Building Social Studies Vocabulary Debbie Behling, M.Ed. Region 4 ESC TSSSA, March, 2010.

BuildingSocial Studies

Vocabulary

Debbie Behling, M.Ed.Region 4 ESC

TSSSA, March, 2010

Today’s Objectives

• Explore research-based strategies in a social studies context that support academic vocabulary development.

• Experience hands-on activities and take classroom-ready applications for immediate implementation.

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Activity 1

Think-Pair-ShareHow do teachers deliver vocabulary instruction to their students?– What strategies do they use? – How effective are these strategies? – How do we know if these strategies are

effective?– What part does background knowledge play in

learning new vocabulary?

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Consider…

• Teach specific terms in specific ways.• Select academic vocabulary terms

strategically.• Build background knowledge where

needed before teaching vocabulary.

Kinder Grade 3 Grade 8 Grade 11

Estimated Effect of Academic Background Knowledge (ABK)

on Reading Levels

Without ABKWith ABK

Rela

tive R

ead

ing

Level

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No DVI With DVI0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

50%

83%

Results of Direct Vocabulary Instruction as Measured by

Standardized Tests

Direct Vocabulary Instruction (DVI)

Assessm

en

t M

easu

rem

en

t

Crisis of Literacy

• Annual drop-out rate – 3,000• Plan for prison beds based on 4th

grade reading scores

Literacy and National Reading Statistics, Teaching Reading. Referenced by Kunjufu, J. Retrieved April 17, 2006, from Reading scores and prison growth: http://www.edu-cyberpg.com.

“[It is critical that] students who do not come from academically advantaged backgrounds [receive] systematic instruction in important academic terms.”

*Marzano, R. & Pickering, D. (2005). Building Academic Vocabulary: Teacher’s Manual. ASCD, Alexandria, p. 3

District Vocabulary List

Creating a Vocabulary List• Choose a list of 10 words you believe

are critical to your content area and course.

• Explore your content and grade level TEKS.

• Refine your list of 10 words you believe are critical to your content area and course.

Activity 2

Five Phases: Creating a List of Academic Terms

• Read the five phases for developing district-wide vocabulary on page 3.

• Consider your district’s status in this development process.

• What obstacles have you faced in accomplishing this task?

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Activity 3

Six Steps for Building Vocabulary• Use the strips to predict the order of

the six steps for building academic vocabulary.

• Why do you think they go in the order you chose?

Six-Step Process For Teaching Academic Vocabulary*

Steps 1-3: Introduce new termSteps 4-6: Provide multiple exposures

Transformation*Marzano, R. & Pickering, D. (2005). Building Academic Vocabulary: Teacher’s Manual. ASCD, Alexandria, pp. 14-15

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Activity 4

Interactive Lecture• Select a vocabulary word from your

content area.• Choose one that students must know

to understand a vital concept or skill.• Use this vocabulary word throughout

the explanation of the six steps.• Be prepared to share with a partner.


1. Provide a description, explanation, or example of the new term.

• Use multimedia to introduce• Tell a story using the term• Integrate current events• Show a visual of the term• Text Pattern Vocabulary (Activity 5)

*Marzano, R. & Pickering, D. (2005). Building Academic Vocabulary: Teacher’s Manual. ASCD, Alexandria, pp. 14-15

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1. Provide a description, explanation, or example of the new term.Monarch - One who reigns over a state or territory, usually for life and by hereditary right, often with unlimited power; one example is a king.


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2. Ask students to restate the description, explanation, or example in their own words.

Monarch – Someone who is in charge of a country


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2. Ask students to restate the description, explanation, or example in their own words.

• Use an analogy:A monarch is to a country asa boss is to a business.



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3. Ask students to construct a picture, symbol, or graphic representing the term or phrase.

Monarch - Crown

*Building Academic Vocabulary: Teacher’s Manual, Robert J. Marzano and Debra J. Pickering, ASCD, 2005, pp. 14-15

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Challenges:• Can’t draw• “Overdraw”• Want to copy• Trouble depicting


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4. Engage students periodically in activities that help them add to their knowledge of the terms in their notebooks or journals.


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4. Engage students periodically in activities that help them add to their knowledge of the terms in their notebooks.

• Write a sentence using monarch.• Write examples of monarchs in this unit.• Identify synonyms and antonyms.


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5. Periodically ask students to discuss the terms with one another.

• Turn to your partner and ask him/her to explainwhat he/she thinks monarch means.

• Compare what you have learned about the wordmonarch to what your partner has learned.

• Write a question you still have about this term.


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6. Involve students periodically in games that allow them to play with the terms.

• Jeopardy!• Memory Matching Cards• Vocabulary Charades• Picture Notes/Pictionary• Scategories


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Step Six

Games• What Is the Question? (Jeopardy!)• Vocabulary Charades• Name That Category (Pyramid)• Draw Me

(Pictionary/Win, Lose, or Draw)• Talk a Mile a Minute

(Taboo, Catch Phrase)

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Step Six

Activity 6: Additional Games• Conga Line Vocabulary• Semantic Feature Analysis• Pyramid

Next Steps

• Resources: Reading to Learn in Social Studies– Grades 6-8– Grades 9-12

• Email me: [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

Building Social Studies Vocabulary Debbie Behling, M.Ed. Region 4 ESC TSSSA, March, 2010.

Documents

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