Module Four: Activities

Content Area Vocabulary Development: Getting your Students to First Base

Activity 1 | Activity 2

Activity 1 — Types of Word Learners

Step 1: Read the instructor’s module introduction
Consider the three types of vocabulary learners:

Spontaneous word learners
Impoverished word learners
Impaired word learners.

Which Strategy for Which Students?

Step 2: Read the following web-based resources before beginning the textbook readings.

Practice Quiz on Vocabulary with Greek and Latin Roots
Ready-made quizzes for studying and learning about Greek and Latin roots.
Content Reading Vocabulary
Learn more about teaching vocabulary in the content areas through accessing this article:

lesson plans for teaching content vocabulary
general tools for teaching vocabulary
general information sites about vocabulary growth.

White Paper: Literacy Implementation Guidance for the ELA Common Core State Standards

Step 3: Complete the required readings in the textbooks.

Billmeyer, R. (2010). Strategic Reading in the Content Area: Practical Application for Creating a Thinking Environment, 2nd ed. Vocabulary Development
p. 93-107
Provides a good overview/rationale for teaching content vocabulary and a number of useful instructional strategies.
Billmeyer, R. (2006). Strategies to Engage the Mind of the Learner, 2nd ed.
Section 2 – Vocabulary; p. 25 – 58
A dozen vocabulary instructional strategies are described.
Serravallo, J. (2015). The reading strategies book: Your everything guide to developing skilled readers. Goal 11: Improving Comprehension in Fiction and Nonfiction: Understanding Vocabulary and Figurative Language. p. 296-323

Step 4: Complete a Word Learner Chart
Using three columns, one for each type of vocabulary learner —

Spontaneous
Impoverished
Impaired

— categorize at least three of the vocabulary instructional strategies in the column of the language learner where you think it would be the most effective.

Include a brief one-sentence rationale describing why you placed the strategy in the chosen column.

Word Learner Chart Template (Word document)

Step 5: Discussion Posting
Post your Word Learner Chart on the Discussion Board and discuss what you learned about vocabulary instructional strategies to use with your students by completing this activity.

Discussion Topic: Types of Word Learners (your name)

No discussion responses are required.

Activity 2 — Vocabulary Strategy Action Plan

Step 1: Optional Readings and Interesting Websites

Vocabulary.com
“This website site beefs up your word power with more than 40,000 multiple-choice questions and refines its choices as it learns about your knowledge of the English language," writes Harry McCracken in Time.

Teachers can create vocabulary lists to complement lesson plans or build up students' word banks with pre-made lists such as "PSAT Words," "NAEP Test Words," and "100 Top SAT Words."
Ariza, E. (2010). Not for ESOL teachers: What every classroom teacher needs to know about the linguistically, culturally, and ethnically diverse student, (2nd ed), New York: Allyn & Bacon for Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 9, "Literacy and the English Language Learner" -- (PDF in “Content”).

pointing hand
Review the vocabulary Action Plan rubric before
beginning the assignment.

Step 1: Tiers of Vocabulary Words
Select one of the three tiers of vocabulary words to teach after viewing the Vocabulary PowerPoint. NOTE: The PowerPoint will download to your computer. Double-click on the file to view it.

Step 2: Develop a Vocabulary Action Plan.
Using a Word document, develop a vocabulary action plan using a word(s) from one of the three tiers.

Arrow - For example
Need to see an example?
Vocabulary Action Plan

After writing the Action Plan, share the plan “live” with a peer educator in your district via Skype or Google Hangouts or face-to-face. One of the goals of the reading teacher certification program is developing literacy coaching skills.

Follow the steps provided in the PowerPoint for explicit teaching.

When designing the independent activities, feel free to use the Graphic Organizers provided below or the ones mentioned in the PowerPoint (Four Square and Word Diagram) or use some of your graphic organizers teaching files.

Graphic Organizers
NOTE: Four graphic organizers are required.

Vocabulary Overview Guide (Graphic Organizer) (PDF - )
Word Family Tree (Graphic Organizer) (PDF - )
For additional assistance, refer to the Wisconsin DPI chart, A Process for Selecting Vocabulary Words to Teach.

The Vocabulary Action Plan (Word document) should include:

Number of the vocabulary tier selected.
Word or words that will be taught.
Concise description/explanation of the explicit teaching strategy you will use. (Review the vocabulary Action Plan rubric.)
Grade level of students
Examples of independent activities
Structural analysis example
Example of how students will be assessed for retention of these words.

Step 3: Written Reflection with a Peer Educator in Your District
Schedule a meeting to reflect on your Action Plan “live” via Google Hangouts or Skype or face-to-face with a peer educator in your district.

Discuss the value of the reading strategy for aiding learning and helping students understand the content and brainstorm suggestions to improve the activities.

Write a reflection of your discussion with a peer educator on the Action Plan form.

For example, describe specific changes for introducing and modeling the reading strategy, or suggestions of additional materials to use when teaching the reading strategy.

Step 4: Discussion Posting
On the Discussion Board, explain your Action Plan in a brief paragraph.

Step 5: Discussion Response
Respond to at least two classmates’ discussion postings.

Step 6: Submit Action Plan in the Dropbox
Place the Word document you developed in the Dropbox for the instructor to assess by midnight on Sunday.

After all assignments are in the Dropbox, the instructor will post feedback and the rubric score in the Dropbox for your review by Thursday night.

How to check for feedback and the rubric score in the Dropbox

Scroll to the right of your name. The date the instructor “publishes” the feedback will be recorded and the date that you “read” the feedback will be recorded on the course dashboard.

feedback date