Teaching Vocabulary
By: Linda Diamond and Linda Gutlohn (2006)
Find this useful? Explore our Vocabulary section.
Vocabulary is the knowledge of words and word
meanings. As Steven Stahl (2005) puts it, "Vocabulary knowledge is
knowledge; the knowledge of a word not only implies a definition, but also
implies how that word fits into the world." Vocabulary knowledge is not
something that can ever be fully mastered; it is something that expands and
deepens over the course of a lifetime. Instruction in vocabulary involves far
more than looking up words in a dictionary and using the words in a sentence.
Vocabulary is acquired incidentally through indirect exposure to words and
intentionally through explicit instruction in specific words and word-learning
strategies. According to Michael Graves (2000), there are four components of an
effective vocabulary program:
1. wide or extensive independent reading to
expand word knowledge
2. instruction in specific words to enhance
comprehension of texts containing those words
3. instruction in independent word-learning
strategies, and
4. word consciousness and word-play activities to
motivate and enhance learning
Components of vocabulary instruction
The National Reading Panel (2000) concluded
that there is no single research-based method for teaching vocabulary. From its
analysis, the panel recommended using a variety of direct and indirect methods
of vocabulary instruction.
Intentional vocabulary teaching
Specific Word Instruction
- Selecting Words to Teach
- Rich and Robust Instruction
Word-Learning Strategies
- Dictionary Use
- Morphemic Analysis
- Cognate Awareness (ELL)
- Contextual Analysis
According to the National Reading Panel
(2000), explicit instruction of vocabulary is highly effective. To develop
vocabulary intentionally, students should be explicitly taught both specific
words and word-learning strategies. To deepen students' knowledge of word
meanings, specific word instruction should be robust (Beck et al., 2002).
Seeing vocabulary in rich contexts provided by authentic texts, rather than in
isolated vocabulary drills, produces robust vocabulary learning (National
Reading Panel, 2000). Such instruction often does not begin with a definition,
for the ability to give a definition is often the result of knowing what the
word means. Rich and robust vocabulary instruction goes beyond definitional
knowledge; it gets students actively engaged in using and thinking about word
meanings and in creating relationships among words.
Research shows that there are more words to be
learned than can be directly taught in even the most ambitious program of
vocabulary instruction. Explicit instruction in word-learning strategies gives
students tools for independently determining the meanings of unfamiliar words
that have not been explicitly introduced in class. Since students encounter so
many unfamiliar words in their reading, any help provided by such strategies
can be useful.
Word-learning strategies include dictionary
use, morphemic analysis, and contextual analysis. For ELLs whose language
shares cognates with English, cognate awareness is also an important strategy.
Dictionary use teaches students about multiple word meanings, as well as the
importance of choosing the appropriate definition to fit the particular
context. Morphemic analysis is the process of deriving a word's meaning by
analyzing its meaningful parts, or morphemes. Such word parts include root
words, prefixes, and suffixes. Contextual analysis involves inferring the
meaning of an unfamiliar word by scrutinizing the text surrounding it.
Instruction in contextual analysis generally involves teaching students to
employ both generic and specific types of context clues.
Fostering word consciousness
A more general way to help students develop
vocabulary is by fostering word consciousness, an awareness of and interest in
words. Word consciousness is not an isolated component of vocabulary instruction;
it needs to be taken into account each and every day (Scott and Nagy, 2004). It
can be developed at all times and in several ways: through encouraging adept
diction, through word play, and through research on word origins or histories.
According to Graves (2000), "If we can get students interested in playing
with words and language, then we are at least halfway to the goal of creating
the sort of word-conscious students who will make words a lifetime
interest."
Multiple exposures in multiple contexts
One principle of effective vocabulary learning
is to provide multiple exposures to a word's meaning. There is great
improvement in vocabulary when students encounter vocabulary words often
(National Reading Panel, 2000). According to Stahl (2005), students probably
have to see a word more than once to place it firmly in their long-term
memories. "This does not mean mere repetition or drill of the word,"
but seeing the word in different and multiple contexts. In other words, it is
important that vocabulary instruction provide students with opportunities to
encounter words repeatedly and in more than one context.
Restructuring of vocabulary tasks
Findings of the National Reading Panel
- Intentional instruction of vocabulary items is required for specific texts.
- Repetition and multiple exposures to vocabulary items are important.
- Learning in rich contexts is valuable for vocabulary learning. Vocabulary tasks should be restructured as necessary.
- Vocabulary learning should entail active engagement in learning tasks.
- Computer technology can be used effectively to help teach vocabulary.
- Vocabulary can be acquired through incidental learning. How vocabulary is assessed and evaluated can have differential effects on instruction.
- Dependence on a single vocabulary instructional method will not result in optimal learning.
It is often assumed that when students do not
learn new vocabulary words, they simply need to practice the words some more.
Research has shown, however, that it is often the case that students simply do
not understand the instructional task involved (National Reading Panel, 2000).
Rather than focus only on the words themselves, teachers should be certain that
students fully understand the instructional tasks (Schwartz and Raphael, 1985).
The restructuring of learning materials or strategies in various ways often can
lead to increased vocabulary acquisition, especially for low-achieving or
at-risk students (National Reading Panel, 2000). According to Kamil (2004),
"once students know what is expected of them in a vocabulary task, they
often learn rapidly."
Incidental vocabulary learning
The scientific research on vocabulary
instruction reveals that most vocabulary is acquired incidentally through
indirect exposure to words. Students can acquire vocabulary incidentally by
engaging in rich oral-language experiences at home and at school, listening to
books read aloud to them, and reading widely on their own. Reading volume is
very important in terms of long-term vocabulary development (Cunningham and
Stanovich, 1998). Kamil and Hiebert (2005) reason that extensive reading gives
students repeated or multiple exposures to words and is also one of the means
by which students see vocabulary in rich contexts. Cunningham (2005) recommends
providing structured read-aloud and discussion sessions and extending
independent reading experiences outside school hours to encourage vocabulary
growth in students.
http://www.ldonline.org/article/9943
My opinion
Teaching
vocabulary is learning basic instruction for student. Students have known about
meaning of context. Teaching vocabulary is teacher specific reading repeatedly to solve the problem about pronunciation of
student. In addition, it can help student’s memorization vocabulary then, student
can use it in daily life. Teaching vocabulary is teacher should teach
appropriate with student’s level and student’s generation. The content that
teacher teach it shouldn’t difficult because student can’t guess vocabulary in
context. Student probably is boring. So teacher should use material to motivate
student’s attention for example: use authentic material such as word card and
picture card.
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