Learning vocabulary

Learning vocabulary

1. How do students learn vocabulary?

   • Most importantly: READING
     • Wide-range of texts
     • Book chosen by child
       • Sustained silent reading
   • What do teachers do?
     • Highlight key new words before reading
     • Read aloud/ think aloud
     • Word study activities
       • Word posters
       • Word maps
         • Mind map the word
       • Possible sentences
         • Students write possible sentences using vocabulary words and share with the class. After reading the text the students revise those that weren't accurate. 
       • Dramatising words
         • Like in charades
       • Word sorts
       • Word chains
       • Semantic feature analysis
         • examine features of the word according to distinguishing characteristics
     • Word-learning strategies
       • Context clues
       • Analysing word parts
       • Checking dictionary/ asking for help

2. Four levels of word knowledge

   • Unknown word Initial recognition Partial word knowledge Full word knowledge

3. Struggling readers:

   • word walls
   • Explicit teaching
   • Develop ability to figure out meaning of unfamiliar words

4. Word consciousness

   • Essential for vocabulary growth. Students have these characteristics: use words skilfully, understand meaning aware of difference w=between social and academic language understand the power of word choice motivated to learn the meaning fo unfamiliar words
   • Model interest and precise use
   • Gather words from places they are being met
   • Wordplay
     • riddles jokes puns songs poems experimenting

5. Word-study concepts

   • Synonyms
   • Antonyms
   • Homonyms
   • Figurative meanings