Strategic Vocabulary Selection: Choosing Words From Narrative & Informational Texts Elfrieda H. Hiebert University of California, Berkeley www.textproject.org
Aims of Today’s Presentation 1. A four-part vocabulary program 2. Background on English vocabulary 3. How the words in informational & narrative texts are the same and different and what these similarities and differences mean for instruction
The Four Vocabulary Components* of Classrooms Where Students Receive the Gift of Words** *Graves, M.F. (2009). Teaching individual words: One size does not fit all . Newark, DE: IRA. **Scott, J.A., Skobel, B.J., & Wells, J. (2008). The word-conscious classroom. NY: Scholastic.
Component #1: Opportunities for scaffolded silent reading
That include forms of vocabulary logs (Illustration of a vocabulary log in the primary grades)
Component #2: Rich language by teachers through read-alouds
AND: Rich Teacher Talk in Everyday Events www.textproject.org
Components #3 & #4: Receiving the gift of words involves direct instruction as well: • Direct instruction of thematic groups of words from informational text • Direct instruction of semantic clusters of words from literary/narrative texts
2. Background on English Vocabulary: a. English vocabulary is huge: 290,500 entries in the OED; with variant spellings, obsolete forms, combinations and derivatives over 616,500 words. b. Gap in students’ vocabularies on school entry is extensive (Hart & Risley, 1994) c. Content of Vocabulary Curricula in English/Language Arts is ill-defined as evident in: State Standards (& Assessments) � Core Reading Programs � d. Sources of English
2a. Words in American Schoolbooks 6 WordZones TM 5 4 3 0-2 Zeno et al., 1995
d. Sources of English Greek/Latin Specialized words used mostly in science EX: thermometer, geography New Words through compounding of word parts: thermosphere, geopolitical Romance 1066 (Norman Conquest)-1399 (Henry IV, a native Anglo-Saxon speaker assumes throne): French is spoken by upper classes; English by lower-classes. French loan words remain. EX: frigid, perspiration, soil New Words through derivations: frigidity, frigidness, refrigerator Anglo-Saxon Common, everyday, down-to-earth words EX: cold, sweat, dirt New Words through compounding: cold-blooded, cold-natured, cold-drink, cold-running (from Calfee & Drum, 1981)
3. What’s the same? •The core vocabulary •Linguistic challenges with the core vocabulary: Idioms & Compound & Polysemous Words •Instructional challenges with the core vocabulary •Solutions
Words in American Schoolbooks 6 WordZones TM 5 4 3 0-2 Zeno et al., 1995
Narrative Text Far out at sea, a great Russian icebreaker named the Moskva picked up the faint signal. "We read you," the captain radioed back. "We're on our way, but it may take us several weeks to reach you. Can you keep the whales alive until then? Some of the people from Glashka's village started setting up a base camp near the whales. Others set out by dogsled to alert the surrounding settlements.
Informational Text Even after stirring, sugar sometimes drops to the bottom. This is evidence that not all of the sugar is dissolved. When all the sugar dissolves, you can’t see it. If the sugar isn’t all dissolved, you can try stirring some more. You can also try adding more water. Sometimes you can make all the sugar dissolve. Sometimes you can’t.
3. What’s different? a. Ratio of difficult to familiar The ratio of difficult to familiar vocabulary needed to be “high” (i.e., one substance word in three) before reliable effects on comprehension were evident (Freebody & Anderson, 1983)
3. What’s different? b. Conceptual difficulty of words � Of numerous factors, only conceptual difficulty was significantly related to learning from context (with conceptually difficult words less likely to be known than words with known concepts) (Nagy, Anderson, & Herman, 1987) � 1. Known concepts with one-word synonym (e.g., altercation =fight) � 2. Known concepts that can be expressed in a familiar phrase (e.g., apologize =to say you’re sorry) � 3. Unknown concept that can be learned from available experiences & information (e.g., naïve ) � 4. Unknown concept that is based on new factual information or a related system of concepts (e.g., divide as “boundary between drainage basins” requires knowing about river systems)
Conceptually Complex Words from Grade 6 Narrative & Science Texts Categories Category 4 1-3 Narrative 100% (slithering, wincing, kindling, gestures) Science 64% 36% (e.g.: fermentation, (absorb, cytoplasm) microscope)
3. What’s different c. Rare words are repeated more frequently in informational than narrative texts 4 Reading/Language 3.5 Arts 3 2.5 2 1.5 1 0.5 0 HM2-HM4 HM4-HM6 SF2-SF4 SF4-SF6 Across HM & SF 35 30 25 20 Science 15 10 5 0 HM2-HM4 HM4-HM6 SF2-SF4 SF4-SF6 ALL HM-SF
3. Informational Vocabulary: What to teach a. Content-specific [emphasis of this presentation] •Many words have Romance-based morphology (e.g., combine/combination; solution/dissolve ) b. General academic--words such as system, process, form
Grades 2, 4, & 6 •volt •electrical •amperes discharge •voltage •negatively •alternating current charged •electric (AC) •atoms •pole charges •direct current (DC) •attracts •static •circuit breakers •repels electricity •magnetic field •magnetic •electric •nonmagnetic current •armature •compass •conductors •magnetic poles •commutator •electric cell •temporary •cathode ray tube •electric circuit magnet •negative terminal •insulators •permanent •electrons Electricity •parallel circuit magnetic •phosphor & Magnets •series circuit •electromagnet •steering coils •simple circuit •generator •pixels •switch •motor •positive terminal •circuit breaker •anode •fuse •magnetic data storage •magnetic dipoles •magneto-optical disks
3. What to teach: Vocabulary for core concepts combine absorb dissolve ingredient Designing Mixtures substance property soluble mixture pure odor acid chemical abrasive solution
3. Informational Vocabulary: How to teach it •Indepth experiences with concepts are required--not simply vocabulary exercises •The sequence that follows illustrates the nature of vocabulary/concept learning embedded in literacy/science content (from Lawrence Hall of Science Seeds of Science/Roots of Reading Program: www.seedsofscience.org)
Do it Students test ingredients and mixtures to learn more about possible glue ingredients and to select those that are stickiest
Talk it Students evaluate results and decide which ingredients to use to make glue
Read it Students read a book that models the design process.
Write it Students use their records from first and secondhand sources to decide what combination of ingredients best meets their design goals.
3. Literary vocabulary: What to teach a. Synonyms (remember the Anglo- Saxon/French alternatives)
hullabaloo noise racket stir hubbub hue and cry din uproar to-do clamor bother furor ruckus tumult mayhem rumpus chaos turbulence commotion turmoil disturbance upheaval trouble riot fracas fuss disorder excitement argument brouhaha protest brawl ado bustle free-for-all melee
tentatively: carefully: hesitantly suspiciously uncertainly charily timidly circumspectly shyly sheepishly gingerly cautiously : delicately: guardedly precisely watchfully skillfully vigilantly dexterously warily deftly gently: with care adroitly quietly softly lightly kindly smoothly soothingly tenderly
LIKE/DON"T FEELINGS LIKE *happy *perfect *excited *wonderful *pleased *favorite *scared *worried WORDS *cross THAT *angry DESCRIBE *furious *frowning OTHER GROUPS: *crowded *flat *steep NOISES *graceful *whisper *whisper *whisper *clomping *clomping *bushy *clomping *noisy *sizzles *sizzles *sizzles *swooch *swoosh *strong *swooch *crackle *crackle *tough *crackle *clang *clang *barely
WORD GROUPS FOOD BODY PLACES PEOPLE *cereal *fist *seafood *apartment *gentleman *subway *master CLOTHES JOBS *restaurant *grown-up *costume *mayor *station *kindergartner *apron *guard *booth *sombrero *cobbler *sarape
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