Tools for Teachers: Academic Vocabulary Implementing Key Shifts
in the CCSS ELA Level 2 Session 4
Slide 2
Session Objectives As a result of this session, participants
will Revisit Shift # 3 Regular practice with complex text and its
academic vocabulary Learn about the importance of a systematic
focus on academic vocabulary within CCSS-aligned instruction. 2012
The Aspen Institute
Slide 3
Why Design with a Focus on Academic Vocabulary Matters Teaching
focused on academic vocabulary is linked to significant gains in
comprehension. The lack of systematic instruction has been shown to
be a leading cause of the achievement gap. Thus the CCSS stress the
importance of contextual instruction around Tier 2 academic
vocabulary. 2012 The Aspen Institute
Slide 4
Academic Vocabulary and the CCSS: The Three Tiers Tier 1: The
basic and concrete words of everyday speech; examples include walk,
said, and car. Tier 3: Highly specialized, domain-specific
vocabulary used to describe content knowledge; examples include
oligarchy, photosynthesis, and carburetor; their low occurrence in
texts typically leads to them being explicitly defined by the
teacher or in the text itself (e.g. White supremacy was enforced
through segregation laws called Jim Crow). Tier 3 words are best
taught in the context of a coherent course of study in which
subject matters are integrated and coordinated across the
curriculum and domains become familiar to the student over several
days or weeks. 2012 The Aspen Institute
Slide 5
Academic Vocabulary and the CCSS: The Three Tiers Tier 2:
Precise and more abstract words typically found in written texts;
examples include saunter, boasted, and vehicle; referred to as high
utility general academic vocabulary because of their frequent
appearance across content areas, rich representational quality,
multiple meanings depending on context, and connection to other
words; seldom defined or scaffolded within texts. The contextual
analysis of Tier 2 words should be the academic vocabulary focus
within close reading exemplars. These words should be reinforced
across genres and subject areas. 2012 The Aspen Institute
Slide 6
Tools for Selecting Academic Vocabulary Because there is a
larger number of Tier 2 words than can be taught directly in a
lesson, teachers must be strategic in selecting vocabulary to focus
on when teaching a text. 2012 The Aspen Institute
http://iss.schoolwires.com/Page/38305 Example of Academic
Vocabulary lists
Slide 7
The earliest arrivals found places as close as possible to the
steps of the great marble monument. As the crowd grew, it spread
back along the Mall, stretching around both sides of the long
reflecting pool and extending beyond to the base of the Washington
Monument, three-quarters of a mile away. Baby carriages were parked
among the trees. Folks cradled sleeping infants in their arms and
held youngsters by the hand or propped up on their shoulders.
Uniformed Boy Scouts moved through the festive holiday throng
handing out programs. Academic Vocabulary and Real Texts 2012 The
Aspen Institute
Slide 8
The earliest arrivals found places as close as possible to the
steps of the great marble monument. As the crowd grew, it spread
back along the Mall, stretching around both sides of the long
reflecting pool and extending beyond to the base of the Washington
Monument, three-quarters of a mile away. Baby carriages were parked
among the trees. Folks cradled sleeping infants in their arms and
held youngsters by the hand or propped up on their shoulders.
Uniformed Boy Scouts moved through the festive holiday throng
handing out programs. Academic Vocabulary and Real Texts 2012 The
Aspen Institute
Slide 9
Teach the Relatives Extending extend extended extension
extendable extensive
Slide 10
Video Clip Close Reading - Vocab Focus - Grade 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgQYvj2U4K w
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgQYvj2U4K w In this first day of
instruction, the teacher focuses his first graders on a complex
text. The instruction centers on the vocabulary. The subsequent
lessons focus on text-dependent questions and details. This is the
first of three days worth of instruction on this text.
Slide 11
Time to Reflect Effective CCSS-aligned instruction is designed
with a focus on systematically developing students Tier 2 academic
vocabulary. 2012 The Aspen Institute
Slide 12
Thank you to the Aspen Institute for sharing their work. This
work has been adapted with their permission.
http://www.aspeninstitute.org/publications/tools-teachers-implementing-key-
shifts-common-core-state-standards