Vocabulary:

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Vocabulary The Key to Reading Comprehension Pres
enter Amy Benjamin
Todays Presentation How are we teaching
vocabulary now? What would be the ideal?
Deciding what words to teach How words are
learned and remembered Words of Academic
Discourse Effective processing of a vocabulary
list Useful word roots and prefixes Various
processing devices that lead to durable
learning
You may access todays visuals at
www.amybenjamin.com (Recent Presentations)
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Current Practice How are weteaching vocabulary?
What words do we select to teach explicitly?
How do we teach the words? How do we introduce
them? explain them? get students to engage with
them? manipulate them? reinforce them?
How do we assess our students vocabulary
knowledge and growth?
What would be the ideal?
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Best Practices in Vocabulary Instruction
Depth of processing Multiple
exposures Multiple meanings Multiple
contexts Multiple forms of a word Opportunity
to communicate Purposeful repetition Treating
phrases as words Verbal and Nonverbal
processing
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Of Limited Value
Lists alone Context alone Definitions
alone Dictionaries and Glossaries alone
Of Durable Value
Words in clusters Multiple exposures in various
contexts Chances to speak, hear, write the
words Manipulation of forms of words Classify and
categorize word lists Word games
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Information Closet
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The Ransom of Red Chief
Typical vocabulary list of words extracted from
literature bellowing cauterized depredation ext
ortion forlorn impudent palatable precipice procli
vities ransom reconnoiter seedy somnolent spendthr
ift sylvan

• Frequency outside of the story
• Importance in understanding this story
• Leverage to learn related words
• Individual students curiosity and proximity

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What do we know when we know a word?
Definition Spelling Grammatical application (how
to use it in a sentence)
Components prefix, root, suffix
Synonyms
Morphology (other forms that the word can take)
Other words that are related to it (having
same root)
Connotation (positive, negative, neutral)
Register (formal or informal)
Collocations (words that tend to go with it)
Lesser-used definitions
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Rule of Thumb
New learners need SIX (meaningful) exposures to a
new word during the initial lesson and at
least THIRTY additional exposures during the
ensuing month.
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Tier II Words
Tier III Words
Tier I Words
Domain-specific terminology Glossary
words On-the-job words
Language of academics, business,
government Vocab List words
Everyday Language
Ask Dead Name Find out figure out Answer Rain Use
Sharp Get Take apart and put together balance
Photosynthesis Cytoplasm Metamorphosis Asymmetrica
l Bathysphere Rhetoric Deoxyribonucleic
acid Artifact Habeas corpus Diaspora Polysyndeton
Adjective
Interrogate Deceased Designate designation
identify, identification Ascertain
determine Precipitate, precipitation Utilize
employ Acute Acquire Analyze synthesize equilibri
um
ph __y__ ___sis
x chr___ ___ic
Code-switching
Prefix/root/suffix
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High-Incidence Academic Word List (AWL)
570 words Comprise 10 of the words in academic
discourse Are outside of the 2,000-3,000 words
that are necessary for basic social communication
in English CALP Cognitive Academic Linguistic
Proficiency
570 words on the AWL
2,000-3,000 words for basic social
communication BIC Basic Interpersonal
Communication
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AWL is arranged in 10 sublists, in order of
frequency 65 of the words on the AWL have
Latin/Greek word components
The words on the AWL can be used to form about
3,000 words (by adding prefixes and suffixes)
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Sampling from the Academic Word List (AWL)
Subset 1 analyze approach area assess
assume authority Subset 2 maintain obtain
perceive potential primary range Subset 3
alternative scheme sequence technique valid
volume Subset 4 access hypothesis implement
option output regime Subset 5 enforce entity
transit trend whereas fundamental Subset 6
abstract acknowledge ministry nevertheless
underlie Subset 7 adapt advocate dynamic
hierarchy intervene mode Subset 8 offset
prospect radical via fluctuate induce
Subset 9 refine subordinate duration
compatible passive Subset 10 adjacent albeit
compile straightforward undergo
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How can students benefit from a vocabulary list?
Classify
Analyze
Morph
Synthesize
Build
Students break words down into prefixes, roots,
suffixes (Word Study)
Students build words into phrases phrases
into simple sentences simple sentences into
complex sentences
Students use their words to generate ideas for a
writing piece Purposes To inform, To
entertain, To persuade, To socialize
Students think of ways in which the words
on their lists can be classified (sorted, arranged
, organized)
Students manipulate the words into different
parts of speech by adding endings
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Word Components Level 1 (usually known in
elementary grades)

• Prefixes
• ex-
• pre-
• re-
• un-
• dis-
• non-
• im-
• mis-
• mini-
• maxi-

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Word Components Level 2 (usually known in
intermediate grades)

• Prefixes
• co- con- com-
• syn- sym-
• in- en- (into)
• sub- sup-
• e-
• a- ab-
• inter-
• intra-
• mono-
• uni-
• bi- tri- quad-, etc.

cent- milli- mega- poly- multi- omni- trans- se
mi- bio- geo- eco-
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Word Components Level 3 (usually known in high
school)

• Prefixes
• pseudo-
• demi-
• endo- ecto-
• pro-
• per-
• peri-
• hemi-
• ob-
• bene-
• mal-

photo- nom- ig- muni- contra- philo-
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Common Word Roots for Academic Subjects
Basic -ject (to throw) -port (to
carry) -scrip, scribe (to write) -vert, vers (to
turn) -pos, pon (to place) -tract (to draw) -pel,
pul (to drive) -struct (to build) -grad, gress
(to step) -plic, plex (to fold) -flic, flex (to
bend) -fic, fac (to make) -miss, mit (to
send) -sid, sed (to sit) -spec (to see) -voc (to
call) -dict (to say) -rupt (to break)
Often combine with sub- re-
pro- ex- ob- per- de-
a- ab- co- con- e- trans-
ex-
Often end with -ive -ation sion -ate -able
ible -or
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Common Word Roots for Academic Subjects
Advanced -cad, -cas,-cid (to fall) -dyna
(force power) -magn (great large) -quir, -quis
(to seek) -gen (race, kind origin) -cham, -cam
(vault) -cen (to judge) -doc, -dox (to
think) -greg (to flock) -cau (to burn) -ess,
-sent (to exist) -close, -clud, -clus (to
close) -mand, -mend (to order) -junct (to
join) -jur, -jus (to swear) -lith (stone)
Often combine with sub- re-
pro- ex- ob- per- de-
a- ab- ne- con- e- trans-
ex-
Often end with -ive -ation sion -ate -able
ible -or -ize -ence, ance -ary
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Words with High Leverage Value
INTERMITTENT REFLECT SUBTRACT
COMPLIANCE CORRESPONDENT PROPELLER TRANSPORTA
TION DESTRUCTIVE PERSPECTIVE
intermittent transmit admit commit remit submit mi
ssive admissible submissive commission mission per
mission
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Word Components Chart I
ltSlide 13 Print as full pagegt
Write the words that youve heard of that would
logically fill in the chart (Note Not all the
blanks should be filled in.)
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Word Components Chart II
ltSlide 14 Print as full pagegt
Write the words that youve heard of that would
logically fill in the chart. (Note Not all of
the blanks should be filled in.)
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Word Components Chart II
ltSlide 14 Print as full pagegt
Write the words that youve heard of that would
logically fill in the chart. (Note Not all of
the blanks should be filled in.)
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Strength Training Vocabulary

• Here are a few things you can do that will take
  just a few minute of class time to
• build your students vocabulary
• Analyze word prefixes and roots of key words to
  show how they are related
• to words that students may already know.
• 2. Embed the target word in a cluster of words
  related to the topic.
• 3. Introduce key words that the students will
  meet in their upcoming readings.
• Repeat new words in various contexts.
• 5. Show the word. Emphasize its spelling and how
  it looks like related words.
• 6. Give students opportunities to use new words
  in conversation.
• 7. If you can, make connections between new
  words and words in other languages.
• 8. Give students opportunities to use new words
  in informal writing.
• 9. Indulge in word games and crossword puzzles
  to reinforce new word.
• 10. Give students opportunities to use non-verbal
  ways to express meanings
• (drawing, gestures, skits, charades).

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Word Components Flip-a-Chip
Model
Students are shown two chips having prefixes and
two other chips having roots. Any combination of
these chips (prefix root) will produce a word.
Then, given a cloze paragraph, students supply
the appropriate word.
Example
Mrs. Benjamin was vexed. My students, she
declared_______ me when they are late to class.
They_________one excuse after another. I want to
________ the number of lateness to class, so
Ill _______ the privilege of using the
lavatory pass to any student who arrives late.
Mountain, Lee. Flip-a-chip to Build
Vocabulary. Journal of Adolescent and Adult
Literacy. 461. September 2002.
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Word Components Flip-a-Chip
Interplay replay Interject reject
root
Contract extract Contend extend
Prefix
Prefix
root
undo redo unwind rewind
Project progress Reject regress
Play
Each pair of students is given a baggie, two
chips (formed from the bottom of a dixie cup)
markers, and an index card. Given a list of
prefixes and roots, students come up with two
prefixes and two roots that will combine to form
four words with every prefix root
combination. Students then write a paragraph on
the index card, leaving blanks for the four
words. Students then put the chips and index
cards (with their name on the back) on the
baggie and pass along to another pair.
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president resident preview review
compel, repel comport, report
universe inverse uniform inform
subtract, detract subject, deject
receive perceive retain pertain
dismiss remiss distort retort
distract, extract dispel, expel
absolve resolve abject reject
suppose expose support export
pretend, intend prevent, invent
prescription description preceive
deceive
transmit submit transcribe subscribe
comply, imply comport, import
retract, attract retain attain
commit permit complex perplex
obtain detain obstruct destruct
reflect deflect renounce denounce
contract attract contain attain
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Polysemes Words whose meanings change from
one domain to another
Examples function, property, reaction,
origin, tangent, variable, solve, mean,
graphic, base, extreme, factor, fact, imaginary,
rational, Irrational, determine power, prime,
product, multiple, operation, radical,
remainder, range, regular, proof, difference,
cell, value, area, cube, root, plot, complementary
, common, depression, digit, operation, frequency
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Social Studies
Math
Science
English
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Target Word
Vocabulary Chart
Visual Draw or find a picture
Glossary Definition
My guess
Definition in my own words
Complete sentence of at least ____words Must
contain an action verb and a visual image.
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Morphology Chart
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Morphology Kit
Adverb-making suffix -ly