ACADEMIC VOCABULARY STRATEGIES | esl-teacherresources

ACADEMIC VOCABULARY/LANGUAGE STRATEGIES

3 Tier Model of words

The 3-tier model focuses on three basic steps to vocabulary instruction. The 3 Tier Model is not so much of a strategy, as it is a way of understanding vocabulary instruction.

Tier 1 words are basic vocabulary words and are the most common words in English; they also make up a lot of what students read. This step is often the most ignored step in regular education because English-speaking students already understand basic vocabulary words. For ELLs, you must introduce basic vocabulary words by either speaking the word in their native language or showing them a picture of it.

Tier 2 words are the second step in this model. These words consist of important terms found in the text students are reading. These words also make up most of the words used in the curriculum. For example, when teaching students science terminology, a teacher will say, analyze the data. Analyze is a Tier 2 word because it is content specific in the science curriculum. Tier 2 words can “have several meanings and must be presented in context in order to be understood” (Sibold, 2011, p. 25). You should also point out to students how these words can be used across multiple content areas, but emphasize the importance they serve in the lesson that is being taught at that moment.

Tier 3 words are words that are less commonly used in every day language and are specific to the content area. For example, words like centimeter are Tier 3 words because they only have one meaning and are generally only used in one way. Tier 3 words must be taught clearly because ELL students struggle to understand their meaning.

The following video shows the first two tiers in use as it relates to reading comprehension.

Repetition

Repetition is great strategy for ELL students because it gives them multiple exposures to the word. When working with new vocabulary, especially Tier 2 and 3 words, using repetition will help the ELLs better understand the word. Start by showing the students a picture or object of the word and saying it out loud. Then the students are to say the word at least 3 times. After the students have repeated the word, you can read them the sentence in which the word was found through the text. This gives the students a context for the word. You then explain what the word means and then have them work together to come up with a new sentence for the word. Every teacher may use the repetition strategy differently, but regardless of the use, the multiple exposures to the word should help the word stick!

The following videos discuss the importance of repetition in learning the English language.

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Signal Words

Signal words help the reader sort through the information of a text. They are important in academic vocabulary because they help students understand transition. A fun activity you can do with your students is use specific signal words as “signals” to help transition from one task to another. You will introduce the “signal word of the day” to the students at the beginning of the day. Then you can use that word as a signal to stop and start a new task throughout the day.

For example, the signal word of the day could be comparison. You explain to students what it means and how it is used in reading, writing, etc. Explain to students that when they hear the word, they are to stop what they are doing. When they hear the word again, they can continue or move on to a new task. It may be beneficial to use sign indicators at the beginning of this, so students get used to knowing when to stop and go. Eventually, once you do this enough, students will know what to do. The purpose of this activity is introduce the academic vocabulary through the means of repetition, but to do it in a fun and not so structured way.

The first videos describes what signal words do and how they are incorporated into reading, while the second video explains how signal words can be used in making inferences.

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Talk-Trough with Read-Aloud

The talk-through strategy can be used during any read-aloud activity. This strategy helps students learn new words by “talking-through” the word and explaining what the word means by giving examples. This can be done during any oral reading activity.

The videos below show read-aloud activities that talk-through the text. The first video is great because the reader focuses on the phrases of the story that could confuse young listeners. This video is great because it also explains the strategies that were used in reading. The second video is not as in depth as the first, but the activities the teacher does with the students really shows that they understand the vocabulary from the story, through doing the talk-through.

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Vocabulary Journals

Vocabulary journals are a great resource for your students because they can refer back to their own hand written definitions whenever they get stuck on a word. When beginning a new unit, or reading a new book that has difficult vocabulary, you can have students create a new entry in their journals. You can have your students create their own books, or purchase pre-made journals. These journals should feature a section for the word, the formal definition, a space to write a sentence with the word in it, and a space to draw a picture of the word.

Depending on your students’ grade and proficiency, you can differentiate the journals to meet their needs. If your students are in a higher grade you can provide a section for antonyms and synonyms. If your students are in a lower grade you can remove the sentence section and make the drawing space bigger. These journals can also make a great study guide for weekly spelling and vocabulary tests.

The following videos show how teachers use vocabulary journals with their students.

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Games

Vocabulary games can be “useful in reinforcing students’ understanding and encouraging enthusiasm for learning new words” (Sibold, 2011, p. 27). Even commercially manufactured games like Scrabble can help students feel motivated in learning. Children see games as a break from the classroom environment, but what they do not understand is that they can be learning at the same time. For ELL students, it is important to explain the rules of the games in a clear, precise language so everyone is on the same page.

Visual games like picture Bingo can help reinforce listening skills by matching the picture to the word that is being spoken and vice versa. Educational websites, such as starfall.com, offer games that students can play online to help them with reading and phonics.

Games can also be used as reinforcements. If a student has completed their work and it is done correctly, you can allow them to play an educational game to reward them for their hard work and effort.

The following videos show teacher-created vocabulary games that can be useful when teaching vocabulary.

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Graphic Organizers

Graphic organizers are one of the most universal tools in teaching. Graphic organizers can be used in all content areas and pretty much all aspects of learning. Whether you are teaching vocabulary for a new science unit, or comparing and contrasting the main characters in a story for reading comprehension, a graphic organizer will help students understand the information!

Graphic organizers are a visual representation of the information that has been presented. It shows the students how to organize the information and helps them to see the information in a new way.

In terms of vocabulary, word walls, word trees, and flow charts are a great way to display the new words being introduced. Word walls can be as simple as displaying a giant piece of paper with all the words covered in a unit. Word Trees are more complex because they show students how the root word can be used in different ways. For example, you have the root word work at the base of the tree (the roots) and you branch off to show all the different ways work can be used, i.e. homework, working, etc. Flow charts are a great way to show words that have multiple meanings.

The following videos show a more in-depth look at how graphic organizers can be used for vocabulary.

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Resources

The Balanced Literacy Diet (2011, November 28). Miss Nelson Is Missing!: Read-Aloud Activities to Build Vocabulary and Comprehension [Video file]. Retrieved from http://youtu.be/BNijO1yUPg8.

BallardandTighe (2014, January 7). Teaching Vocabulary with Graphic Organizers [Video file]. Retrieved from http://youtu.be/EyITfWPhweU.

Champ, D. (2013, June 25). Vocabulary Graphic Organizer [Video file]. Retrieved from http://youtu.be/AHaZVvbRsBg.

Colorin Colorado (2007). Selecting Vocabulary Words to Teach English Language Learners | Colorín Colorado. Retrieved from http://www.colorincolorado.org/educators/content/vocabulary/.

Common Core State Standards Initiative (2014). English Language Arts Standards » Anchor standards » College and career readiness anchor standards for language. Retrieved March 20, 2014, from http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/CCRA/L/.

Rhode Island Department of Education (2012, June). Academic vocabulary: Focusing on general academic vocabulary to enhance understanding of complex texts. Retrieved from http://www.ride.ri.gov/Portals/0/Uploads/Documents/Common-Core/Academic-Vocabulary-PowerPoint.pdf.

Sibold, C. (2011). Building English Language Learners' Academic Vocabulary Strategies & Tips.Multicultural Education, 18(2), 24-28.

Teaching Strategies for Early Childhood (2012, June 22). Strategies for Reading Aloud to Young Children [Video file]. Retrieved from http://youtu.be/tZ2rL0eByfc.

Academic vocabulary (academic language) is a key component in the ELA category of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). The CCSS states that students should be able to:

Acquire and use accurately a range of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when encountering an unknown term important to comprehension or expression.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.L.6

The following strategies can be used to help ELL students understand academic vocabulary as well as develop a great sense of the academic oral langauge.

Since ELL students are visual learners, it would be appropriate to include videos for each teaching strategy. Below, you will find an explanation of the teaching strategy and how it relates to the topic of Academic Vocabulary. The videos either describe the strategy further, or show the strategy in action.