Vocabulary Development help students make meaning of their reading, writing, and discussions. Vocabulary Development should not be done in isolation. Context and application matters for reading comprehension and writing to demonstrate learning. Vocabulary Development in Social Studies requires intentional strategies for learning and applying disciplinary, critical, and information literacies. Mastering disciplinary concepts and practices in the Social Studies hinges on students' application of vocabulary to engage in questions, discussion, organizational tasks, formative performance tasks, and summative performance tasks. 

• Students need... 

  • • practice in developing and applying strategies for vocabulary development. 

    • to be able to comprehend tiered vocabulary at a deeper level than just memorization of definition.

    • to consider how to apply vocabulary in context of other vocabulary to build new and deeper understanding. 

• Teachers should... 

  • • consider tiers of vocabulary (see Table 2) for curricular and instructional choices. 

    • consider Social Studies specific disciplinary language (civics, economics, geography, economics) as well as inquiry language (questioning, using evidence, and communicating conclusions) (see Table 2)

    • 1) model, 2) collaborate, and 3) gradually release students to apply independently. 

    • intentionally scaffold Vocabulary Development through: 

      • Word Walls

      • Word Maps

      • Frayer Models

      • SFI Associations 

Students need specific strategies to build vocabulary development. With each new strategy the teacher should consider their process for modeling, gradual-release, and extensive practice until the student demonstrates ownership of their language. 

Before engaging in strategies the teacher should... 

• Establish high and clear expectations.

• Cultivate a culture of inquiry where students can learn new words without judgment.

• Consider why a vocabulary strategy is needed and how to scaffold to and beyond it. 

• Identify language in the Social Studies standards and sources to practice. 

• Embed key vocabulary in discussion, organizational tasks, and formative performance tasks.

• Create a system of collaboration with students to identify when and how to approach vocabulary.