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T.O.A.S.T

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What is T.O.A.S.T.?

T.O.A.S.T is an acronym that corresponds to the steps in the procedure, Test, Organize, Anchor, Say, and Test. T.O.A.S.T helps students achieve vocabulary independence so they can learn at their own rate and focus on the words that seem the most difficult. It also is a great rehearsal activity for second language learners. In these slides we will go over what each acronym is, how to use this strategy in the classroom, some examples of this strategy, and some content area vocabulary ideas. 

Test

Students should do a pretest first on their new vocabulary they are introduced to that week. Students can make flash cards to help them learn new vocabulary words. Students can also use a piece of paper and fold it so it has columns of the words being learned on one side and the definitions on the other side. 

Organize

Students organize their words into anything that will help them remember new words. Students might arrange the words by how similar they are to each other or how different they are. Students also might arrange them into different categories. Student’s cam also arrange them into how similar they are to the word(s) verses how they are brand new. 

Anchor

This strategy is to help with students learn the words for their long-term memory. Here are some examples. working with a partner to teach and test each other, or even compete with one another. Using a tape recorder to tape, listen, and recite definitions and sentences. Students can use timed trials top figure out improvement over a series of trails in writing or reciting the words and their definitions. Students can try to fins another word to act as a mnemonic device to line the target words. Students can examine the morphemes present in each word. An example in the classroom that I think would work is making a slide show or video to a popular song and having the kids come up with some of the lyrics and putting the vocabulary words in the song. You can play that song everyday like for morning meetings or after recess to have a little cool down time, so the students can memorize the song. 

Say

This step is the review stage. Students need to review what they just study over and over. The first time they review it should take about 5 to 10 minutes after they learn their words. Other reviews should happen later that day, a week later and just before the test. An example can be playing the students play memory where they have to match the vocabulary word to the definition. Another example is to play Jeopardy as a whole class. 

Test

Students will have a posttest after they review to check how well they have learned the words. This is to be given the same way as the pretest. Some examples can an exit ticket to check their understanding. 

Content Area Vocabulary Ideas

If I were teaching my students new words from our spelling words this week, I would use anchor part of T.O.A.S.T. The way I would do this is by writing a song with the students that they are familiar with and putting are new vocabulary words and the definitions in them. This way they can connect with it on a personal level. They had ownership in making the song as well. For others learners, I would have them do a quiz, quiz, trade.

Resources

Bean, Thomas W., et al. Content Area Literacy: an Integrated Approach. Kendall Hunt, 2017.