Autumn 2018 Teaching Vocabulary “Being curious about the meaning of an unknown word that one encounters and intrigued by how it relates to other words is a hallmark of those who develop large vocabularies.” Beck, McKweon & Kucan 2013
Aims • Consider the place of vocabulary in the 2014 National Curriculum • Consider how vocabulary is assessed in the Reading SATs • Familiarisation with research relating to vocabulary acquisition • Explore ways to teach vocabulary in the primary classroom
Why Closing the Word Gap Matters: Oxford Language Report 2018 Over half the teachers surveyed reported that at least 40% of their pupils lacked the vocabulary to access their learning. 69% of primary teacher and 60% of secondary teachers believe the word gap is increasing. We know from other research that the size of a child’s vocabulary is the best predictor of success on future tests and children with a poor vocabulary at five are four times more likely to struggle with reading in adulthood and three times more likely to have mental health issues.
“Vocabulary size is a convenient proxy for a whole range of educational attainments and abilities – not just skill in reading, writing, listening, and speaking, but also general knowledge of science, history and the arts.” E.D. Hirsh, ‘A Wealth of Words’
The Simple View of Reading Gough and Tunmer, 1986
Vocabulary Vocabulary to account for 3 – 20%
Vocabulary Vocabulary to account for 10 – 20%
Vocabulary Vocabulary to account for 10 – 20%
Match the meaning Burn your bridges Occasionally Take it with a pinch of salt Destroy relationships Once in a blue moon Don’t take it too seriously A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush My patience has run out What you have is worth more than what you That’s the last straw might have later A perfect storm Trouble is coming There are clouds on the horizon The worst possible situation
Figurative and idiomatic language As well as single words, readers also have to make sense of groups of words. This can be complicated because of such things as phrasal verbs, idioms, and figurative language. Tennent, Reedy, Hobsbaum and Gamble : Guiding Reading – Layers of meaning, 2016. Ask out… Break down… Eyes like deep pools… As bright as… Blind leading the blind… Beware of Greeks bearing gifts… Haul someone over the coals…
Quick Wins for vocabulary learning: What’s the Saying? _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ A L F S R E N G L D K E F F O R L Y P D O C
biplane unhelpful co-pilot pressure bicycle untidy bilingual cooperate aviation aviators coordinate pressured unladylike pressurise aviate
Write a sentence including the word ‘course’?
What does _______ mean in Which of the this sentence? following is closest in meaning to __________ as it is used here?
Vocabulary acquisition Developing vocabulary occurs in two ways: Through indirect instruction – Using rich reading experiences to grow vocabulary ‘naturally’ – Paying attention to context to work out meaning – Using background knowledge AND Through direct ‘robust’ instruction…
Good vocabulary instruction involves… a. Decisions about which words to teach b. Decisions and expertise around how to teach these words Four Key Principles: 1. Good vocabulary instruction helps children gain ownership of words (being able to use or think about a word in a variety of different ways) 2. Good vocabulary instruction provides multiple exposures through rich and varied activities to meaningful information about the word 3. Good vocabulary instruction includes both definitional and contextual information about each word’s meaning. 4. Good vocabulary instruction involves children more actively in word learning. Taken from Word Power by Stahl & Kapinus
A tiered approach to language learning Tier 3: words either limited to specific domains (think science and maths vocabulary for example) or extremely rare words. Tier 2: words that tend to be used in written language and that are versatile/have high utility (e.g. occurrence, tended, haunting, fortune) Tier 1: words typically found in oral language (likely to be known, used, or encountered without design) Beck et al 2002.
A tiered approach to language learning “Because of the large role Tier Two words play in a language user’s repertoire, rich knowledge of words in the second tier can have a powerful impact on verbal functioning. Thus, instruction directed toward Tier Two words can be most productive.” Beck et al, Bringing Words to Life: Robust Vocabulary Instruction, 2013
Tier Two language: Goldilocks words Too hard – topic-specific words Too easy – words children Goldilocks words – useful that just need explaining. The will be using in everyday beyond the immediate topic average adult may not have an conversation and will and should be in-depth knowledge of these generally pick up systematically taught and words. incidentally, without specific reviewed. These words will teaching, unless they have be words that are in the speech, language and average adult’s vocabulary. communication difficulties. crew expedition floe igloo endurance hummock drifting recruitment reefing
Some criteria for identifying tier two words • Importance and utility : Words that are characteristic of written text and appear frequently across a variety of domains. For example, categorise ranges broadly, as most things can be categorised. Everything from words to kinds of governments can be categorised. Similarly, technique is widely useful, such as someone’s technique for remembering telephone numbers or a city’s technique for collecting parking tickets. • Conceptual understanding: Words for which students understand the general concept but provide precision and specificity in describing the concept. For example, students understand that things can be in the way, but hindrance is a sophisticated way to express that idea. Similarly, that there is enough of something is recognised by young children, but that there is sufficient is a more mature way of expressing the idea. • Instructional potential: Words that are more than one-dimensional, and offer a variety of contexts and uses to explore. For example, aid doesn’t mean much more that ‘help’; in contrast, establish is similar to start , but it also means ‘ to put on a firm basis ,’ as in to establish a business or form of government or to establish a reputation. Establish also means ‘to put beyond doubt’ as in to establish a person's innocence. Beck et al, Bringing Words to Life: Robust Vocabulary Instruction, 2013
“I selected ‘endurance’ as one of the key words from the text Shackleton's Journey because it represents the theme of the story as well as being the name of the expedition ship. The word itself has different nuances of meaning from stoic endurance to a way of referring to something that lasts over time. Both of these meanings can be applied to the Shackleton story. The sailors had to endure great hardship and their story has endured in the public imagination.” Year 6 teacher. 4XR Developing Excellence in Reading: Nikki Gamble
Top tips for selecting tier two words • Students may already have a way of expressing a concept for a tier two word. So learning these words gives them opportunities to be increasingly specific in their word choices • Some words are central to understanding the text. • Many words in English are polysemic. Students may misinterpret texts if they know one meaning but are not conversant with alternative meanings. • Words that are apparently simple may be conceptually complex. Understanding at the surface level may inhibit comprehension when the word is used in a slightly different context. 4XR Developing Excellence in Reading: Nikki Gamble
Vocabulary boost Focus word Brief explanation Example sentences Definition expedition endurance recruitment
The link between inference and vocabulary Algy met a bear. The bear met Algy. The bear was bulgy. The bulge was Algy. Ogden Nash
The link between inference and vocabulary Making inferences to account for 16 – 50%
Classroom books to encourage vocabulary development Dear deer: A book of Homophones by Gene Barretta Little Mouse’s Big Book of Fears by Emily Gravett The Silly Book of Weird and Wacky Words by Andy Seed Mom and Dad are Palindromes by Mark Shulman 13 Words by Maria Kalman and Lemony Snicket Eight ate: A feast of Homonym Riddles by Marvin Terban A filth of Starlings by Patrick George
To know a word well requires: “Rich, decontextualised knowledge of a word’s meaning, its relationship to other words, and its extension to metaphorical uses.” Beck, McKeown, & Omanson ( 1987)
INSET evaluation: prioritising actions M – what do you need to maintain? A – what do you need to amend? I – what do you need to introduce? D – what do you need to discard?
Keep in touch Rachel.clarke@primaryenglished.co.uk www.primaryenglished.co.uk https://collins.co.uk/collections/reading-detectives
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