By modeling the use of sophisticated words, educators can promote students’ vocabulary growth and word consciousness. In this article, the research support for this approach is explained, suggestions are provided for how teachers might accomplish this goal, and examples are shared from teachers who have […]
Tier 2 words appear in many different contexts and are often subtle or precise ways to say relatively simple things. Since these aren’t words that will typically be used in a student’s conversations and they aren’t domain-specific, they should be given more focus than Tier […]
Put Reading First is a summary of the findings from the Report of the National Reading Panel, summarized in a brief, easy-to-read comprehensive guide to evidence-based reading instruction. Intended for educators and administrators, this guide aims to improve reading outcomes for children in the early […]
IDA Perspectives article about vocabulary instruction from early childhood to senior grades.
This educator-friendly book, written by reading researchers, outlines the rationale for vocabulary instruction, and how to implement it in classrooms from K-12
Nancy Hennessy expertly discusses the Scarborough’s reading rope’s deconstruction and highlights vocabulary and explicit instruction’s vital role in improving reading comprehension. Emphasizing explicit vocabulary instruction, she aims to equip students with a broad and deep lexicon for understanding complex texts and expressing ideas coherently. Through structured guidance, educators can empower students to become proficient readers.
In this article from the International Dyslexia Association Perspectives, Susan M. Ebbers discusses the significance of teaching vocabulary through morphology and presents practical strategies for instruction. The focus is on morphemes, including prefixes, suffixes, and roots, which are vital in conveying meaning and facilitating vocabulary growth. The author emphasizes the need for explicit instruction in morphology to foster students’ morphological awareness, a metalinguistic insight that aids in understanding word structure and meanings. Ebbers suggests introducing morphemic analysis gradually, starting with familiar affixes and base words. Incorporating context clues and multisensory activities can reinforce morphological knowledge. By nurturing morphological awareness, students can enhance their vocabulary and comprehension skills, improving their reading, writing, and communication abilities.
Wondering where to start with morphology and how it can tie in with your explicit vocabulary instruction? This 36-page resource is full of lesson ideas and activities that you use with your students. This resource provides some essential background knowledge of morphology for all educators and then provides several lesson frameworks that you can use with your students, using the new Ontario Curriculum. It provides a suggested scope and sequence as well as word lists, but remember that the scope and sequence for morpheme introduction for the new curriculum is found on page 6 of Appendix A (Word-Level Reading and Spelling: Applying Phonics, Orthographic, and Morphological Knowledge). Once the introductory morpheme sequence from the curriculum has been consolidated, the word and morpheme lists found in this resource you can use to expand students’ morphological understanding beyond Grade 4 and across many subject areas.
A key component of the 2023 Language curriculum is explicit, systematic instruction. In this book, experts Anita Archer and Charles Hughes share the foundations of explicit instruction, how to design lessons based on subject skills/strategies as well as vocabulary/concepts, organizing for and delivering instruction, and providing appropriate independent practice – going from I do, to we do, to you do. This book is incredible learning for classroom educators as well as special education teachers/interventionists, and can be applied to any subject or grade level. Helpful lesson templates/checklists can be downloaded and reproduced.
In this International Dyslexia Association Perspectives article, Theresa A. Roberts explores the topic of vocabulary acquisition of children, particularly multilingual learners and learners from lower socioeconomic status. The article outlines factors that impact vocabulary acquisition and highlights how children learn words. The article explains the general features of strong vocabulary instruction with concrete examples for the classroom setting including a one-page handout on 15 ways to build vocabulary in the classroom.
