Developing Word Consciousness: What do we know that can help English language learners? Judith A. Scott, University of California, Santa Cruz IRA World.

Developing Word Consciousness: What do we know that can help English

language learners?

Judith A. Scott, University of California, Santa Cruz

IRA World CongressCosta Rica

2008

•Principal Investigator for The VINE project - Vocabulary Innovations in Education

•Grant funded by the US Department of Education (IES/NCER).

•4th grade teachers in 6 school districts to help students, particularly English language learners, develop word consciousness and an understanding of how to use academic language as a tool of communication.

•<vineproject.ucsc.edu>

Goals of my presentation

•Introduce and develop the concept of word consciousness

•Introduce 10 ideas that I think can make a difference in how you think about vocabulary instruction

What is word consciousness and why is it important?

• an interest in and awareness of words

• the ability to reflect on, and manipulate words as units of language

Word consciousness helps students

become aware of words in ways that go beyond a particular

set of words.

Music Appreciation

Art Appreciation

Word Appreciation

1.

Words are the building blocks of

communication

Purpose of learning new word meanings:

1)to understand them when we are listening and reading (receptive vocabulary) and

2)to be able to use them when we are talking and writing (productive vocabulary).

English learners have to learn both basic words for communication in English and academic language which is found in schools and books.

Words tied to specific content:

molecular, settlers, ecosystems, hypotenuse

or Words that add richness and depth to writing:

despicable, vacillate, translucent, grim

By the time children enter

kindergarten, a conservative

estimate is that native

English speakers know

4,000–5,000 word families in

orally in English.

It is estimated that the average native English speaking student in the United States learns 2000-3000 new vocabulary words every year

Much of that word learning comes from wide reading and informal vocabulary coaching

In U.S. schools, there is an ever-widening gap between proficient readers and those with access to informal vocabulary coaching,

and those who are less skilled in reading who do not have as much access to informal vocabulary coaching.

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th

Projected Growth of Root Words in Highest vs. Lowest Groups

Word

Problem Solving

Word Consciousness

Wide Reading & Read Alouds

Rich Oral Language

The Vocabulary Pyramid(Lubliner & Scott, 2008)

Closing the vocabulary gap • Co-ordinated multi-faceted effort

• Wide base of exposure to rich and varied language in books and conversations

• Fosters word consciousness

• Teaches problem solving skills for words

• Teaches students individual words & phrases

2. Word knowledge

and world knowledge

are closely aligned

Word

Problem Solving

Word Consciousness

Wide Reading & Read Alouds

Rich Oral Language

3.

Word knowledge is complex and

multi-dimensional

Word learning involves the

development of a network of knowledge

Knowing a word isn’t straightforward and simple

Knowing a word involves knowing a word schema -- all sorts of things related to that word

Words have multiple meanings. As a reader or listener, you have to try to figure out an appropriate meaning given the context.

• He put the dinner plates in the dishwasher

• He ran across home plate

• Baleen whales have jaws lined with plates of baleen instead of teeth.

4.• Word learning is incremental

and takes place in many steps over time.

• The more times one sees or hears a word, the more likely it is to be learned.

…He alternates using his big adze, axe and chainsaw, seeing in his mind how deeply to cut.

Word learning exists on a continuum

Not Well

Known Known

5.

Different types of words require different types of

instruction

Building new word meanings involves:

1. Building a completely new concept - photosynthesis- democracy

2. Attaching a new label to a known concept el gato = cat

rapscallion = an annoying child

Building new word meanings involves:

•Locating a word within an existing semantic field

Frigid = very coldTamarind = a kind of fruit

•Expanding the domain of a known label - a new meaning of a word

plate, baskets,

6.Traditional dictionaries are poor tools for learning the meanings of many new words

The wood must be placed level and firmly in the vice. Always plane in the direction of the grain.

Vice: 1) An evil, degrading, or immoral practice or

habit2) Second in rank 3) A kind of strong tool for holding an object

firmlyPlane:

1) a surface generated by a straight line moving at a constant velocity

2) An airplane3) To smooth with a plane

Definitions work best when:

•Attaching a new label to a known concept

•Locating a word within an existing semantic field

7.Students need others

to help them learn both about the world

and about how language works.

If we want students to learn the language of school we need to actively, explicitly and thoroughly

marinatemarinate students in opportunities to see, hear and use these words.

8.

Exposure to rich and varied language can make a difference.

Exposure in preschool to rich vocabulary stimulating discussion

predicts kindergarten literacy

and 4th and 7th grade

reading comprehension receptive vocabulary

Dickinson & Tabors (2001)

•Even a small amount of sophisticated word use

•with instructive support for the meaning of the words,

increased vocabulary scores

Weizman & Snow (2001)

Gift of words

•Students gather

•Put on strips of tagboard

Students finished couplets, water colored frames for their couplets, shared all kinds of poetry with each other, and started their own free verse. It’s pretty clear to me that if I set the tone of words being gifts students will take the time to explore and work with their writing pieces.

~Margarita, 4th grade VINE teacher

9.

Metacognitive coaching and the development of word consciousness can make a difference.

The most useful thing I learned as a writer this year is the Gift of Words. I like how you can take a sentence and transform it, like changing “I’m afraid” to “heart pounding fear.” Sometimes I don’t use them but I don’t know why. When I do, BOOM, my sentences become a lot more powerful.

~Rodrigo, Grade 6

Cognate Recognition is a form of Word Consciousness

Students who become proficient at cognate recognition are metacognitively aware that they can use cognate strategies to figure out new vocabulary

10.

Creating connections between the students’ world, and the world of

words used in schooling can make a difference.

For more information about our federally funded grant to explore word consciousness with 4th grade teachers, please contact:

vineproject@ucsc.edu or visit us at our website vineproject.ucsc.edu.

Books for Teachers:

Scott, J., Skobel, B. & Wells, J. (2008). The Word-Conscious Classroom: Building the vocabulary readers and writers need. Scholastic: Theory and Practice Series.

Lubliner, S. & Scott, J.A. (Expected in 2008). Nourishing Vocabulary.

Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Most Recent Research Publications: Scott, J., Nagy, B. & Flinspach, S. (in press). More than

merely words: Redefining vocabulary learning in a culturally and linguistically diverse society. In A. Farstrup & J. Samuels (Eds.). What Research Has to Say About Vocabulary Instruction. Newark, Delaware: IRA

Scott, J.A., Hoover, M., Flinspach, S. & Vevea, J. (in press). A multiple level vocabulary assessment tool:  Measuring word knowledge based on grade level materials. In Y. Kim, V. Risko, D. Compton, et. al. (Eds.), 57th National Reading Conference Yearbook. Oak Creek, WI: National Reading Conference