Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

Content-Specific Vocabulary and Academic Vocabulary

There are two types of vocabulary that are important for general and content area instruction:  content-specific and academic vocabulary.  Content-specific vocabulary relates to terms that are important to a certain discipline or unit of study.  Academic vocabulary relates to terms that are not specifically related to any content or discipline, but are found in a lot of formal presentations and written tests. When my students read material I want them to be able understand the vocabulary.  Not only can learning these two types of vocabulary help my students in my social studies class, but learning all these types of vocabulary can help with college entrance tests and when the students get to college. 

A Closer Look at Word Knowledge

According to Davis and Thurstone,  having knowledge of word meaning is one of the most important factors in reading comprehension.  I completely agree with their point.  It is hard for students to understand the meaning of the text if they do not understand the words used in it. 

5 Facets of the Intricate Nature of Word Knowledge

1. Incrementality
2. Polysemy
3. Multidimentionality
4. Interrelatedness
5. Heterogeneity

It is the teacher’s responsibility to develop a students background knowledge for the lesson being taught.  Even after instruction, if students still do not understand the background knowledge needed a teacher must continue to work with the student until the student understands the material. 

Teaching Vocabulary to Assist Students in Their Reading

When students are reading and they notice that there is a word they do not understand they are taking the first step to figuring out the meaning of the word.  When a students notices they do not understand a word he or she should mark the word for further research. A way for students to figure out words is through semantic clues.  These clues can provide information to the students though examples, definitions, synonyms, antonyms, and descriptions. Not only can students figure out the meaning through semantic clues, but students can use context clues. Students should understand when there is a proper time and how to use dictionaries and other resources properly.  Students must understand that there are multiple meanings to the same word when trying to figure out the meaning.  Context clues should help students figure out what definition is. Now when a student is working alone structural analysis may be the best way for students to decode the meaning of a word. Many words are from Greek and Latin words and these roots can help students to decode the words. The Dissect mnemonic is a great way for students to decode the meaning of words when they are being independent readers. 

Teaching Vocabulary as a Reflection Activity

Post graphic organizers and categorization are great ways for students to review new vocabulary that students have learned while reading. This chapter was really informative about ways to help students learn vocabulary and why vocabulary is so important for students learn, not just memorize.