Building Academic Vocabulary Through Technology

1. Building Academic Vocabulary Through Technology Sean Christopher & Steve Graser CSLO/Model Schools/IRT SChristopher@e1b.org / SGraser@e1b.org www2.wnyric.org/schristopher

2. Name • School, Grade Level, Content • What are you/your school currently doing in regards to vocabulary instruction?

3. Dr. Bobb Darnell’s major contribution to our workshop is……….

4. My PD Idol

5. His philosophy on staff development….. Start Late, Take Breaks, and End Early……

6. INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITY • We will introduce a topic and you will break into three activity groups…. • Create a word list of associated terms • Draw a picture of term • Discuss one of your favorite experiences with the term. Image: courtesy Microsoft

7. YOUR TOPICS ARE… The first term we will be discussing – Summer The second term we will be discussing- Galeophobia

8. RTTT • CCLS ELA • NYS Teaching Standards

9. Example… • “Carving is appropriate for most green and blue slopes, and even some black slopes. However, if you try to carve through moguls, especially in packed powder or corn snow, you're going to face-plant."

10. BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE Differences in background knowledge are directly correlated to differences in student achievement. Image: courtesy Microsoft

11. Facts About Words/Vocabulary • There are approximately 200,000 words in a dictionary (Does not include many words). • By inception to school student have heard between 13,000-48000 and know 5,000-25,000. • Research indicates that the socio-economic status of a family greatly impact early vocabulary development.

12. More Facts • 86-98% of a child’s vocabulary mimics that of a parents/care giver • Words heard in a hour: Professional: 2153 Working Class: 1251 Welfare: 616

13. And Even More Facts • Affirmations and prohibitions: Professional: 32:5 Working Class:12:7 Welfare/Poverty 5:11 • New words learned (Grades 1-3): Advantaged 8/3000 Disadvantaged 2/750

14. Classroom Instruction Pyramid • Click HERE for the Pyramid Activity

15. Instructional Retention Rates

16. Questions to Ponder • How was vocabulary taught when you went to school? In elementary school, in middle school, in high school. • How many of your pre-service teacher education classes focus on vocabulary instruction?

17. A few more question….. • Does your school have a required protocol for teaching vocabulary? • Has your school developed a prioritized list of vocabulary? If so, please explain. • Do you implement the same strategies for vocabulary instruction in all content areas?

18. Impact of Direct Vocabulary Instruction • Research shows a student in the 50th percentile in terms of ability to comprehend the subject matter taught in school, with no direct vocabulary instruction, scores in the 50th percentile ranking. • The same student, after specific content-area terms have been taught in a specific way, raises his/her comprehension ability to the 83rd percentile.

19. BUILDING STUDENTS’ VOCABULARY “People’s knowledge of any topic is encapsulated in the terms they know that are relevant to the topic.” Allows them to discuss academic content Provides a foundation for them to build new learning upon Allows easier transfer of learning from one subject to another

20. VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT -Depends on an interaction between two key factors: • The ability to process and store new information in our fluid memory • The number and frequency of our museum like experiences Taken together – we are talking about background knowledge!

21. What students need to learn. • The meanings for most of the words in a text so they can understand what they read. • How to apply a variety of strategies to learn words meanings. How to make connections between words and concepts. • How to accurately use words in oral and written language.

22. Criteria to Consider • Has the word been introduced in previous grade levels? • Is this term critically important to the content I will be teaching the entire school year? • Does the term have endurance and leverage?

23. Generating Vocabulary Lists Phase 1: Make a decision regarding number of words for each grade level/content area

24. What Words should I be Teaching? 1. How do I currently choose the vocabulary words I explicitly teach? 2. How many words do I teach in a school year for each grade level and content area?

25. Phase 2 Rank order a list of words for each grade level and content

26. Phase 3 • Based on these lists determine how many terms should be taught in each academic area.

27. Phase 4 • Generate the final list of terms in each academic area by making additions, deletions or other alterations.

28. Phase 5 • Assign terms to specific grades.

29. THE PROCESS Six-Steps for Teaching New Terms • First 3 steps – introduce and develop initial understanding. • Last 3 steps – shape and sharpen understanding. Image: courtesy Microsoft

30. THE (6) STEP PROCESS Provide a description, explanation, or example of the new term…no definitions! Ask students to restate the description in their own words Ask students to construct a picture, symbol, or graphic that represents the term or phrase Engage students periodically in activities that help them add to their knowledge of the terms they are using Ask students to discuss the terms Involve students in games that allow them to play with terms

31. How to Teach Vocabulary • Provide direct, explicit instruction to help students learn word meanings. • Provide many opportunities for students to read in and out of school to encourage indirect learning of vocabulary. • Introduce new vocabulary in multiple contexts. • Engage children in daily interactions that promote using new vocabulary in both oral and written language. • Actively involve students connecting concepts and words. National Panel Report

32. INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGY Visit/Meet: Virtual Field Trips, Videoconferencing Multi-media: United Streaming, EdVideo Online, Graphic Organizers: Kidspiration or Inspiration Current events - make new terms applicable; MSNBC Videos, Google News Use photos or images: Pics4Learning, FreeFoto, Worth1000 Website resources: Vocabulary Hangman, Free Rice Use Smart Board Notebook Files: Example Play with words and learn at Visuwords Oh my! Take them there using Google Earth Download Google Earth

33. INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGY • Create Word templates that students can use – 4 Square • Use pictures, symbols or graphic representations – Addition (Kidspiration), Food Chain (Kidspiration), Climate (Word), Frustrated (Word) • Create PowerPoint or Word templates that students can use - 4 Square • Tell a story that integrates the term; Photo Story (or iPhoto for Mac) • Download Photo Story and Windows Media Player 10 • KidPix - Create Pictures and Slideshows • Here is an example of the Jeopardy Template

34. THIS IS JEOPARDY! Here is an example of the Jeopardy Template

35. We have more for you…. The child comes home from his first day at school. Mother asks, "What did you learn today?" The kid replies, "Not enough. I have to go back tomorrow."

36. Step 1 Provide a description, explanation, or example of the new term…no definitions! • Use video or virtual field trips • Describe your own mental pictures • Tell a story that integrates THE (6) STEP PROCESS

37. Step 2 Ask students to restate the description in their own words: • Rely on background knowledge and experience • Use description, example, explanation of their own • Form links between new term and those already known THE (6) STEP PROCESS

38. Step 3 Ask students to construct a picture, symbol, or graphic that represents the term or phrase. • Allows processing of information in new modality • Provides second processing of the information to • reinforce and deepen meaning THE (6) STEP PROCESS

39. Step 4 Engage students periodically in activities that help them add to their knowledge of the terms they are using • An academic vocabulary notebook encourages students to write their continuing impressions and understandings of the word • Encourage students to use the new term in writings and conversation to make term familiar to student THE (6) STEP PROCESS

40. Step 5 Ask students to discuss the terms • Students can write about their understanding in the academic vocabulary notebook • Discuss with class understandings of the term and note what class members have discovered about the word THE (6) STEP PROCESS

41. Step 6 Involve students in games that allow them to play with terms • Various games will provide further exposure to the new term • Students will gain a deeper integration of the word by its continued review THE (6) STEP PROCESS