In the articles that I read, the common theme was the importance of a wide vocabulary in students of all ages. The articles suggested that by providing a high literacy environment, students will absorb new vocabulary and it will help them become better readers. In the article, Vocabulary Lessons, by Fisher and Blachowicz, they give many strategies to help teachers provide new ways to present novel terms. They suggest playing word games with students as well as reading to them. They also give the suggestion of having a word wall in the classroom. In the example that they listed, children obtained a point for every new word that they put on the wall and shared with the class. This is a great way for children to get excited about discovering new vocabulary and wanting to improve on vocabulary skills. In the Lane and Allen article, the main focus of the article was how educators should model vocabulary usage in the classroom.By modeling how to correctly use the words, students will become more comfortable in using them and want to share the new words that they have learned. They gave two classroom examples about how vocabulary words were modeled throughout the school year and how the children's reading and writing assignments became filled with these novel terms. The classrooms were a Kindergarten class and a fourth grade classroom from at-risk schools. The modeling took place during each classrooms circle time and the teachers and outside onlookers saw a major difference throughout the school year in the children's personal conversations as well as their school assignments. Question to consider: How would you model using new vocabulary in the classroom? Do you value word games or conversation more? Or do you like both equally?
Monday, March 12, 2012
Vocabulary and Read-Alouds
In the articles that I read, the common theme was the importance of a wide vocabulary in students of all ages. The articles suggested that by providing a high literacy environment, students will absorb new vocabulary and it will help them become better readers. In the article, Vocabulary Lessons, by Fisher and Blachowicz, they give many strategies to help teachers provide new ways to present novel terms. They suggest playing word games with students as well as reading to them. They also give the suggestion of having a word wall in the classroom. In the example that they listed, children obtained a point for every new word that they put on the wall and shared with the class. This is a great way for children to get excited about discovering new vocabulary and wanting to improve on vocabulary skills. In the Lane and Allen article, the main focus of the article was how educators should model vocabulary usage in the classroom.By modeling how to correctly use the words, students will become more comfortable in using them and want to share the new words that they have learned. They gave two classroom examples about how vocabulary words were modeled throughout the school year and how the children's reading and writing assignments became filled with these novel terms. The classrooms were a Kindergarten class and a fourth grade classroom from at-risk schools. The modeling took place during each classrooms circle time and the teachers and outside onlookers saw a major difference throughout the school year in the children's personal conversations as well as their school assignments. Question to consider: How would you model using new vocabulary in the classroom? Do you value word games or conversation more? Or do you like both equally?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I think both word games and conversation are beneficial for students. The key is to incorporate both and not rely heavily on one or the other. Word games are a great way to get the kids excited for learning vocabulary. Conversations allow the kids to have practical practice with their vocabulary. It is one thing to be able to match the right word up to the right definition in a word game but it is another thing to be able to actually use new vocabulary in a real world situation.
ReplyDeleteI agree; conversation is very important. When you involve students with conversation, you as the teacher can see where their train of thought is going. These students will be able to show their ability to use vocabulary and to understand expressed vocabulary by others. When students listen to each other speak, they learn new methods of communication AND new vocabulary. I can't tell you how much slang vocabulary I learned in high school. It was really helpful for me to converse with my peers in the classroom in order to work on social functions of communication, as well as vocabulary development.
ReplyDeleteI thing that conversation and word games are equally important. Conversation is the easiest way for children to learn verbal communication and day to day casual vocabulary. Word games are fun for school and can help build "school" vocabulary.
ReplyDelete