Vocabulary Instruction

originally posted on My Big Campus - November 19, 2013

I have received numerous requests for some kind of "formal statement" about our "position" on vocabulary instruction as a result of some statements that Rachel and I have made recently regarding the topic. I think the requests come from a place of discomfort - that what we've said doesn't set well with many teachers' current practice. I am reluctant to put something in writing about this topic as it is so big and, apparently, controversial, but I do think it's important for me to be clear about my thoughts on the topic and to invite some discussion so that we can move forward without fear and apprehension.

First, I don't know that there is one "right" way to teach anything, especially vocabulary. I invite you to reflect on your own practices, my ideas, and those of others to come to your own conclusions. Nobody can force you to do something well that you don't agree with - that certainly isn't my intention.

So, let's start by re-visiting a text that many of us got several years ago:
"When I began teaching, I 'taught' vocabulary the same way my teachers had taught me: I assigned lists of words; asked students to look the words up i the dictionary and write them in sentences; and gave weekly vocabulary tests. Those exercises then gave way to programmed vocabulary books. My students and I worked our way through levels A-F, but it didn't take long for me to realize that these exercises didn't increase their speaking, reading, and writing language any more than looking words up in the dictionary had. Students seldom (never) gained enough in-depth word knowledge from this practice to integrate the words into their spoken or written language. These exercises did, however, keep them quiet for long periods, and I was doing what all the veteran teachers I knew were doing, so I truly wanted to believe that students were learning from this activity. In retrospect, I have to admit that it didn't matter whether students were learning or not-- I simply did not know what else to do. It was my job to teach vocabulary, and if I didn't teach (or would it be more accurate to say assign?) vocabulary in the traditional ways, what would I have done instead? Many teachers today struggle with these same 'demons' we're supposed to be teaching vocabulary and if we don't do the traditional 'assign, define, and test,' what do we do instead? and if we do something different, how can we prove it's working?"

Do you recognize this excerpt? It's from Janet Allen's Words, Words, Words written in 1999. Those who've been around for a decade or so will remember Janet spoke at one of our PD days, and I remember that many of us felt inspired to do things differently as a result of her presentation and reading her book.

With this memory in mind, I look to our current standards regarding vocabulary. L.4 says: "Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown or multiple meaning words or phrases based on grade-level reading or content choosing flexibly from a range of strategies. A. Use context as a clue to the meaning; B. Use word parts, patterns of word changes, or parts of speech; C. Consult general and specialized references to find pronunciation or clarify precise meaning; D. Verify the preliminary determination of the meaning of a word or phrase." Also, L.6 says: "Acquire and use accurately general academic and domain-specific words and phrases sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college- and career-readiness level."
My interpretation of L.4 is that it is speaking to words that students will encounter in their own reading and that L.6 is referring to academic words like "define" or "qualify" or domain-specific words like "metaphor" or "analogy."

I, like Allen, assigned and tested many vocabulary lists during my years in the classroom. If I were to go back today, however, I wouldn't. I don't think that that practice led my students to any independence in word acquisition as required by our current standards.

So, what would?

First, reading. Just reading. Back in the Dark Ages, my own high school counselor told me when I asked for help in increasing my SAT scores to just read. Wide reading is the number one way to increase vocabulary and improve word acquisition skills.

Second, I would provide explicit instruction on how to figure out what words mean - e.g., how to use context clues, how to use word parts, how to use the position and function of a word in a sentence. A great place to start is to read Allen's Words, Words, Words. I'll bet it's still on many of our shelves. I'd be careful not to turn right back to the graphic organizers; as helpful as they are, we don't want to resort solely to worksheet use. She gives solid explanations on how and why to provide explicit strategy instruction. There are several other authors who address vocabulary instruction, including Beck, Frey, Marzano - but I think her work is most accessible for immediate classroom use.

Third, I would reflect on my own language use and expectations for student use of rich language in their own communications.

Again, I want to be clear about MY thoughts on vocabulary instruction, and I invite you to consider your own. I am not mandating or banning specific practices. I invite you to reflect on your own practices and share your thoughts on this topic.