The article, Academic Vocabulary, is basically a verbal breakdown of teaching in its simplest form with a focus on vocabulary. All teaching should begin by meeting the students where they are and what is familiar with them. It should then begin to challenge and build upon itself and eventually create a deeper understanding in the subject. Reading and writing material in all classrooms is needed to positively influence literacy in students, but there needs to be instruction to create that understanding. Everyone is different and learns in different ways. Some students love to read and they already have a varied vocabulary. Others need instruction to begin understanding the terms deeply. Different tiers of academic vocabulary will create scaffolding for comprehension. Starting with everyday spoken language in tier 1, building upon with written text words that might not been spoken everyday in tier 2, and in tier 3, discussing abstract content based words. We need to "create a culture of word learning" and "provide instruction in words deep understanding" as educators. Reading, writing, and vocabulary that is incorporated into the classroom helps improve literacy. Digging deeper with the class about the meaning of words and the correct spelling of those words is also essential. Having a curriculum that builds on itself academically as well as with vocabulary will increase the students understanding. Together, these strategies can improve overall student success.
An earlier reading discussed stylistic differences between content areas. I was skeptical about the degree to which academic fields truly due vary based on style, as opposed to greater stylistic differences within different works in the same academic field (compare, for instance, differences between Psychology Today and American Psychologist vs. those between Psychology Today and Popular Mechanics).
What I am not skeptical of, however, is the idea that different fields have different jargons that have to be learned in order to be fully capable of reading within that field. Consider the word "cell" for instance; "cell" appearing in a geometry text will have a different (albeit historically related) meaning than "cell" in a biology text. "Tangent" has a two related meanings in geometry and a metaphorically related meaning in rhetoric; because of the relative opaqueness of the three meanings, though, knowing one superficially may lead students to confusion rather than better understanding of the others.
Because each field has specialized vocabulary, particularly vocabulary that overlaps with other fields, it's important for content area teachers to be aware of this vocabulary and have strategy for helping students understand it. In my classes, when I introduce technical vocabulary, I try to be mindful of this and be prepared with either ways to rephrase in more student-friendly ways or (my preference) an etymological explanation of the term. For instance, with the case of "tangent", I talk about the rhetorical sense of going off on a tangent as well as showing how the sense of the tangent of a triangle's angle and the tangent of a circle are related.
However, I cannot know precisely the status of each student's vocabulary. The chapter "Academic Vocabulary" provides strategies for giving students more autonomy and responsibility for building their own vocabulary, in addition to providing teachers with some strategies. I do think that student vary quite a bit in their curiosity and desire to learn new words they encounter, as opposed to getting frustrated and giving up on reading, or skimming through sections because they don't understand basic words. Like MARSI, having a self-assessment exercise that encourages students to discuss and reflect on their own behavior with regards to new words seems like an excellent exercise.
One thing that I was confused about (perhaps ironically, in light of my comments above) was the reference to "content words". I wasn't sure if the authors meant to restrict the scope to words within the instructor's content area (that is, "content area words"), or to all words with semantic, non-grammatical value (similar to what in linguistics are called "content morphemes"); I assume the former, but either would make sense in context.
What was your thoughts on developing on the third principle that the author suggests as critical to teaching vocabulary: design instruction that fosters a deep understanding of the words through instructional activities, reading selections and goals that are tailored to learners needs? Do you see any overlap of this idea with any of our other readings?
I agree with the fact that vocabulary is the key to success for reading comprehension. The context may be able to help somewhat with the conveyance of the fact, but tone of a passage and the ability to read between the lines is completely lost when students don't understand the meanings of words. I think the best thing to do is to use the Tier 2 words as much as possible during class so that the students get used to hearing them contextually and to discuss Latin roots. I rely on that knowledge all the time to help myself understand words that I do not recognize. I'm not sure that the self assessment tools are that valuable. The students are all aware of their inabilities to understand vocabulary words because they struggle so much with reading them, and they know when they are having difficulty. If I were given a self-evaluation sheet for vocabulary I don't think I would get much out of it at all and I'd see it as frustrating busy work. Overall, I just believe that the students need the exposure to new words and it would help if it came from teachers that they really respect so that they are encouraged to start using them themselves.
Do you have any research to support that strategy you listed above? There is plenty to support self-monitoring of reading strategies; in fact, its probably the single most important in developing competent readers and writers and is concurrent throughout all of our readings.
The research shows that students with rich academic vocabularies are likely to have success while learning content area subjects e.g. science and mathematics. The article provides teachers with instructional strategies to help promote and strengthen students’ academic vocabularies. There is a great body of evidence that shows the when students make the transition from reading stories or narrative text in primary grades there is a significant drop in achievement levels. Many researchers believe that students with limited vocabularies are the cause for such a decline in the achievement levels.
Some researchers believe that the process of learning words is also a contributing factor in the low achievement levels. Since words are learned in stages and when students progress through the different grades, there is a varying and complex level of words to acquire. The words associated with content learning are often referred to as academic vocabulary. The authors define academic vocabulary as the array of words that differ from everyday words that students would typically hear in ordinary conversations.
To improve students’ academic vocabulary the author suggests that teachers develop a three-tier approach. The first tier consist of words that are used in everyday language, the second tier are words that not so common in everyday language and the third there are abstract words. Since vocabulary plays a major role in understanding text and content area material, the role of the teacher is to help students expand their academic vocabulary. As teachers, help students to increase their academic vocabularies, assessments to monitor progress are crucial. Teachers play an integral role in assessing students’ academic vocabulary and the authors offer a variety of assessment tools. The students also play a pivotal role in increasing their vocabulary through self-monitoring .
The article “Academic Vocabulary” talked about the significance of vocabulary education in academic achievement. The article also defined academic vocabulary as words that are specific to the content that is being taught. Mathematics has words that are specific to math and the content cannot be explained without understanding these certain words and even phrases, most of these words would be categorized as Tier 2 words. That makes academic vocabulary very critical in the student’s ability to achieve full understanding of mathematical concepts and according to the article would be direct taught. The article referenced sources that outline four basic principles of teaching vocabulary. I would like to read the specific text to get more details about each of the principles. The strategies for assessing and monitoring vocabulary education in the classroom are interesting ideas that I would try in the classroom. I really thought the reflection questions were good and I will use them when planning my units in the future to make sure that the content vocabulary is covered thoroughly enough so the students can get a full understanding of the content. Right now, I review the vocabulary for the section and we do a vocabulary activity for the chapter. This article helped me realize that I should be doing more to help the students learn the vocabulary and to consistently relate it to the content. I encourage the students to use the correct terminology so that they can express themselves mathematically. The students still have trouble saying the correct mathematical terminology and I should also incorporate some sort of teaching strategy to strengthen this type of vocabulary as well. In conclusion, this article encouraged me to reflect on my current vocabulary education in the classroom and I will utilize some the strategies to improve.
Thanks for writing, Nicole. Which of the four principles proposed by the author most resonates with your teaching practice? Which ones do you believe would be a challenge or difficult to implement?
In the reading “Academic Vocabulary”, it explicitly breaks down the importance of teaching vocabulary to students and how their heightened knowledge of vocabulary can improve student achievement. This article also differentiates the types of vocabulary that we use, and points out to the reader how understanding vocabulary aids in following a particular reading or text. The type of vocabulary that is most relevant to our course matter is “academic” vocabulary. Academic vocabulary is vocabulary that is different from our everyday language. Academic vocabulary is the words that are associated with content knowledge. The article also goes more in depth with strategies in teaching and assessing academic vocabulary. In teaching academic vocabulary, the author suggests that the teacher enacts a category system which classifies the words into three tiers. Tier 1 are the words used in a students’ everyday vocabulary, Tier 2 words are words that are characterized in written text but not used in everyday language, and Tier 3 words are more abstract in nature. The author states that teachers should focus heavily on the Tier 2 words. To assess the usage of academic vocabulary, the author gives more of a chronological approach. The author states to provide systematic vocabulary instruction, ensure vocabulary usage are supported with experiences, design activities that provides deep understanding of the vocabulary, and to select content words that leads the students to understanding the text. I find that the author wants the reader to understand that teaching vocabulary is just as important as teaching content. The author also wants the reader to understand that it is also a way to help the teacher in designing instruction. I find this very relevant because I’ve notice the amount of students who are able to do a certain type problem, but when asked to so the same problem on a standardized test cannot perform the task. I believe that much is on the account of not understanding what the problem is asking for to begin with. I don’t feel that teaching vocabulary will teach the students to critically think, but I do believe that it will get them in the ballpark of understanding what’s being asked of them. This article connected a lot of dots for me, and allowed me to understand some gaps in my teaching. I admit that I did not place a lot of emphasis on vocabulary as I should, mainly because I did not know how. I hope that in future instruction I will be able to utilize the use of a word wall more, and also have the students associate the vocabulary word with the pictorial mathematical association. In using these teaching methods, maybe it would not only strike an emphasis on vocabulary but also get the students to become more motivated to learn new words.
Thanks for writing, DeAndre. The author argues for teachers to "create a culture for word learning by fostering an appreciation of words." To your point about critically thinking, how does creating such a culture of word consciousness, as the author suggests, develop higher-order thinking in math?
Blog Post #3 Academic Vocabulary I appreciate how “Academic Vocabulary” opens up with a reminder of just how important and powerful words are/ have the potential to be. We often forget their power- in writing and verbal- and the impact/ effect that they can have in communicating knowledge and emotions. I have issues with how “…the textbook remains an essential tool for student learning (pg. 10)” This year, our environmental science class has not had text books. Is this to say that my students will not be as successful in academic achievement without a textbook? With all of the discussions that we have on the quality of various texts, and how our textbooks are not necessarily appropriate, at times it may be for the better. I understand and support the correlation between vocabulary and comprehension, but the quality of the text matters. If I do not have a quality text from which to draw upon, then I would care to argue that I might be better to search for other, alternative resources. When learning new words, the stages, meaning, and progressions should be visited for our ELL’s also, and kept in mind. In developing our academic vocabulary, there is a definite difference in science compared to that of a casual, everyday language. For example, to understand the Theory of Evolution, students also need to have vocabulary consisting of natural selection, populations, species, convergent, divergent, and adaptive radiation, just to name a few. All of these words and phrases work together to support one another. Every new unit in science introduces a gauntlet of new vocabulary which needs to be taught, developed, and applied. The Tiers 1, 2, and 3 are concepts easy enough to understand, but I find it difficult to easily draw/ come up with some tier 3 words. Obviously, tier 1 words are those that our students are going to be most comfortable with. As I read assignments, especially if it is a longer paper (and the student truly wrote it), I am able to find what I refer to as their personal “voice.” I know that in most papers that I write I have a strong voice. It is as though at times, the writer is talking. If there were texts wrote more in this style, with Tier 1 words, then I think students may be more apt to read. This unfortunately will not help develop and improve their vocabulary though. The direct instruction of Tier 2 words is suggested to be most beneficial, but what would be the best instruction method for Tier 3 vocabulary? The last section of the reading focuses on involving students in the process of assessing their own learning. I could see this as a potential continuing project throughout the academic year. I again see this as a good idea, but implementation and time dedication could be a struggle.
Thanks for writing, Christina. I appreciate your question about how to effectively address Tier 3 vocabulary. How do you think the author would respond to your question?
Vocabulary is something I have often noticed my students struggle with, especially in a biology class where they are asked to learn massive amounts of scientific terms. This struggle with vocabulary is not a new concept; however, I like that this article went further to discuss the different types of vocabulary students must learn and often struggle with. Frequently, when we discuss vocabulary it is only referring to the “vocabulary words” assigned to each chapter. But the words that often give our students the most trouble are those in between the vocabulary words or the words making up the definitions. It is important for us to teach our students how to approach these words, as their tendency is to give up when something gets too challenging. I’m assuming that as this is titled chapter one, this reading would go on to discuss more ways to teach students how to tackle vocabulary, but unfortunately the reading itself did not discuss the best practices for this within an individual classroom other than frequent use and instruction. We cannot always control the culture of our school or whether vocabulary is being immersed in the classrooms around us. In my own classroom I often try to break more complex words down to show students root words that they better understand. I have also used foldables where students write their own definitions of a word during class and then on the other side wrote the book definition for homework. This allowed students to correct their understanding if there was something they were unsure of during class. But more importantly, it helped students to break down the textbook definition, look closer at the words, and form a deeper understanding. One thing addressed well in the article is the benefit of these techniques with ELLs, as vocabulary acquisition is even harder for them as they may be struggling with more basic words and depending on the language there may not be many similarities between the words to their own language. One think we have discussed before is, if possible, to use words that may be similar in their native language to help students to build an understanding. I think it is equally important for our students as some students struggle with both reading and writing in proper English because it is not the same as conversational English they use day to day. Vocabulary terms such as those found in textbooks can be intimidating causing students to shut down. Therefore it is important to initially put a practice in place where students are not only learning vocabulary words, but also learn strategies to approach words they don’t know such as context reading or using resources such as dictionaries.
Thanks for writing, Jenna. I appreciate your approach and dedication to emphasizing vocabulary in your room. How important is transfer and self-monitoring in the teaching of vocabulary? How will you address this question in your unit?
The reading on Academic Vocabulary contains a very powerful message about the importance of vocabulary throughout all grade levels. The need for lesson plans with a strong emphasis on vocabulary becomes more apparent as students begin to encounter larger and more complex text book, which contain specific vocabulary for discussing the content. I agree with most of the article, but as some of my other fellows have already discussed, the text book being the most important tool for content knowledge is only true if the book is well written and understandable to the average student. The breakdown of vocabulary into the tiers makes enough sense, but it seems as though tier three should be a subsection of tier two; since tier one contains words spoken in the students’ daily lives and tier two contains written that are written in text about a content matter, tier three is more abstract words that fall under the tier two category. The assessment tool can be useful, but only if the students understand the inherent nature of reflection within growing their education and the students have a realistic perception of their skills and deficits. This article contains several ideas which could be implemented into the classroom. Students within our classroom struggle understanding mathematical concepts, and despite our insistent attitudes, they are not making the connection that mastering vocabulary is key to making important connections. To me, mastering vocabulary means being able to give a simple definition, detailed definition, examples and counterexamples. For teachers this means that differentiating instruction for ELLs, students with special needs, students of all skill levels and students with varying socioeconomic statuses, is a vital component of teaching vocabulary and content matter. This article contains some good information, but its usefulness all falls on how the information is put to use and how the teacher incorporates vocabulary into the curriculum.
Thanks for writing, Michael. So if the assessment tool is useful but requires a "realistic" perception student skills, then how do you have students be genuine upon reflection?
The Academic Vocabulary article was very good. The main emphasis of the article was discussing the importance of vocabulary building in the intermediate and secondary grades. Vocabulary building changes once students complete primary schooling and enter intermediate education due to the emphasis on literacy in the various classes they will take. The article interestingly put these ideas to terms by saying, “the transition from reading stories or narrative text in the primary grades to reading content area texts in the intermediate grades has created challenges for many students. Their drop in achievement levels is referred to as the fourth-grade slump.” These are the very problems within the classroom that we deal with as teachers. Besides the obvious cultural, parental, motivational, and home factors, we see students have many academic issues. Especially in mathematics, students can be many grade levels behind where they’re supposed to be. Students can also be many levels ahead. Why is this the case? How can we fix it? This would be very difficult to completely fix because of the many factors that contribute to these issues, but by providing students the knowledge of literacy within the content area (especially mathematics), I definitely think learning concepts would be more intuitive for students. Especially in mathematics, and as the article said, academic vocabularies are conceptually more complex than words in our everyday slang and academic/professional speech. In content courses, students need to understand the fundamental definitions and build off of these in order to begin to understand the big picture. Also, students need to understand the content and context associated with vocabulary in order to learn specialized vocabularies. As teachers, it is our role to bring these new vocabulary words and contextual meanings to the students. The article explains this. There are 3 tiers for academic vocabulary teaching: tier 1 included words already spoken in everyday language, tier 2 includes words not common in everyday language but are written in text, and tier 3 includes words that tend to be abstract. A lot of times in mathematics, there are tons of tier 2 words within tier 3 concepts. To teach new vocabulary words, we need to show students the material and help them understand the meaning behind it, and then select words that represent the fundamental concepts that will help them understand and remember the text. The vocabulary and mathematic readings, let’s say, need to be incorporated in the mathematics classroom so that students have a deep understanding of the word so that they can understand the text. To incorporate these ideas, the article says that frequent, varied, and extensive language experiences need to occur that offer opportunities for reading, individual word instruction, and development of word consciousness. In my mathematics classes next year, I will definitely incorporate legitimate vocabulary and concept learning experiences that focus on reasoning, understanding, and critical thinking. I will provide students many reading and writing opportunities that help them to put their new knowledge of mathematics content to terms while teaching them to articulate what they learned. By doing so, student understanding of material will increase as well as academic success.
Thanks for writing, Jordan. How do students in your classroom (or in the unit for that matter) achieve personal mastery or in your words "deep understanding" of vocabulary? Is the self-assessment and self-monitoring tool effective? Why or why not?
The link between range of vocabulary and ability to learn content should be fairly obvious, but as students progress through their education it seems that we are less concerned with tracking what vocabulary they know or how much they know of it. I remember being in high school and laughing when my A.P. English teacher handed us a vocabulary and spelling list. However, it should be as obvious to students as it is to teachers that we are never finished learning vocabulary that helps increase our understanding. Academic vocabulary is important because it varies so widely from everyday vocabulary. Teachers can separate academic vocabulary into three different tiers. Tier one is vocabulary that is used in everyday language, tier two is vocabulary that are not as common in everyday language but characterize written text, and tier three are more abstract and limited more to academic content. It is important that teachers recognize what vocabulary falls into what tier and then implements the necessary strategies to help students’ master new and challenging words. The ability for all students, whether proficient in English or English language learners, to learn new vocabulary is important to ensure that students comprehend and remember content. When reading about teaching vocabulary it is not enough to present students with vocabulary and ask them to learn that vocabulary. Students must also be presented with a way to track their learning and understanding. In most teaching texts that we have encountered the writers have put emphasis on the importance of finding ways for students to track their understanding and progress. Even throughout my student teaching I would watch students go through the motions of their education without tracking what they had learned of what progress they were making. It can be powerful to put students in charge of their learning and progress so that they understand where they are going and how fast they are accomplishing goals.
Reading this article was enlightening and slightly intimidating. I totally agree with the quote from Nathaniel Hawthorne “Words so innocent and powerless as they are, as standing in a dictionary, how potent for good and evil, in the hand of one who knows how to combine them” on more than one level, but I have to admit I am one of the people who thought that all words were learned in the same manner – reading and talking/hearing words. When not directly being instructed on what words mean, making inferences allows students to discern their meaning through reading context clues. I didn’t realize there was any different practice for learning words. When the authors said that “Young children having a “less extensive vocabulary” may not have problems, but by the end of Grade 3, vocabulary limits take a toll on reading comprehension. As students move up into the intermediate grades, instruction shifts from an emphasis on literacy to science, math and social studies.” My first thought was could that be the problem? Why are we waiting until the end of Grade 3 to introduce students to content vocabulary? I would think the younger a student is the more they are able to absorb and assimilate new information. Adolescence is a time of so many other changes both physical and mental that I would expect we would not wait until adolescence to begin that process. When you think about the authors statements, “Successful adolescent students in content area classrooms share a common characteristic: they have rich academic vocabularies with words that serve them as potent tools for learning in content area classrooms” and “Without theircapacity to read and understand the requireed texts from various disciplines, students will experience failure” along with the way that many people are taught, it does not surprise me to find out that student achievement has been allowed to fall so low. I never remember having instructors who broke vocabulary down for us the way it is mentioned in this text. You were given a book, some vocabulary terms to learn and a dictionary – period. You were not often allowed to use “everyday” language without quickly being corrected and told to use the proper term. That could also be an issue in our current educational system. Common language is becoming more acceptable than academic vocabulary in that it is allowed to suffice when it should be used to build a bridge for students to cross over to mastery of the content. Hence, the quote, “But for those who hold little regard for words – the word will remain a powerless tool.”
Academic Vocabulary Words can influence a persons character and personality. Words can cause pain and suffering, words can heal wounds in broken hearts and perhaps change the world for better or worse. Words can also move mountains. So as teachers we should always be cautious on what kind of words we choose to use with our students. Anyway, this article is written in a clear voice, it tells us how we use "vocabulary" in our classrooms as teachers. Writers explain that using great and productive vocabulary into classrooms is essential and vital for students. They say that different strategies and plans should be used into classrooms to allow students to become more effectively involved in their learning activities. " They have also demonstrated to educators that key to comprehending text is that readers knowledge of the words on the printed page. Finally, to provide teachers with tools for helping students to understand and learn from text, research offers and effective framework for teaching vocabulary in content are classrooms." Next, by using specific academic vocabulary students can become better readers and quickly learn the new procedures of using the vocabulary, the learner will relate new information to prior experiences and knowledge. Research states that teaching vocabulary in content areas as a necessity, and that vocabulary is important so students can gain much knowledge by using specific words learned from given vocabulary words. As teachers we should utilize vocabulary words as tools for students academic success, so students can understand the context of the text, if the text is read, but not understood, nothing is learned on part of the student. Therefore, texts are essential to learning. Learning with out understanding vocabulary words is impossible. So students learn by practicing, and practicing makes it perfect. Therefore, the more students practice, the high vocabulary words the better and more successful they will become in achieving their content area goals academically and socially. For low achieving students, vocabulary usage should be utilized daily. To improve their vocabulary students should be keeping vocabulary journals, learn the meaning of each word , know the word roots and learn the context clues and tactics. In addition dictionary usage and thesaurus is a must for understanding and comprehending complicated words. As a ELL or Special Ed teacher I would develop a classroom atmosphere that will enhance each and every students vocabulary. I would arrange students into groups, so they can face each other and read together. I would make sure that every student participates in each and every activity, I also would monitor it and make sure that they listen, participate and communicate with each other effectively. Further, I would also ask questions about difficult words, explain them, reinforce their understanding and comprehension and encourage them to practice and increase their content area reading.
The article mainly suggests that vocabulary and reading comprehension are essential to the academic success of students. It is highly essential that students develop an understanding of the words that are used in the various content areas they are studying. The academic vocabulary that students learn is the words associated with a specific content area. According to the article, academic vocabulary is different from students’ daily language but is paramount in the success of the student in that content. “A student’s depth of word knowledge within a discipline, or academic vocabulary, relates to success in that subject”. It is also shared within the article that teachers should recognize that words should be categorized in a way that will provide effective student learning. The classification of words are considered to be Tier 1-words students use day to day, Tier 2- “words that characterize written text-but not common in everyday language”, and Tier 3 words “which are considered more abstract in nature”. Ultimately the article focuses on the research that suggests that student achievement is dependent upon students’ understanding of academic vocabulary within content areas. It is also emphasized how it is necessary for teachers to teach academic vocabulary to all students. The self-monitoring tool that is offered seemed to be a tool that might be helpful in the task of developing student academic vocabulary.
When i read this article I though about my experience of reading to my children over the years. My younger two are twins ( 1 boy, 1 girl). I have observed first hand how my kids have developed an expanded vocabulary by listening to what's being read to them, by my asking them questions about the story, but incorporating new words in conversation, etc. And although I am not a linguistics scholar, I do know that language and thought are rekated. Limited vocabulary limits thought because ideas cannot be communicated, discussed, questioned, turned around, integrated with other ideas....
So then we get students who must also learn specialized vocabulary. I have come to appreciate how many more opportunities ther should be for students to students to articulate their reasoning through class discussion and writing, using appropriate terminology in context and anchoring learning to direct experience whenever possible.
The article, Academic Vocabulary, is basically a verbal breakdown of teaching in its simplest form with a focus on vocabulary. All teaching should begin by meeting the students where they are and what is familiar with them. It should then begin to challenge and build upon itself and eventually create a deeper understanding in the subject. Reading and writing material in all classrooms is needed to positively influence literacy in students, but there needs to be instruction to create that understanding.
ReplyDeleteEveryone is different and learns in different ways. Some students love to read and they already have a varied vocabulary. Others need instruction to begin understanding the terms deeply. Different tiers of academic vocabulary will create scaffolding for comprehension. Starting with everyday spoken language in tier 1, building upon with written text words that might not been spoken everyday in tier 2, and in tier 3, discussing abstract content based words. We need to "create a culture of word learning" and "provide instruction in words deep understanding" as educators.
Reading, writing, and vocabulary that is incorporated into the classroom helps improve literacy. Digging deeper with the class about the meaning of words and the correct spelling of those words is also essential. Having a curriculum that builds on itself academically as well as with vocabulary will increase the students understanding. Together, these strategies can improve overall student success.
An earlier reading discussed stylistic differences between content areas. I was skeptical about the degree to which academic fields truly due vary based on style, as opposed to greater stylistic differences within different works in the same academic field (compare, for instance, differences between Psychology Today and American Psychologist vs. those between Psychology Today and Popular Mechanics).
ReplyDeleteWhat I am not skeptical of, however, is the idea that different fields have different jargons that have to be learned in order to be fully capable of reading within that field. Consider the word "cell" for instance; "cell" appearing in a geometry text will have a different (albeit historically related) meaning than "cell" in a biology text. "Tangent" has a two related meanings in geometry and a metaphorically related meaning in rhetoric; because of the relative opaqueness of the three meanings, though, knowing one superficially may lead students to confusion rather than better understanding of the others.
Because each field has specialized vocabulary, particularly vocabulary that overlaps with other fields, it's important for content area teachers to be aware of this vocabulary and have strategy for helping students understand it. In my classes, when I introduce technical vocabulary, I try to be mindful of this and be prepared with either ways to rephrase in more student-friendly ways or (my preference) an etymological explanation of the term. For instance, with the case of "tangent", I talk about the rhetorical sense of going off on a tangent as well as showing how the sense of the tangent of a triangle's angle and the tangent of a circle are related.
However, I cannot know precisely the status of each student's vocabulary. The chapter "Academic Vocabulary" provides strategies for giving students more autonomy and responsibility for building their own vocabulary, in addition to providing teachers with some strategies. I do think that student vary quite a bit in their curiosity and desire to learn new words they encounter, as opposed to getting frustrated and giving up on reading, or skimming through sections because they don't understand basic words. Like MARSI, having a self-assessment exercise that encourages students to discuss and reflect on their own behavior with regards to new words seems like an excellent exercise.
One thing that I was confused about (perhaps ironically, in light of my comments above) was the reference to "content words". I wasn't sure if the authors meant to restrict the scope to words within the instructor's content area (that is, "content area words"), or to all words with semantic, non-grammatical value (similar to what in linguistics are called "content morphemes"); I assume the former, but either would make sense in context.
What was your thoughts on developing on the third principle that the author suggests as critical to teaching vocabulary: design instruction that fosters a deep understanding of the words through instructional activities, reading selections and goals that are tailored to learners needs? Do you see any overlap of this idea with any of our other readings?
DeleteI agree with the fact that vocabulary is the key to success for reading comprehension. The context may be able to help somewhat with the conveyance of the fact, but tone of a passage and the ability to read between the lines is completely lost when students don't understand the meanings of words. I think the best thing to do is to use the Tier 2 words as much as possible during class so that the students get used to hearing them contextually and to discuss Latin roots. I rely on that knowledge all the time to help myself understand words that I do not recognize.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure that the self assessment tools are that valuable. The students are all aware of their inabilities to understand vocabulary words because they struggle so much with reading them, and they know when they are having difficulty. If I were given a self-evaluation sheet for vocabulary I don't think I would get much out of it at all and I'd see it as frustrating busy work. Overall, I just believe that the students need the exposure to new words and it would help if it came from teachers that they really respect so that they are encouraged to start using them themselves.
Do you have any research to support that strategy you listed above? There is plenty to support self-monitoring of reading strategies; in fact, its probably the single most important in developing competent readers and writers and is concurrent throughout all of our readings.
DeleteThe research shows that students with rich academic vocabularies are likely to have success while learning content area subjects e.g. science and mathematics. The article provides teachers with instructional strategies to help promote and strengthen students’ academic vocabularies. There is a great body of evidence that shows the when students make the transition from reading stories or narrative text in primary grades there is a significant drop in achievement levels. Many researchers believe that students with limited vocabularies are the cause for such a decline in the achievement levels.
ReplyDeleteSome researchers believe that the process of learning words is also a contributing factor in the low achievement levels. Since words are learned in stages and when students progress through the different grades, there is a varying and complex level of words to acquire. The words associated with content learning are often referred to as academic vocabulary. The authors define academic vocabulary as the array of words that differ from everyday words that students would typically hear in ordinary conversations.
To improve students’ academic vocabulary the author suggests that teachers develop a three-tier approach. The first tier consist of words that are used in everyday language, the second tier are words that not so common in everyday language and the third there are abstract words. Since vocabulary plays a major role in understanding text and content area material, the role of the teacher is to help students expand their academic vocabulary. As teachers, help students to increase their academic vocabularies, assessments to monitor progress are crucial. Teachers play an integral role in assessing students’ academic vocabulary and the authors offer a variety of assessment tools. The students also play a pivotal role in increasing their vocabulary through self-monitoring .
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteThe article “Academic Vocabulary” talked about the significance of vocabulary education in academic achievement. The article also defined academic vocabulary as words that are specific to the content that is being taught. Mathematics has words that are specific to math and the content cannot be explained without understanding these certain words and even phrases, most of these words would be categorized as Tier 2 words. That makes academic vocabulary very critical in the student’s ability to achieve full understanding of mathematical concepts and according to the article would be direct taught. The article referenced sources that outline four basic principles of teaching vocabulary. I would like to read the specific text to get more details about each of the principles. The strategies for assessing and monitoring vocabulary education in the classroom are interesting ideas that I would try in the classroom. I really thought the reflection questions were good and I will use them when planning my units in the future to make sure that the content vocabulary is covered thoroughly enough so the students can get a full understanding of the content. Right now, I review the vocabulary for the section and we do a vocabulary activity for the chapter. This article helped me realize that I should be doing more to help the students learn the vocabulary and to consistently relate it to the content. I encourage the students to use the correct terminology so that they can express themselves mathematically. The students still have trouble saying the correct mathematical terminology and I should also incorporate some sort of teaching strategy to strengthen this type of vocabulary as well. In conclusion, this article encouraged me to reflect on my current vocabulary education in the classroom and I will utilize some the strategies to improve.
ReplyDeleteThanks for writing, Nicole. Which of the four principles proposed by the author most resonates with your teaching practice? Which ones do you believe would be a challenge or difficult to implement?
DeleteIn the reading “Academic Vocabulary”, it explicitly breaks down the importance of teaching vocabulary to students and how their heightened knowledge of vocabulary can improve student achievement. This article also differentiates the types of vocabulary that we use, and points out to the reader how understanding vocabulary aids in following a particular reading or text. The type of vocabulary that is most relevant to our course matter is “academic” vocabulary. Academic vocabulary is vocabulary that is different from our everyday language. Academic vocabulary is the words that are associated with content knowledge.
ReplyDeleteThe article also goes more in depth with strategies in teaching and assessing academic vocabulary. In teaching academic vocabulary, the author suggests that the teacher enacts a category system which classifies the words into three tiers. Tier 1 are the words used in a students’ everyday vocabulary, Tier 2 words are words that are characterized in written text but not used in everyday language, and Tier 3 words are more abstract in nature. The author states that teachers should focus heavily on the Tier 2 words. To assess the usage of academic vocabulary, the author gives more of a chronological approach. The author states to provide systematic vocabulary instruction, ensure vocabulary usage are supported with experiences, design activities that provides deep understanding of the vocabulary, and to select content words that leads the students to understanding the text.
I find that the author wants the reader to understand that teaching vocabulary is just as important as teaching content. The author also wants the reader to understand that it is also a way to help the teacher in designing instruction. I find this very relevant because I’ve notice the amount of students who are able to do a certain type problem, but when asked to so the same problem on a standardized test cannot perform the task. I believe that much is on the account of not understanding what the problem is asking for to begin with. I don’t feel that teaching vocabulary will teach the students to critically think, but I do believe that it will get them in the ballpark of understanding what’s being asked of them.
This article connected a lot of dots for me, and allowed me to understand some gaps in my teaching. I admit that I did not place a lot of emphasis on vocabulary as I should, mainly because I did not know how. I hope that in future instruction I will be able to utilize the use of a word wall more, and also have the students associate the vocabulary word with the pictorial mathematical association. In using these teaching methods, maybe it would not only strike an emphasis on vocabulary but also get the students to become more motivated to learn new words.
Thanks for writing, DeAndre. The author argues for teachers to "create a culture for word learning by fostering an appreciation of words." To your point about critically thinking, how does creating such a culture of word consciousness, as the author suggests, develop higher-order thinking in math?
DeleteBlog Post #3
ReplyDeleteAcademic Vocabulary
I appreciate how “Academic Vocabulary” opens up with a reminder of just how important and powerful words are/ have the potential to be. We often forget their power- in writing and verbal- and the impact/ effect that they can have in communicating knowledge and emotions.
I have issues with how “…the textbook remains an essential tool for student learning (pg. 10)” This year, our environmental science class has not had text books. Is this to say that my students will not be as successful in academic achievement without a textbook? With all of the discussions that we have on the quality of various texts, and how our textbooks are not necessarily appropriate, at times it may be for the better. I understand and support the correlation between vocabulary and comprehension, but the quality of the text matters. If I do not have a quality text from which to draw upon, then I would care to argue that I might be better to search for other, alternative resources.
When learning new words, the stages, meaning, and progressions should be visited for our ELL’s also, and kept in mind. In developing our academic vocabulary, there is a definite difference in science compared to that of a casual, everyday language. For example, to understand the Theory of Evolution, students also need to have vocabulary consisting of natural selection, populations, species, convergent, divergent, and adaptive radiation, just to name a few. All of these words and phrases work together to support one another. Every new unit in science introduces a gauntlet of new vocabulary which needs to be taught, developed, and applied.
The Tiers 1, 2, and 3 are concepts easy enough to understand, but I find it difficult to easily draw/ come up with some tier 3 words. Obviously, tier 1 words are those that our students are going to be most comfortable with. As I read assignments, especially if it is a longer paper (and the student truly wrote it), I am able to find what I refer to as their personal “voice.” I know that in most papers that I write I have a strong voice. It is as though at times, the writer is talking. If there were texts wrote more in this style, with Tier 1 words, then I think students may be more apt to read. This unfortunately will not help develop and improve their vocabulary though. The direct instruction of Tier 2 words is suggested to be most beneficial, but what would be the best instruction method for Tier 3 vocabulary?
The last section of the reading focuses on involving students in the process of assessing their own learning. I could see this as a potential continuing project throughout the academic year. I again see this as a good idea, but implementation and time dedication could be a struggle.
I have posted this three times. Hopefully it sticks this time...
DeleteThanks for writing, Christina. I appreciate your question about how to effectively address Tier 3 vocabulary. How do you think the author would respond to your question?
DeleteVocabulary is something I have often noticed my students struggle with, especially in a biology class where they are asked to learn massive amounts of scientific terms. This struggle with vocabulary is not a new concept; however, I like that this article went further to discuss the different types of vocabulary students must learn and often struggle with. Frequently, when we discuss vocabulary it is only referring to the “vocabulary words” assigned to each chapter. But the words that often give our students the most trouble are those in between the vocabulary words or the words making up the definitions. It is important for us to teach our students how to approach these words, as their tendency is to give up when something gets too challenging. I’m assuming that as this is titled chapter one, this reading would go on to discuss more ways to teach students how to tackle vocabulary, but unfortunately the reading itself did not discuss the best practices for this within an individual classroom other than frequent use and instruction. We cannot always control the culture of our school or whether vocabulary is being immersed in the classrooms around us. In my own classroom I often try to break more complex words down to show students root words that they better understand. I have also used foldables where students write their own definitions of a word during class and then on the other side wrote the book definition for homework. This allowed students to correct their understanding if there was something they were unsure of during class. But more importantly, it helped students to break down the textbook definition, look closer at the words, and form a deeper understanding. One thing addressed well in the article is the benefit of these techniques with ELLs, as vocabulary acquisition is even harder for them as they may be struggling with more basic words and depending on the language there may not be many similarities between the words to their own language. One think we have discussed before is, if possible, to use words that may be similar in their native language to help students to build an understanding. I think it is equally important for our students as some students struggle with both reading and writing in proper English because it is not the same as conversational English they use day to day. Vocabulary terms such as those found in textbooks can be intimidating causing students to shut down. Therefore it is important to initially put a practice in place where students are not only learning vocabulary words, but also learn strategies to approach words they don’t know such as context reading or using resources such as dictionaries.
ReplyDeleteThanks for writing, Jenna. I appreciate your approach and dedication to emphasizing vocabulary in your room. How important is transfer and self-monitoring in the teaching of vocabulary? How will you address this question in your unit?
DeleteThe reading on Academic Vocabulary contains a very powerful message about the importance of vocabulary throughout all grade levels. The need for lesson plans with a strong emphasis on vocabulary becomes more apparent as students begin to encounter larger and more complex text book, which contain specific vocabulary for discussing the content. I agree with most of the article, but as some of my other fellows have already discussed, the text book being the most important tool for content knowledge is only true if the book is well written and understandable to the average student. The breakdown of vocabulary into the tiers makes enough sense, but it seems as though tier three should be a subsection of tier two; since tier one contains words spoken in the students’ daily lives and tier two contains written that are written in text about a content matter, tier three is more abstract words that fall under the tier two category. The assessment tool can be useful, but only if the students understand the inherent nature of reflection within growing their education and the students have a realistic perception of their skills and deficits.
ReplyDeleteThis article contains several ideas which could be implemented into the classroom. Students within our classroom struggle understanding mathematical concepts, and despite our insistent attitudes, they are not making the connection that mastering vocabulary is key to making important connections. To me, mastering vocabulary means being able to give a simple definition, detailed definition, examples and counterexamples. For teachers this means that differentiating instruction for ELLs, students with special needs, students of all skill levels and students with varying socioeconomic statuses, is a vital component of teaching vocabulary and content matter. This article contains some good information, but its usefulness all falls on how the information is put to use and how the teacher incorporates vocabulary into the curriculum.
Thanks for writing, Michael. So if the assessment tool is useful but requires a "realistic" perception student skills, then how do you have students be genuine upon reflection?
DeleteThe Academic Vocabulary article was very good. The main emphasis of the article was discussing the importance of vocabulary building in the intermediate and secondary grades. Vocabulary building changes once students complete primary schooling and enter intermediate education due to the emphasis on literacy in the various classes they will take. The article interestingly put these ideas to terms by saying, “the transition from reading stories or narrative text in the primary grades to reading content area texts in the intermediate grades has created challenges for many students. Their drop in achievement levels is referred to as the fourth-grade slump.” These are the very problems within the classroom that we deal with as teachers. Besides the obvious cultural, parental, motivational, and home factors, we see students have many academic issues. Especially in mathematics, students can be many grade levels behind where they’re supposed to be. Students can also be many levels ahead. Why is this the case? How can we fix it?
ReplyDeleteThis would be very difficult to completely fix because of the many factors that contribute to these issues, but by providing students the knowledge of literacy within the content area (especially mathematics), I definitely think learning concepts would be more intuitive for students. Especially in mathematics, and as the article said, academic vocabularies are conceptually more complex than words in our everyday slang and academic/professional speech. In content courses, students need to understand the fundamental definitions and build off of these in order to begin to understand the big picture. Also, students need to understand the content and context associated with vocabulary in order to learn specialized vocabularies. As teachers, it is our role to bring these new vocabulary words and contextual meanings to the students. The article explains this.
There are 3 tiers for academic vocabulary teaching: tier 1 included words already spoken in everyday language, tier 2 includes words not common in everyday language but are written in text, and tier 3 includes words that tend to be abstract. A lot of times in mathematics, there are tons of tier 2 words within tier 3 concepts. To teach new vocabulary words, we need to show students the material and help them understand the meaning behind it, and then select words that represent the fundamental concepts that will help them understand and remember the text. The vocabulary and mathematic readings, let’s say, need to be incorporated in the mathematics classroom so that students have a deep understanding of the word so that they can understand the text. To incorporate these ideas, the article says that frequent, varied, and extensive language experiences need to occur that offer opportunities for reading, individual word instruction, and development of word consciousness.
In my mathematics classes next year, I will definitely incorporate legitimate vocabulary and concept learning experiences that focus on reasoning, understanding, and critical thinking. I will provide students many reading and writing opportunities that help them to put their new knowledge of mathematics content to terms while teaching them to articulate what they learned. By doing so, student understanding of material will increase as well as academic success.
Thanks for writing, Jordan. How do students in your classroom (or in the unit for that matter) achieve personal mastery or in your words "deep understanding" of vocabulary? Is the self-assessment and self-monitoring tool effective? Why or why not?
DeleteThe link between range of vocabulary and ability to learn content should be fairly obvious, but as students progress through their education it seems that we are less concerned with tracking what vocabulary they know or how much they know of it. I remember being in high school and laughing when my A.P. English teacher handed us a vocabulary and spelling list. However, it should be as obvious to students as it is to teachers that we are never finished learning vocabulary that helps increase our understanding.
ReplyDeleteAcademic vocabulary is important because it varies so widely from everyday vocabulary. Teachers can separate academic vocabulary into three different tiers. Tier one is vocabulary that is used in everyday language, tier two is vocabulary that are not as common in everyday language but characterize written text, and tier three are more abstract and limited more to academic content. It is important that teachers recognize what vocabulary falls into what tier and then implements the necessary strategies to help students’ master new and challenging words. The ability for all students, whether proficient in English or English language learners, to learn new vocabulary is important to ensure that students comprehend and remember content.
When reading about teaching vocabulary it is not enough to present students with vocabulary and ask them to learn that vocabulary. Students must also be presented with a way to track their learning and understanding. In most teaching texts that we have encountered the writers have put emphasis on the importance of finding ways for students to track their understanding and progress. Even throughout my student teaching I would watch students go through the motions of their education without tracking what they had learned of what progress they were making. It can be powerful to put students in charge of their learning and progress so that they understand where they are going and how fast they are accomplishing goals.
How can you model in your classroom (or in your unit) how to learn Tier 1 -3 vocabulary?
ReplyDeleteReading this article was enlightening and slightly intimidating. I totally agree with the quote from Nathaniel Hawthorne “Words so innocent and powerless as they are, as standing in a dictionary, how potent for good and evil, in the hand of one who knows how to combine them” on more than one level, but I have to admit I am one of the people who thought that all words were learned in the same manner – reading and talking/hearing words. When not directly being instructed on what words mean, making inferences allows students to discern their meaning through reading context clues. I didn’t realize there was any different practice for learning words.
ReplyDeleteWhen the authors said that “Young children having a “less extensive vocabulary” may not have problems, but by the end of Grade 3, vocabulary limits take a toll on reading comprehension. As students move up into the intermediate grades, instruction shifts from an emphasis on literacy to science, math and social studies.” My first thought was could that be the problem? Why are we waiting until the end of Grade 3 to introduce students to content vocabulary? I would think the younger a student is the more they are able to absorb and assimilate new information. Adolescence is a time of so many other changes both physical and mental that I would expect we would not wait until adolescence to begin that process.
When you think about the authors statements, “Successful adolescent students in content area classrooms share a common characteristic: they have rich academic vocabularies with words that serve them as potent tools for learning in content area classrooms” and “Without theircapacity to read and understand the requireed texts from various disciplines, students will experience failure” along with the way that many people are taught, it does not surprise me to find out that student achievement has been allowed to fall so low. I never remember having instructors who broke vocabulary down for us the way it is mentioned in this text. You were given a book, some vocabulary terms to learn and a dictionary – period. You were not often allowed to use “everyday” language without quickly being corrected and told to use the proper term. That could also be an issue in our current educational system. Common language is becoming more acceptable than academic vocabulary in that it is allowed to suffice when it should be used to build a bridge for students to cross over to mastery of the content. Hence, the quote, “But for those who hold little regard for words – the word will remain a powerless tool.”
Academic Vocabulary
ReplyDeleteWords can influence a persons character and personality. Words can cause pain and suffering, words can heal wounds in broken hearts and perhaps change the world for better or worse. Words can also move mountains. So as teachers we should always be cautious on what kind of words we choose to use with our students. Anyway, this article is written in a clear voice, it tells us how we use "vocabulary" in our classrooms as teachers. Writers explain that using great and productive vocabulary into classrooms is essential and vital for students. They say that different strategies and plans should be used into classrooms to allow students to become more effectively involved in their learning activities. " They have also demonstrated to educators that key to comprehending text is that readers knowledge of the words on the printed page. Finally, to provide teachers with tools for helping students to understand and learn from text, research offers and effective framework for teaching vocabulary in content are classrooms."
Next, by using specific academic vocabulary students can become better readers and quickly learn the new procedures of using the vocabulary, the learner will relate new information to prior experiences and knowledge. Research states that teaching vocabulary in content areas as a necessity, and that vocabulary is important so students can gain much knowledge by using specific words learned from given vocabulary words. As teachers we should utilize vocabulary words as tools for students academic success, so students can understand the context of the text, if the text is read, but not understood, nothing is learned on part of the student. Therefore, texts are essential to learning. Learning with out understanding vocabulary words is impossible. So students learn by practicing, and practicing makes it perfect. Therefore, the more students practice, the high vocabulary words the better and more successful they will become in achieving their content area goals academically and socially. For low achieving students, vocabulary usage should be utilized daily. To improve their vocabulary students should be keeping vocabulary journals, learn the meaning of each word , know the word roots and learn the context clues and tactics. In addition dictionary usage and thesaurus is a must for understanding and comprehending complicated words. As a ELL or Special Ed teacher I would develop a classroom atmosphere that will enhance each and every students vocabulary. I would arrange students into groups, so they can face each other and read together. I would make sure that every student participates in each and every activity, I also would monitor it and make sure that they listen, participate and communicate with each other effectively.
Further, I would also ask questions about difficult words, explain them, reinforce their understanding and comprehension and encourage them to practice and increase their content area reading.
Academic Vocabulary
ReplyDeleteThe article mainly suggests that vocabulary and reading comprehension are essential to the academic success of students. It is highly essential that students develop an understanding of the words that are used in the various content areas they are studying. The academic vocabulary that students learn is the words associated with a specific content area. According to the article, academic vocabulary is different from students’ daily language but is paramount in the success of the student in that content. “A student’s depth of word knowledge within a discipline, or academic vocabulary, relates to success in that subject”.
It is also shared within the article that teachers should recognize that words should be categorized in a way that will provide effective student learning. The classification of words are considered to be Tier 1-words students use day to day, Tier 2- “words that characterize written text-but not common in everyday language”, and Tier 3 words “which are considered more abstract in nature”.
Ultimately the article focuses on the research that suggests that student achievement is dependent upon students’ understanding of academic vocabulary within content areas. It is also emphasized how it is necessary for teachers to teach academic vocabulary to all students. The self-monitoring tool that is offered seemed to be a tool that might be helpful in the task of developing student academic vocabulary.
When i read this article I though about my experience of reading to my children over the years. My younger two are twins ( 1 boy, 1 girl). I have observed first hand how my kids have developed an expanded vocabulary by listening to what's being read to them, by my asking them questions about the story, but incorporating new words in conversation, etc. And although I am not a linguistics scholar, I do know that language and thought are rekated. Limited vocabulary limits thought because ideas cannot be communicated, discussed, questioned, turned around, integrated with other ideas....
ReplyDeleteSo then we get students who must also learn specialized vocabulary. I have come to appreciate how many more opportunities ther should be
for students to students to articulate their reasoning through class discussion and writing, using appropriate terminology in context and anchoring learning to direct experience whenever possible.