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The Vocabulary Awareness Chart is a diagnostic tool that allows students to assess their knowledge of the pertinent content-specific vocabulary in a text through conversation and notes. Research demonstrates that there is a direct correlation between students’ own perception of their vocabulary knowledge and their actual knowledge of vocabulary within a text (Wesche & Paribakht, 1996). The Vocabulary Awareness Chart allows students to track their understanding of vocabulary at various times during the reading to promote a growth mindset.
HANDOUTS and RESOURCES:
PREPARATION:
Preview the text that students will read and use a Vocabulary Knowledge Scale to identify 5–10 words from the text that students will need to learn in more depth.
Using the templates provided in Student Resource: Vocabulary Awareness Chart—Prior to Reading and Student Resource: Vocabulary Awareness Chart—Tracking During Reading, prepare a note-taking structure that includes space for the selected words and opportunities for students to track their knowledge level throughout the reading process. Provide a few extra lines for students to add their own words, as needed.
Determine how students will use the selected Vocabulary Awareness Chart(s) to monitor and track their vocabulary knowledge. This might be a digital resource, integrated into their focused note-taking practice for the class, a section in an Interactive Notebook, or a handout.
STEPS
STUDENTS NOTE-TAKE IN CHART: Have students create the note-taking structure or provide them with either Student Resource: Vocabulary Awareness Chart—Prior to Reading or Student Resource: Vocabulary Awareness Chart—Tracking During Reading, which contain a structure. If students will be tracking their vocabulary knowledge throughout the reading process, have them fill in the “Activate” column in Student Resource: Vocabulary Awareness Chart— Tracking During Reading at this time.
COMPARE CHARTS: In small groups or with a partner, have students compare their charts, discuss word meanings, develop authentic definitions, and write their questions, as needed. They may not all have definitions at this point.
DISCUSSION: Lead a whole-class discussion wherein students discuss the “no clue” words, make predictions about possible definitions, share words in the “Heard or seen it before” column, and ask their written questions.
ADD PREDICTIONS: Have students add their predictions on the line below the chart and then share their ideas with a partner or group.
REVISE NOTES: Have students read the text and add to or revise definitions as word meanings become clearer. They should also add other words that they do not understand. If students are tracking their knowledge using Student Resource: Vocabulary Awareness Chart—Tracking During Reading, have them fill in the “Engage” column at this time.
REVISIT CHARTS AFTER READING: Revisit the charts after reading. Students should review or revise their definitions based upon their reading, engaging in a whole-group discussion around the words that are providing the most difficulty. This is a wonderful opportunity to model using the dictionary and to provide a Think-Aloud about how the dictionary definition connects to what the text is saying. If students are tracking their knowledge throughout the reading process, have them fill in the “Extend” column at this time.
VARATIONS:
The Vocabulary Awareness Chart templates provided can be modified to meet the specific purpose for reading.
For additional scaffolding, model how to use a thesaurus for unfamiliar words. If students are struggling with the meaning of a word, sending them to a dictionary can be incredibly frustrating, as the definition they find there is usually of very little help. Synonyms and antonyms of unfamiliar words build a schema and help with access to prior knowledge around the meaning of an unfamiliar word.
EXTENSIONS:
Have students track vocabulary across an entire unit or semester of learning.
Add columns for “examples” and “non-examples” and have students fill out these columns as they read.
Add a column where students can draw a visual/symbolic representation of the word.
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