In General...

FIRST

Start with your own mindset. What you believe will be what students learn from you. If you believe vocabulary and academic language are important, demonstrate that in your daily conversations at school.

• Nearly every verbal exchange while you are on campus is an opportunity to develop academic language. Make a focus effort to use academic language when speaking to students that creates the context to communicate the meaning clearly to students.
• Here's how: Use "synonymous tags." When using Tier II words (non-content-specific academic words), include a clause in your sentence that has a synonym (synonymous tag) for that Tier II word. For example, say, “What did the art club conclude about setting up introductory experiences for first grade? Did you conclude; did you decide to go ahead or not? What introductory lessons, or beginner experiences, would you do?"
• Using academic language in a manner so that the meaning is clear to students due to the context, is a variation on this idea: “I think your notion of this character's distress may be correct. Why don't you add a quote from the story showing how sad and upset she is?”
• For more: "Increasing Exposure to Academic Language By Speaking It"

SECOND

Be intentional. Choose good words. Give your students the most powerful words and phrases. Tier II words: These are words used in both fiction and nonfiction texts, in all disciplines, and appear most often in writing rather than speech. See the academic word lists under the "Which" tab on this website. Tier II Phrases: These are phrases used frequently in speech and writing that assist listeners and readers in following reasoning, preparing to hear various types of claims or evidence, and to identify arguments. Examples include: "In addition to that..." "On the other hand..." or "The author states...." While the words themselves are not Tier II, the use of these phrases within texts serves to confound comprehension for the uninitiated. Initiate your students!

Study the target words and phrases:

• Introduce the word and describe it: Use it in the sentences you use to describe it. Despite what you may have been told as a student, it is perfectly fine for you to use the word within the definition when you are teaching!
• The same things you do to help learners when speaking in general conversation will work here. (See "FIRST" above.)
• Occasionally, a Tier III word (specific subject vocabulary) will need to be studied in depth. Rarely, a Tier I word will need this kind of attention. Beware of publisher vocabulary choices, which can include interesting, unique words of low utility. Make your teaching powerful by choosing powerful Tier II words!
• For more: "Enriching Academic Vocabulary: Strategies for Teaching Tier Two Words to E.L.L. Students"

THIRD

Interact with target words frequently. Both you and the students should be using these words throughout the unit in your speech and writing for one another. Make sure these words are visible on the classroom walls and that teacher and students call them out when they are encountered in text. Celebrate that you are seeing them in use! Have fun with the word; demonstrate to your students that you enjoy learning new words and using them.

Ways to interact:

• Students annotate texts when they find the word in their reading (post-its), booksnaps, highlighters, etc.
• Students "collect" examples of the word in use, copying them into their reading journals, vocabulary journals, sentence strips to be posted on the wall, or onto a shared virtual word wall.
• Students create posters or other projects to illustrate and present their deepened understanding of chosen vocabulary words.
• Students play challenging word knowledge games, online, or student- or teacher-created. Jeopardy anyone?
• For more: "District186"; Games and Activities (this site)

...and FINALLY

Assessment is necessary for student and teacher alike. Plan to assess, then plan to teach. In this way, you will have a clear picture of the words you want students to learn and to what depth of knowledge they must learn. Your lessons and activities will flow from that clarity of purpose.

• Please visit our Assessment page to learn more about vocabulary assessments.