Vocabulary

List-Group-Label

This strategy incorporates semantic mapping or organizing information into lists, grouping information together, then labeling the information by categories or concepts. Engaging with words in this way allows students to connect old concepts or ideas they have already learned with new material, concepts, or ideas.

Learning Tasks:

• Distribute a selected reading to your students. Work with them to identify the key concept(s) of the selected reading.
• After students have listed, labeled, and grouped a list of generated words, have students make predictions about the content of the text that will be read.
• As an extension of the strategy, integrate writing, using the words from the categorized groups to create sentences in your writing.

Discussion Questions:

• How does categorizing words expand on our students’ prior knowledge?
• As an extension of the List-Group-Label strategy, writing can be integrated into a lesson by having students generate sentences utilizing words from the categorized groups. How might this extension activity help students to make more connections to the words generated in the List-Group-Label strategy?
• What would you do differently if students generate words that did not fit to the context of the story or reading material when using this strategy? How would you redirect the students?

Concept Definition Word Map (CD-Word Map)

This strategy, sometimes referred to as CD-Word Map, allows students to visually organize information related to a vocabulary word as they increase in their vocabulary development. The CD-Word Map encourages students to review what they know about a vocabulary word in a variety of ways such as, through writing out the definition, selecting synonyms and antonyms for the word, drawing a picture for the word, sorting the word into categories, listing attributes or descriptions of the word, and providing examples of the word.

Learning Tasks:

• Select a vocabulary word from a reading passage. Complete a CD-Word Map using that example word to demonstrate for students how to engage in using this strategy.
• After implementing this strategy in an elementary school classroom, a teacher discovers her students are not comprehending the vocabulary words that are highlighted within the CD-Word Maps. What would you advise the teacher to do at this point?
• What would one expect to observe in a high school classroom in which this strategy is being utilized? Describe in three to five sentences what the observer might notice in the vocabulary learning activity.

Discussion Questions:

• Do you think certain subjects or content areas may lend themselves well to this particular strategy? If yes, list them here.
• If you could add another category or section to the CD-Word Map in addition to what is already included in this strategy, what might you also add?
• What are the benefits of incorporating this strategy into your teaching?

Vocabulary Triangles

Students explore the relationship between terms by looking at the broader concept or topic that connects the vocabulary terms. Within this strategy, students are able to see the relationship between three different but related vocabulary words.

Learning Tasks:

• Review the fidelity checklist for this strategy. Spend five minutes reviewing the specific steps of this strategy. Next, put the fidelity checklist aside and try to recall from memory as many steps of the strategy as possible in a two minute “speed” round of recall.
• Use a visual or graphic, other than a triangle, to depict your understanding of this strategy.
• Tell how you would promote conversation or dialogue among students regarding vocabulary used in this strategy to promote higher order thinking skills.

Discussion Questions:

• Does this strategy remind you of any other strategies or learning experiences you have had or observed?
• What might be appealing to students in using this strategy? What might detract student learning? Describe in a paragraph your response to these two questions.

Using DARTs (Directed Activities Related to Text Strategy)

The Directed Activity Related to Texts Strategy (DARTs) is an engaging strategy allowing students to interact with texts. Students are involved in “reconstructing” the text for meaning in game-like activities.

Learning Tasks:

• For fun, play this game-like activity with a friend or family member. Write a meaningful paragraph, cut apart the words, and have your friend or family member “re-construct” the message.
• Imagine a principal or other administrator is questioning your use of this strategy in your teaching. Present a one page handout explaining the benefits of incorporating DARTs into your instruction and how it increases literacy outcomes in your students with regards to building vocabulary.

Discussion Questions:

• After watching the demo video of the DARTs strategy, what did you think of the poem and the story of naming cats? Do you agree with the author?
• After watching the demo video of the DARTs strategy, what words sounded familiar and what sounded unfamiliar?
• What was Eliot’s intention in writing this poem? Or Why is Eliot so firm in the way to name cats?
• After having implemented the DART strategy, ask the students: Is it challenging to remember what you read right after you read it?
• After having implemented the DART strategy, ask the students:  Was it hard to stop and pause after every paragraph to create a subheading?