Roxana, YHS Social Studies. I’m constantly fighting the good fight when it comes to trying to find the best way to teach students vocabulary. #ycsdchat
A1 #ycsdchat I had to define the words subjective and hierarchy. I was surprised tenth graders didn’t know either one. It made it hard to have a conversation about narratives without understanding subjectivity vs objectivity and who was the dominant perspective
A1: My favorite word to throw at 6th graders is behoove, but I never expect them to know it at first. I also call them cherubs, and I was a bit surprised that they had never heard it before #ycsdchat
A1: Today starting WWII it was inflation. Economic concepts are hard for 7th graders. I used the example it took a suitcase 🧳 full of money 💵 to buy a loaf of bread 🍞. #ycsdchat
A1 #ycsdchat Working with 3rd and 4th Ss on homophones is a challenge because they don't realize there are 2 words that sound the same that have different meanings.
A1: Also I have an ELL student this year who started at TMS last year not knowing any English. She does an amazing job self-advocating & asking questions. It’s been good to see my content “through her eyes” and see what is challenging. She has made amazing progress! #ycsdchat
A1 #ycsdchat I recently had to define the word 'before' in math. I asked them to tell me what before meant and they kept responding 'after' (1st grade) I ended up adding an index card labeling it under my number line and acting out that 4 comes BEFORE 5 and so on.
A1: As a First Grade teacher, I don't expect my students to have a very large vocabulary when starting school. I was surprised at how many students didn't know they had middle names or what a middle name was. A child called it her "Mom is mad at me" name. 😂 #ycsdchat
A1: I’m always surprised when students mix up “anthropologist” and “archaeologist” after we discuss the key differences. I think next year I’ll have to use a semantic features analysis to help highlight the similarities and differences. #ycsdchat
A2: I feel like in K we are starting off on the ground level with vocabulary so usually I have to explain what the word vocabulary means by giving examples using from a read a loud book w/ pictures cards. #ycsdchat
A1-2: I joked how artists are creative at creating pieces but not at naming tools. Is it made of wood? It’s a wooden tool. Two sticks connected by wire? Wire tool. Then I held up a tool with a loop shape at the end and...
Class: “Loop tool!”
Very wise, my 5th graders.
#ycsdchat
A1: I feel like in K we are starting off on the ground level with vocabulary so usually I have to explain what the word vocabulary means by giving examples using from a read a loud book w/ pictures cards. #ycsdchat
A1: Every year I have to remind and/or reteach the students what check-in, checkout, and renew mean. They still stand at my desk and give me the confused look sometimes. #ycsdchat
A1: I am always surprised by the number of students who can’t hold onto vocabulary and talk “around” terms and concepts with words like “the thing that...” #ycsdchat
A2: teaching science, vocabulary is the basis for all understanding. We can't discuss how air masses and fronts affect weather when you don't know what those words mean! #ycsdchat
A2: None of the above! I teach art vocabulary so they know what supplies in the art room are called, how to tell different types of art apart, what techniques are called, etc. Otherwise I’d get a sea of confused faces looking at me when I tell them they can begin. #ycsdchat
A2:#ycsdchat to build background knowledge! I read that one reason reading scores have remained stagnant is due to not having the background knowledge to comprehend.
Q2: Expand oral language skills that serve as a foundation for reading and written expression skills. I also think strong vocab supports deeper understanding of spoken language, non-verbal communication, and creativity in our learners. #ycsdchat
A2: Social Studies would be impossible to teach without key vocabulary. My “Tiger Task” to start each class is 3-5 preview words of key vocab for the lesson that day. It draws on Ss prior knowledge and starts them raising questions before the lesson even begins. #ycsdchat
A2 I teach vocabulary to improve comprehension and verbal expression. If students use the words in conversation then they will make their way to written work. #ycsdchat
A2: I teach vocabulary to help out with subject & reading comprehension. Sometimes understanding terms helps students better understand the subject. Vocabulary is also one factor that frequently trips Ss up on tests, so I try to expose them to words they might see. #ycsdchat
A2: teaching greek and latin root words is beneficial to all student because they can connect the meanings of words they may not know from the root #ycsdchat
A2: #ycsdchat I teach vocabulary for test prep, reading comprehension, and deepening written expression. Are there test/content specific vocabulary terms you teach? What have you identified as “key words”?
A2: #ycsdchat basically my moto in K. It makes books more meaningful. Ss ask more insightful questions that lead to more discovery and learning. #ycsdchat
A2: Teaching vocabulary helps greatly overall with reading comprehension. In content areas such as math, science, and history it is essential for students to know key words to understand concepts. #ycsdchat
A1 I surprise my Art students by starting out with a Math, Science, or History fact, and they say but this isArt. Yes, Art is in all of the subjects.#ycsdchat
A2- 1st grade- I try to end each day by reading a chapter book approximately 2 reading levels above the average student in class. This exposes students to higher vocabulary, and gives me a chance to teach new words! #YCSDchat
A2: Totally agree with @eobrien22 that in math vocab is key for solving word problems. Also it helps to have common language to describe what we notice and wonder in math. I like to let them struggle some without the right vocab and then offer the vocab as a solution. #ycsdchat
Jacqui Kehoe @KehoeJacqui CES Kindergarten Para. My first time using Twitter. I am hoping to learn some great things to take back to my little ones. #ycsdchat
A3 #ycsdchat I had students do real world activities with the vocab. After receiving a number of inappropriate emails (in all caps), I had them write a letter to a professor asking for an extension. They had to request the RA remove a roommate. They had to do a short story.
A3: Using context clues to help understand vocabulary, studying prefixes, suffixes, and root words. Word walls are beneficial in instruction, when learning new vocabulary. #ycsdchat
A3: I believe illustrating the word and making a connection to the word are the two most crucial aspects of vocabulary instruction. If you aren't anchoring that word to some other knowledge, it can't "stick" #ycsdchat
Q3 I kinda jumped ahead on the last question but letting them struggle to describe something in math without the right vocabulary and then introducing the term seems to help. Not always possible because love to see it work when it can. #ycsdchat
A3: So the two things I use most are @Flocabulary and having ads create cubes. They draw the key terms from the unit and then pass them around the room to guess the term and make connections. https://t.co/5Yw1wg3UmG#ycsdchat
A3: I like to incorporate as much handson application to vocabulary as I can, which is why the majority of my students' exposure to directions vocabulary instruction is in Science. When we study leaves changing colors, my kids learn about chlorophyll and caratenoids. #ycsdchat
A3 Non linguistic representations in Art go hand in hand. Paint the sound of music. I play soft, rapid beat, melodic etc music instrumental pieces while they paint what they hear. Fun painting exercise! #ycsdchat
A3: I like the ideas in the book "Bringing Words to Life" for teaching vocabulary. I think they are geared towards tier 2 vocabulary, not tier 3. #ycsdchat
A3 #ycsdchat I liked the activities because not only did they learn the words in context, I also taught other skills, like how to be polite in email form. They also wrote cover letters for a job (with made up details).
Tonight's chat will give our ETFs and classroom teachers great ideas for strategies to implement when integrating the CS vocabulary into technology enriched lessons. Having that common language will be useful for teachers & students #ycsdchat
A3: If an art term is made up of prefixes found in other words, I point it out. “Monochromatic” has “mono” and “chrom”; the word means a color scheme using just one color with its tints and shades. New vocabulary usually involves me visually demonstrating. #ycsdchat
A3 Ive used recommendations from teachers who teach ELL. I use games, pictures, connections to root words and trying to create some type of hook to prior learning. #ycsdchat
A3 I'm totally blanking on the name of the vocab game, but I have a ton of random cards with random items and they have to make any sort of connection between a card and their word (i.e. book and plethora - a book contains a plethora of knowledge) #ycsdchat
Q3 PLTW 1st grade ss are working on learning coding using Scratch Jr. Algorithm is one of the vocab words. I think using terms while you're teaching what it is, helps retain the knowledge. #ycsdchat
A3: I have pic. cards (TPT) that will focus on 4/5 words from the book of the week. Ss will act the vocab out, draw pictures, and place them on our vocab board for the week. We do a lot with our read a loud series which has a lot of Science vocab as well. #ycsdchat
A3: I have also used the game Blurt to help develop general vocabulary for students. They get so excited to play that game and it's such a quick way to increase their vocabulary #ycsdchat
A3: I find teaching vocabulary in context to be most helpful at this age- as it directly relates to the lesson being covered...to ensure a stronger understanding of the material. #YCSDchat
A4: The Ss definition might not be “enough” or could be totally out of context of what you are teaching. I don’t want my Ss guessing or worse yet learning the wrong vocab. #ycsdchat
A4 Looking up vocab words in dictionaries, online or from endless sources can be a problem when words can have multiple meanings or uses. Can be confusing.#ycsdchat
It's a board game that was invented by a teacher. It has a set of cards that you read off of. Basically you read the definition and they have to blurt out the word they think it is defining. It's addictive and so fun! #ycsdchat
A4: Looking up a word in a dictionary might give them a definition full of words they might not have the necessary background knowledge to comprehend. #ycsdchat
A4: I just think of past/present ELL students. English is a hard enough language as it is. If it is a word that could mean one thing in one content area but a complete different definition in another content area. That's where guidance and knowing a student is needed. #ycsdchat
A4: I find too often that the definitions they find when they google search are over their heads. When they can't make sense of the definition, we end up in a downward spiral. #ycsdchat
A3: OMG I forgot @quizlet live! My Ss Love Love Love to play to review key vocab and concepts. We typically use this as a fun, energizing, interactive review for an assessment. #ycsdchat
A4. When my own kids looked up definitions it was just a boring activity. They just copied it down. There was no learning taking place...no connections being made. #ycsdchat
A4: Dictionaries can use words in the definition that may be hard for the student to also understand, which has the potential for creating more confusion. #ycsdchat
A3: OMG I forgot @quizlet live! My Ss Love Love Love to play to review key vocab and concepts. We typically use this as a fun, energizing, interactive review for an assessment. #ycsdchat
A5: You can create a display that allows students to record and share words they come across in their own reading that sparked a question or feeling in them. If you build the enthusiasm for this, it can be a big draw for Ss. #ycsdchat
A5: Make a word wall where students can post interesting or challenging new words. Ss can check in on the wall to see if they can define any or learn a new word. Shared learning approach #ycsdchat
A5: I provide my class with books on my back table for independent reading but the choices always correspond to the unit I’m teaching. Therefore even though the S is selecting it and the class may be reading different books the key vocab is the same. #ycsdchat
A5: I love the idea of students having time to cull a word list themselves. As we said earlier, ss surprise us with the words they don’t know. Perhaps sharing will bring up a lot of “suprises” we assumed were common knowledge #ycsdchat
A5: Having books available with vocabulary from specific content area students can elect to read on their own. I remember enjoying reading things like the Magic School Bus series as a kid and many vocabulary words would be explained through the art and dialogue. #ycsdchat
That’s a great approach. Even within that, though, the parking lot idea would work well for words that confuse them (especially if they’re not content words, but still common). #ycsdchat
I actually had to do this in my 11th grade AP English class. We had to find new words every week. I still remember some of those words, the ones I found and the ones my classmates found and shared! #ycsdchat
I think it’s great when students know we don’t know every word: we have to look things up or investigate further. I have a pretty large vocabulary, but when IB threw in “invigilate,” I had to crack a dictionary, too! #ycsdchat
A5 It would be neat if each student found 3 to 5 words that were new to them in what they read and share them with the class. How cool would it be to try to create connections between those words if possible. I'm thinking a giant web that could grow as they find words.#ycsdchat
A5: We can have Ss keep a list of words that they find challenging while reading. They could keep a “top ten list” and add more if needed. It will help us to see what they find challenging, since it can be very different than what we think will be challenging #ycsdchat
A5: My Ss are young but we look up vocab words together because I want them to know it's fine to not know a word. They can find out more information It's all part of learning which I hope they remember when they get older and further along into their school career. #ycsdchat
