Reviewing & maintaining vocabulary...
Many research studies (Puhalla, 2011; August, Carlo, Dressler & Snow (2005); Lesaux et al, 2010) confirm the importance of reviewing recently learned words and providing opportunities for students to use them to consolidate their knowledge of new words.
Here we offer a few recommended methods of incorporating the regular review of words into you classroom, with key strategies to encourage regular maintenance of your students' new vocabulary...
Here we offer a few recommended methods of incorporating the regular review of words into you classroom, with key strategies to encourage regular maintenance of your students' new vocabulary...
Homework
Homework can be a valuable way to review a previous week’s words. Possible activities include:
Flash Cards
Keep the vocabulary cards used in each instructional cycle in a fixed location within the classroom, to facilitate easy revision. Students who particularly need revision can be encouraged to work regularly with the cards - either individually or with a partner. The cards could also be used as a meaningful filler-activity by having the whole class play meaning-match or memory in pairs with previous sets of words.
Homework can be a valuable way to review a previous week’s words. Possible activities include:
- Completing sentences or creating new sentences using vocabulary words
- Asking students to identify uses of vocabulary words in home contexts (eg. look for words used in newspapers or magazines, or note the use of the words by parents (Beck at, 2013, recommends this as an effective strategy, see notes on their “Word Wizard” program below)
- Completing crossword puzzles with meaning clues
Flash Cards
Keep the vocabulary cards used in each instructional cycle in a fixed location within the classroom, to facilitate easy revision. Students who particularly need revision can be encouraged to work regularly with the cards - either individually or with a partner. The cards could also be used as a meaningful filler-activity by having the whole class play meaning-match or memory in pairs with previous sets of words.
Vocabulary Note-Books
These provide a tool for students to use as a resource when writing, and also to record other unknown words they find when reading. Feldman & Kinsella (2005) recommends that “it is helpful to have an explicit organisational scheme for what information is recorded in the notebook". Students can record word meanings, synonyms, images, examples sentences or parts of speech, etc that can all be helpful as an ongoing resource to help them use the words when writing. A sample vocabulary notebook page can be found on our Resources page.
Word Walls
Creating a Word Wall provides a visual reminder to students about words they have learned. The words can be arranged in a number of ways depending on your purpose, e.g. by type of word. Encourage students to review the words on the wall in their verbal discussions and written work across all subject areas.
The Word Wall can also be used a revision tool by structuring short games which can be played as a break-up activity between lessons, or at any time there is a window of opportunity within the teaching schedule. For example, the teacher can play a “I’m thinking of a word…” game where they identify a word on the wall and give a series of clues about the word until the students guess the word. Another fun option for short breaks or transitions between lessons is vocabulary Charades or Pictionary, where students take turns to pick a word from the wall and either act it out or draw it for other students to guess. Numerous suggestions on how to effectively use your Word Wall, and many other fun games and activities can be easily found online. EducationWorld (http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/strategy/strategy062.shtml) provides some great suggestions.
Encourage Students to Use the Words Outside the Classroom
McKeown at al (1983) developed the “Word Wizard” program as a motivational tool, where students earn points toward becoming a “Word Wizard” by “bringing evidence that they have seen, heard, or used target words outside the classroom (Beck et al, 2013, pg 7).” They later modified the program for older students to incorporate “In The Media” (pg 113), where students are encouraged to find word in any media, including video games, web sites, TV shows, books and magazines. McKeown et al (1985) used the Word Wizard program, and found that there was increased learning when students had the “outside-of-class ” component added. We recommend further reading about this motivational tool (Beck, McKeown & Kucan, 2013).
Using Dictionaries & Thesauruses
Kinsella (2010) and Beck et al (2013) both recommend teaching students how to effectively use dictionaries and thesauruses, but highlight that these must written at an appropriate level for students to be effective. Beck et al (2013) recommends the Collins Cobuild English Language Dictionary, while Kinsella (2010) recommends the Longman Elementary Dictionary & Thesaurus.
Model Sophisticated Vocabulary Use & Excitement About Words
Lane & Allen (2010) outline the importance of teacher modelling of sophisticated words to promote students using them.
Using the learned vocabulary words as much as possible in your own classroom and highlighting the use of these words to students provides another way to revise and maintain vocabulary use. Bromley (2007, pg 535) discusses the positive impact of teachers who display “an attitude of excitement about words and language” and “model, encourage , and engage students in wordplay.”
These provide a tool for students to use as a resource when writing, and also to record other unknown words they find when reading. Feldman & Kinsella (2005) recommends that “it is helpful to have an explicit organisational scheme for what information is recorded in the notebook". Students can record word meanings, synonyms, images, examples sentences or parts of speech, etc that can all be helpful as an ongoing resource to help them use the words when writing. A sample vocabulary notebook page can be found on our Resources page.
Word Walls
Creating a Word Wall provides a visual reminder to students about words they have learned. The words can be arranged in a number of ways depending on your purpose, e.g. by type of word. Encourage students to review the words on the wall in their verbal discussions and written work across all subject areas.
The Word Wall can also be used a revision tool by structuring short games which can be played as a break-up activity between lessons, or at any time there is a window of opportunity within the teaching schedule. For example, the teacher can play a “I’m thinking of a word…” game where they identify a word on the wall and give a series of clues about the word until the students guess the word. Another fun option for short breaks or transitions between lessons is vocabulary Charades or Pictionary, where students take turns to pick a word from the wall and either act it out or draw it for other students to guess. Numerous suggestions on how to effectively use your Word Wall, and many other fun games and activities can be easily found online. EducationWorld (http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/strategy/strategy062.shtml) provides some great suggestions.
Encourage Students to Use the Words Outside the Classroom
McKeown at al (1983) developed the “Word Wizard” program as a motivational tool, where students earn points toward becoming a “Word Wizard” by “bringing evidence that they have seen, heard, or used target words outside the classroom (Beck et al, 2013, pg 7).” They later modified the program for older students to incorporate “In The Media” (pg 113), where students are encouraged to find word in any media, including video games, web sites, TV shows, books and magazines. McKeown et al (1985) used the Word Wizard program, and found that there was increased learning when students had the “outside-of-class ” component added. We recommend further reading about this motivational tool (Beck, McKeown & Kucan, 2013).
Using Dictionaries & Thesauruses
Kinsella (2010) and Beck et al (2013) both recommend teaching students how to effectively use dictionaries and thesauruses, but highlight that these must written at an appropriate level for students to be effective. Beck et al (2013) recommends the Collins Cobuild English Language Dictionary, while Kinsella (2010) recommends the Longman Elementary Dictionary & Thesaurus.
Model Sophisticated Vocabulary Use & Excitement About Words
Lane & Allen (2010) outline the importance of teacher modelling of sophisticated words to promote students using them.
Using the learned vocabulary words as much as possible in your own classroom and highlighting the use of these words to students provides another way to revise and maintain vocabulary use. Bromley (2007, pg 535) discusses the positive impact of teachers who display “an attitude of excitement about words and language” and “model, encourage , and engage students in wordplay.”
Always remember that your own enthusiasm for words can be infectious to your students, and try to consciously think about how you can model not just great vocabulary use, but foster a genuine interest in words and wordplay...