On the topic of literacy this week, I think what stuck with me the most was the importance of vocabulary. This idea is not isolated to social studies alone, but generalizing that importance across all content areas. I believe Dr. Stohr mentioned that students are expected to learn 6-10 new vocabulary words each week across all curricular areas. My first reaction was that it was a small number in comparison to the amount of content they would be exposed to. After our activities in class this evening, it was demonstrated that in order for students to truly absorb those big words, a variety of reinforcing strategies must be used so that students can make the big connections that we are looking for. In this case, 6-10 words seems like a much bigger range to me now. I am curious as to how much time should be spent on vocabulary study each week. Building the vocabulary in to most lessons feels like a pretty naturally occurring instance. However, how much time do we spend on those really big words, the words that will allow students to use those connections again and again. I also learned the importance of pre-selecting those words prior to a unit plan in order to mold the lessons around that vocabulary specifically. My favorite activity was the free write. I think that this provides students with an opportunity to think more abstractly and to make personal connections to the word. To me, it breeds creativity and demonstrates what students may know or not know. I really enjoyed the four different options of word study charts that were provided. I think that giving students a choice on strategy, can help to assist with the diverse learner population and to target different learning styles. While vocabulary can be boring memorization for some students, the activities tonight were hands-on, engaging, and required deeper thinking. These strategies will assist students in generalizing that information and have experiences to remember in reflection or study of the content. Lastly, I learned that word walls are not just for elementary students! Exposure is important for all learners.
Take-away! Students should dig deep into vocabulary by exploring meaning, purpose, application, and significance using a variety of instructional techniques.
Hi Stephanie. I want to address a couple of sentences you mention: “I am curious as to how much time should be spent on vocabulary study each week. Building the vocabulary in to most lessons feels like a pretty naturally occurring instance. However, how much time do we spend on those really big words, the words that will allow students to use those connections again and again.” At the start of a unit or lesson, conducting a vocabulary activity like we did with “Revolution” and “Reaction” is a great way to begin and it actually front-loads the lesson. There may be other terms you deliberately teach, however, many of the terms can be taught right within the context of the actual lesson. Consider placing the content terms on a word wall and point them out during the lesson when they naturally appear. Then, periodically, you can ask students to choose, for example, two word wall words and use them in a sentence about the topic under study. This idea helps you to blend the teaching of vocabulary into your lesson and you do not have to wonder how much time it will take to teach the terms in isolation. It is a shift in how we learned vocabulary in school. While Dr. Stohr taught the thematic terms of “revolution” and “reaction” in isolation it is important to remember that these terms were themes of the entire lesson, or the foundation. Taking the time to build out a foundation that has depth and breadth is worth every minute and provides strength to the learning process. I appreciate your thoughtful response and look forward to seeing how you incorporate vocabulary into your lesson plans this semester!