Using Trade Books to Develop Vocabulary K-2
2013 National Reading Recovery
& K – 6 Classroom Literacy Conference
February 4, Columbus, OH
Jerry Zutell
Professor Emeritus
The Ohio State University
[email protected]
Patricia L. Scharer
Professor
The Ohio State University
[email protected]
Special thanks to Boyds Mills Press
and Kent Brown for the books used in
this presentation and to John Morse
for Merriam-Webster’s Primary
Dictionary.
Thanks also to Zaner
Zaner-Bloser
Bloser for
providing the support for developing
the model of instruction presented in
this paper and to Literacy
Collaborative for supporting Dr.
Scharer’s professional work.
Which Vocabulary?
Listening?
Speaking?
Sight?
Writing?
Meaning
1
One of the most important aspects of
our language and literacy learning is
the acquisition of an extensive
meaning vocabulary, that is, a large
set of words that we know and
understand when we encounter them,
and that we can use appropriately to
express ourselves effectively.
Why is having an extensive meaning
vocabulary so important?
• Studies have consistently shown strong
relationships between student
achievement in comprehension and the
p of their knowledge
g of
extent and depth
word meanings (Chall, 1983; National
Reading Panel, 2001). In other words,
understanding what we read is
directly dependent upon the
breadth and depth of our meaning
vocabulary.
• The “fourth grade slump” can be
largely attributed to the increasing
vocabulary demands and new ideas
included in literature and content
materials (e.g., Chall, 1983; Chall et al.,
1990).
) These
h
often
f
require a command
d
of language beyond the language that
students need to communicate
effectively in everyday situations.
2
• Disturbingly, research has indicated that atrisk students often begin school with smaller
vocabularies than their peers and that the
extent and depth of their vocabularies grow at
a slower rate (Hart & Risley, 1995; Chall et
al., 1990). Without intervention they fall further
behind their classmates as they progress
through the grades.
• It is estimated that students know
approximately 6,000 word families by the end
of second grade, but that low achieving
students know closer to 4,000 (Biemiller,
2009).
• Beginning in third grade, students learn
approximately 3,000 words a year and the size
of children’s vocabularies doubles between
third and seventh grades. (Bauman, Kame’enui
& Ash, 2003).
• These estimates make it clear that teachers
cannot teach all of the words students need to
learn. The vast majority of these must come from
wide reading and listening.
• Still, focused vocabulary instruction in the
primary grades is now seen as particularly
important for preparing students for learning the
vocabulary they’ll need to succeed in upper grades
and beyond.
3
CCSS Standards
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
General Statements:
The vocabulary standards focus on understanding words
and phrases, their relationships, and their nuances and
on acquiring
i i new vocabulary,
b l
particularly
ti l l generall
academic and domain-specific words and phrases.
The standards expect that students will grow their
vocabularies through a mix of conversations, direct
instruction, and reading. The standards will help
students determine word meanings, appreciate the
nuances of words, and steadily expand their repertoire
of words and phrases.
Example of Changes in a Category across Grades K-2
Use Context:
GK:
Identify new meanings for familiar words and apply them
accurately (e.g., knowing duck is a bird and learning the
verb to duck).
G1:
Use sentence-level context as a clue to the meaning of a
word or phrase.
G2:
Use sentence-level context as a clue to the meaning of a
word or phrase.
Sample of Changes in a Category across Grades K-2
Use Roots and Affixes:
GK:
Use the most frequently occurring inflections and
affixes (e.g., -ed, -s, re-, un-, pre-, -ful, -less) as a clue to
the meaning of an unknown word.
G1:
Use ffrequently
U
tl occurring
i affixes
ffi
as a clue
l to
t the
th meaning
i off
a word. Identify frequently occurring root words (e.g.,
look) and their inflectional forms (e.g., looks, looked,
looking).
G2:
Use a known root word as a clue to the meaning of an
unknown word with the same root (e.g., addition,
additional). Determine the meaning of the new word formed
(e.g., happy/unhappy, tell/retell).
4
Sample of Changes in a Category across Grades K-2
Use Reference Sources:
GK:
None
G1:
None
G2:
Use glossaries and beginning dictionaries, both print
and digital, to determine or clarify the meaning of words
and phrases.
Sample of Changes in a Category across Grades K-2
Explore Relationships among Word Types:
GK:
Demonstrate understanding of frequently occurring verbs
and adjectives by relating them to their opposites
(antonyms).
G1:
Define words by category and by one or more key
attributes (e.g., a duck is a bird that swims; a tiger is a large
cat with stripes).
G2:
Use knowledge of the meaning of individual words to
predict the meaning of compound words (e.g., birdhouse,
lighthouse, housefly; bookshelf, notebook, bookmark).
Sample of Changes in a Category across Grades K-2
Understand Nuance/Shades of Meaning:
GK:
Distinguish shades of meaning among verbs describing
the same general action (e.g., walk, march, strut, prance)
by acting out the meanings.
G1:
Distinguish shades of meaning among verbs differing in
manner (e.g., look, peek, glance, stare, glare, scowl) and
adjectives differing in intensity (e.g., large, gigantic) by
defining or choosing them or by acting out the meanings.
G2:
Distinguish shades of meaning among closely related
verbs (e.g., toss, throw, hurl) and closely related
adjectives (e.g., thin, slender, skinny, scrawny).
5
Sample of Changes in a Category across Grades K-2
Understand Concrete and Inferred Meanings:
GK:
Identify real-life connections between words and their
use (e.g., note places at school that are colorful). Sort
common objects into categories (e.g., shapes, foods)
gain a sense of the concepts
p the categories
g
represent.
p
to g
G1:
Identify real-life connections between words and their
use (e.g., note places at home that are cozy). Sort words
into categories (e.g., colors, clothing) to gain a sense of
the concepts the categories represent.
G2:
Identify real-life connections between words and their
use (e.g., describe foods that are spicy or juicy).
Sample of Changes in a Category across Grades K-2
Understand Figurative Language:
GK:
None.
G1:
None.
G2:
None.
Sample of Changes in a Category across Grades K-2
Acquire and Use New Words to Express Relationships:
GK:
Use words and phrases acquired through conversations,
reading and being read to, and responding to texts.
G1:
Use words and phrases acquired through conversations,
reading
g and being
g read to,, and responding
p
g to texts,,
including using frequently occurring conjunctions to
signal simple relationships (e.g., I named my hamster
Nibblet because she nibbles too much because she likes
that).
G2:
Use words and phrases acquired through conversations,
reading and being read to, and responding to texts,
including using adjectives and adverbs to describe (e.g.,
When other kids are happy that makes me happy).
6
Sample of Changes in a Category across Grades K-2
Use Precision in Writing:
GK:
None.
G1:
Write narratives in which they recount two or more
appropriately sequenced events
events, include some details
regarding what happened, use temporal words to signal
event order, and provide some sense of closure.
G2:
Write narratives in which they recount a well-elaborated
event or short sequence of events, include details to
describe actions, thoughts, and feelings, use temporal
words to signal event order, and provide a sense of
closure.
• An effective approach to vocabulary
instruction will include the regular and direct
teaching of a chosen set of words. These
words will not only be important in themselves,
themselves but
they must also serve as anchors and examples for
independent learning.
Blachowicz & Fisher suggest four researchbased principles in an effective vocabulary
program:
• Students should be actively involved in
word learning,
• Word learning should include a
personalized component,
component
• Students should be immersed in words,
• Multiple sources and repeated
exposures should be incorporated in
instruction.
• (2000, p. 504)
7
Fortunately, not all words must be learned
as individual items. Research and analysis
also supports instruction in word
structure to increase vocabulary
development.
d
op
Many
a y everyday
yday words
o d a
are
built from base words plus endings.
Students who understand these
relationships can often use them to unlock
word meanings and retain those
connections in memory.
In the course of study, students should
learn about, actively use, and integrate
the three primary means of discovering
word meanings:
context
word structure
reference sources
What Does It Mean to Know a Word?
Stage 1: Never heard or saw it before
Stage 2: Heard it, but doesn’t know what it means
Stage
g 3: Recognizes
g
it in context as having
g something
g
to do with _______
Stage 4: Knows it well
You try it: tyranny, surreptitious, grapnel, purport,
sensitive, dubious
(From Beck, I., McKeown, M., & Kucan, L. (2002). Bringing words to life: Robust vocabulary instruction.
New York: The Guilford Press.)
8
Levels of Knowing a Word
Word
Know it
well, can
explain it,
use it
Know something
about it, can
Have seen Do not
relate it to a
or heard know the
situation
the word word
tyranny
surreptitious
grapnel
purport
sensitive
dubious
(Example taken from Beck, I., McKeown, M., & Kucan, L. (2002). Bringing words to life: Robust vocabulary
instruction. New York: The Guilford Press.)
Word Selection: Three Tiers of Words
Or—Goldilock’s Theory!
Tier 1: very basic words that children are
likely to already know (clock, baby, house,
walk) (8,000 families)
Tier 2:
Ti
2 high
hi h ffrequency words
d for
f mature
language users found across a variety of
domains (absurd, introduce, fortunate) (7,000
families)
Tier 3: low frequency words with limited uses
(isotope, peninsula, refinery)
From Beck, I., McKeown, M., & Kucan, L. (2002). Bringing words to life: Robust vocabulary
instruction. New York: The Guilford Press.
Criteria for Selecting Tier 2 Words
Importance and utility: used by mature
language users and appears across
domains
Instructional potential: used in a
variety of ways so students can make
connections with other words & concepts
Conceptual understanding: students
understand the general concept but is
more precise or specific
9
Ask yourself...
How generally useful is the word?
How does the word relate to other words,
to ideas that students know or have been
learning? What is the word’s
word s family
frequency?
What does the word bring to the text or
situation?
Remember! There is no “formula” for
selecting grade-appropriate words
Framework for Vocabulary Instruction
Theme
Context
Roots
Reference Skills/Sources
Review
(TC3R)
Vocabulary Concepts for Primary Grades
• Use trade books as the source of words for
learning.
• Use Read-Alouds (rather than student
reading)
g) that appeal
pp
to y
young
g children
• Select texts that contain vocabulary that
stretches them to understand and apply
new words to familiar concepts (Tier 2
words).
• Intentional teaching of Tier 2 words.
Adapted from Beck, I., McKeown, M., & Kucan, L. (2002). Bringing words to life: Robust vocabulary
instruction. New York: The Guilford Press.
10
•When possible, select more than one
text connected to a theme appropriate
and interesting for young children
(E
(Examples:
l
A
Animals,
i
l A
Aspects
t off N
Nature,
t
Author Studies, Recurring Characters).
Try to make links across selections.
Day 1
• During a first read-aloud, focus on the ideas and
content through active, involved listening to the story
with oral responses and discussion. Discuss the link of
illustrations to ideas as appropriate. Clarify specific
g when essential to understanding.
g
word meanings
• Independent Work:
– Listening Center
– Student response to the story such as illustrating their favorite
part and labeling or writing about their picture
Day 2
• Create a prediction chart with 3-5 words
on chart paper (e.g., lullaby, sweetly,
y crooning,
g yawned,
y
soothe,
rock-a-bye,
knit, snooze, nod, or den).
• Reread picture book (Bernard’s Nap) and
complete the prediction chart.
11
Predicting and Checking Word Meanings
Word or Phrase
Before Reading: What After Context: What Do I
Do I Think It Means?
Think It Means Now?
Checking Sources:
What Did I Find Out?
Day 2 (continued)
•Stop at the end of the page on which a
target word occurs to discuss its
relationship to the ideas of the text and
its meaning in context.
•Highlight context clues and types of
context support as appropriate.
•Model the Read-Look-Think-PredictCheck strategy for discovering word
meanings.
Day 2 (and beyond)
•Return to the Prediction Chart regularly to enter
new ideas (but recognize that context may have
varying usefulness in determining word
meaning).
•Use a good primary dictionary (e.g., MerriamWebster, 2005) to model how to find word
meanings in a reference source. Demonstrate
how to locate a word and choose among its
definitions for this particular context. Provide
student friendly definitions and explanations.
•Present and discuss examples of other contexts
for word use beyond the current text.
12
Day 2 (continued)
• Independent work:
– Listening center
– Words & definitions sorting task (picture or
words)
– Illustrate one or more words
Day 3
• Read a related picture book (e.g., Where Wild
Babies Sleep)
Day 3 (continued)
• Using either interactive writing or shared
writing, create a list of synonyms for a
key word in the book e.g., sleep (doze,
nap snooze
nap,
snooze, napping) or create a list of
words using a base word e.g., “sleep”
(sleepy, sleepiness, sleeper, sleepier,
sleepiest, sleepless, asleep, sleepyhead,
slept).
13
Day 3 (and beyond)
•Record target words on large charts and
class and/or individual word study
notebooks for review during the unit and
beyond.
•Encourage students to use new words
regularly as they apply them to everyday
situations and explain their own examples
of contexts in which the word applies.
Day 3 (continued)
• Independent Work
– Listening Center
– Draw a picture related to the theme to write
about or label (nap time)
– Write their own stories (about bedtime or
favorite bedtime stories)
Day 4
• Introduce related texts and/or poems
14
Day 4 (continued)
Through shared writing, develop a concept
map of a theme such as “sleep” using
Bernard’s Nap, Where Wild Babies Sleep
and the poems as sources for words
words.
• Independent Work
– Retell the picture book using flannel board or
stick figures
– Paste the poems into their poetry journal,
reread in pairs and illustrate
Day 5
• Revisit the books and poems with a focus
on the vocabulary words
– Reread the prediction chart and expand as
needed
– Reread the concept map and add to it
– Generate words to compare and contrast
(quiet sleep words and noisy sleep words)
• Independent Work
– Open sort of all words/concepts generated
this week using words or pictures
– Closed sort of compare and contrast words
Scholarly References
Bauman, J. Kame’enui, E., & Ash, G. (2003). Research on vocabulary instruction:
Voltaire redux. In J. Flood, D. Lapp, J. Squire, & J. Jenson (eds.) Handbook of
research on teaching the language arts. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum
Associates, Inc., 752-785.
Beck, I., McKeown, M., & Kucan, L. (2002). Bringing Words to Life: Robust
vocabulary Instruction. New York: The Guildford Press.
Biemiller, A. (2009) Words worth teaching. SRA/McGraw-Hill.
Blachowicz, C. & Fisher, P. (2000). Vocabulary instruction. In M. Kamil., P.
Mosenthal, P. Pearson, & R. Barr (eds.). Handbook of Reading Research,
Volume III, Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc., 503-523
Chall, J. (1983). Stages of reading development. New York: McGraw-Hill Book
Company.
Hart, B. & Risley, T. (1995). Meaningful differences in the everyday experience
of young American children. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes Publishing
Company.
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. (2001). Reports of the
National Reading Panel: Teaching children to read: An evidenced-based
assessment of the scientific research literature on reading and its implications
for reading instruction. Reports of the subgroups. Washington, DC: National
Institutes of Health.
Zutell, J (2005). Word Wisdom, Vocabulary for Listening, Speaking, Reading
and Writing, Levels C-H. Columbus, OH: Zaner-Bloser, Inc
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Reference List of Children’s Books
Baird, A.B. (2001). Storm Coming! Honesdale, PA: Boyds Mill Press.
Dotlich, R. K. (1996). Sweet Dreams of the Wild, Poems for Bedtime. Honesdale, PA:
Boyds Mill Press.
Goodman, J.E. (1996). Bernard’s Bath. Honesdale, PA: Boyds Mill Press.
Goodman, J.E. (1999). Bernard’s Nap. Honesdale, PA: Boyds Mill Press.
Goodman, J.E. (2001). Bernard Goes to School. Honesdale, PA: Boyds Mill Press.
Goodman, J.E. (2004). Bernard Wants a Baby. Honesdale, PA: Boyds Mill Press.
Hamilton, K. (2001). This is the Ocean. Honesdale, PA: Boyds Mill Press.
Harrison, D.L. (2002). Rivers, Nature’s Wondrous Waterways. Honesdale, PA: Boyds
Mill Press.
Harrison, D.L. (2003). Oceans, the Vast, Mysterious Deep. Honesdale, PA: Boyds Mill
Press
Harrison, D.L. (2005). Glaciers, Nature’s Icy Caps. Honesdale, PA: Boyds Mill Press.
Hirschi, R. (2000). When Night Comes. Honesdale, PA: Boyds Mill Press.
Merriam-Webster’s Primary Dictionary. (2005). Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster, Inc.
Purmell, A. (2003). Where Wild Babies Sleep. Honesdale, PA: Boyds Mill Press.
Spinelli, E. (1996). Where is the Night Train going? Bedtime Poems. Honesdale, PA:
Boyds Mill Press.
For More Information
on Dr. Zutell’s Work on Vocabulary
visit
Th Z
The
Zaner-Bloser
Bl
W
Web
b Sit
Site
at
http://www.zaner-bloser.com/
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