Vocabulary from Text

Did the teacher provide materials for the explicit teaching of vocabulary that: 1) appears in texts that students are reading, and 2) connect new vocabulary to vocabulary from student language groups (if applicable)?


Why does this matter?

According to the National Reading Panel, explicit instruction in vocabulary is highly effective. Teachers must first identify which words they will teach explicitly, and then use effective methods to teach those words.

"Vocabulary is at the core of literacy. Reading, writing, speaking, and listening are grounded in the formulation and understanding of written and verbal messages. Without meaning, words and phrases are nothing more than a nonsensical string of sounds or letters. Vocabulary is not an isolated skill; readers, writers, speakers, and listeners marshal what they know about words and phrases to understand and convey coherent messages in what Thorndike termed “a cooperation of many forces” (1917, p. 232). Vocabulary researchers have long advocated for instructional approaches that capitalize on these “many forces,” especially through teaching structural, contextual, and morphemic analysis skills (Baumann, Edwards, & Boland, 2003; Brusnighan & Folk, 2012), using oral language channels (Beck & McKeown, 2007), leveraging texts to facilitate discussion and interaction (Lennox, 2013), and teaching for word appreciation and word consciousness (Graves & Watts-Taffe, 2008)."

Content Area Vocabulary Learning by Douglas Fisher and Nancy Frey


What does this look like in a classroom?

The evidence for this is simple: the teacher delivers specific instructional strategies related to the texts students will be reading in that particular class. This id different from the previous question in one way: this is about the vocabulary the students will encounter in the current lesson. (The previous question had to do with vocabulary for the ENTIRE unit). Overall, however, many of the strategies are the same:

What does this look like in a remote learning context?


There are endless applications you can use for vocabulary in a remote learning context - the two websites to the right offer tips and templates to use Google Slides to support vocabulary instruction.


What are special considerations / resources for Multilingual / English Language Learners?

The following resources can be used to gain a detailed understanding of how to provide clear expectations and scaffolded support for multilingual/ English language learners both in the classroom and in a remote learning context.

What are special considerations / resources for students with IEPs?


The wesbite to the right summarizes many effective and research based strategies to support vocabulary instruction for students with disabilities.


How is this related to CR-SE? (Culturally Responsive /Sustaining Education)

As we plan vocabulary for texts students are reading, it is important to keep the following ideas in mind from the CR-SE framework (from page 34):

• Play a role in helping schools to understand and align curriculum to the variety of histories, languages and experiences that reflect the diversity of the State population.

• Pair traditional curricular content with digital and other media platforms that provide current and relevant context from youth culture.

• Provide homework, projects, and other classroom materials in multiple languages.

How is this related to the Supportive Environment Framework / Social-Emotional Learning?

The Supportive Environment Framework states that "School leaders and staff effectively communicate expectations connected to a path to college and career readiness and successfully partner with families to support student progress toward those expectations." For our students to be ready for college and/or career, vocabulary development is essential!