Teaching Vocabulary to Special Education Students
Classroom Examples of Teaching Vocabulary to Special Education Students
The scientific research on vocabulary instruction reveals that most vocabulary is learned indirectly and some vocabulary must be taught directly. Indirect vocabulary learning occurs when students hear and see words during conversations with adults, when being read to, and when reading on their own. Direct vocabulary learning occurs through explicit instruction in both individual words and word-learning strategies. Direct vocabulary instruction aids in reading comprehension. Two examples of direct vocabulary instruction include: specific word instruction and word learning instruction.
Put Reading First: The Research Building Blocks for Teaching Children to Read, 2001, The Partnership for Reading.
Vocabulary Enricher
This strategy lends itself to literature circles. Teacher designates certain students as vocabulary enrichers. They are instructed to select interesting and unfamiliar words in their reading and then conduct a discussion around these words.
The following actions represent a variety of tactics students may use:
• define words before the group sessions by using their own knowledge or referring to a dictionary
• rely on the group to provide the definitions
• read their definitions to the group
• explain the words to the group
• read the passage aloud containing the targeted word
Overall, students work collaboratively in group sessions to construct word meaning.
Struggling Adolescent Readers: A Collection of Teaching Strategies (Paperback) by David W. Moore (ed.), Donna E. Alvermann (ed.), & Kathleen A. Hinchman (ed.) 2000. International Reading Association. Pg. 183
Vocabulary Square
Students use a graphic organizer to draw the word, then break the word down in meaning. Marzano suggests that this technique is particularly useful for spatial/mechanical learners and provides evidence that using non-linguistic methods of teaching reading are highly effective.
Classroom Instruction that Works: Research-Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement By Robert Marzano, Debra Pickering, & Jane Pollock. April 2004. ASCD.
For lesson plans using this tool and many more graphic organizers, see:
http://www.manila.esu4.org/instructionalstrategies