To set with care or deliberate purpose (a stone on the grave)6. To put aside (dough containing yeast) for fermenting7. To adjust a measuring device (alarm clock) to a desired position8. To fix a certain amount (bail at $500)9. To defeat (an opponent or his contract) in bridge10. To incite to attack or antagonism (brother against brother)11. To become solid or thickened by chemical or physical alteration (concrete)12. To become whole by knitting (set a bone)

Consider this…Vocabulary size in

kindergarten predicts reading comprehension

and school achievement . (Beck, McKeown and Kucan,

2002)

AffixesPrefixes• a word part attached

to the beginning of a word. Most prefixes come from Greek, Latin, or Old English.

• dis-• pre-• un-• re-

Suffixes• a word part that

appears at the end of a root or base word to form a new word. Some suffixes change word meaning, others change parts of speech.

• -est• -ion• -able

Consider this…

Effective vocabulary instruction

requires multiple exposures in

varying contexts along with

activities for deep processing.

(Stahl and Fairbanks, 2006)

Consider this…

There is a direct relationship between the

amount one reads and vocabulary development.

(Gambrel and Headley, 2006)

CONTEXT CLUES

A word’s context can provide important clues about its meaning. The context of a word is made up of the punctuation marks, words, sentences, and paragraphs that surround the word.

Other Ways to Say . . . Vocabulary

(LA.6-8.1.6.3, 1.6.7, 1.6.8, 1.6.9)

(LA.910.1.6.3, 1.6.7, 1.6.8, 1.6.9)

same meaning

most opposite

phrase describes

convey

add to the idea restates

used in same way

Where will you find it?• Literary text

• Fiction and Nonfiction

• Informational text