Choosing a Focus for Vocabulary Instruction
In writing our posts on vocabulary teaching, we came across a host of vocabulary materials, games, apps, activities, lesson plans, worksheets, and websites. Some were by SLPs, but the majority were by general education teachers, teachers of English as a second language, and special education teachers. No matter what the age, grade level, or instructional setting, they all shared the same focus: teaching the meaning of new words. At first glance, that makes sense. But learning the meaning of new words is just the beginning. There are other, equally important things to focus on in vocabulary instruction that go beyond learning the meaning of new vocabulary words. Beyond learning the meaning of brand new words (“I understand it when I hear it.”), we can help learners to: • Develop a deeper understanding of known words (“I understand different aspects of this word.” “I know many different ways to use this... [Read More...]
Filed under: PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: broader lexicon, intervention, language intervention, lexical diversity, new word learning, semantics, vocabulary