Vocab Strategies That Don't Suck

I don’t know about you, but I’m not entirely certain that my hand and my brain are connected. I can totally copy something and not engage my brain at all.

It’s possible that something is wrong with my brain (no comments, y’all!) but it’s also possible that some (many?) kids don’t engage their brains when they copy things either.

Let me tell you the reasons why I STOPPED having kids copy definitions for vocabulary terms.

Seven Reasons to NOT Have Kids Copy Definitions.  (#5 will surprise you!)

1. It takes forever. Who’s got extra class time to take on that?
2. The kids don’t always understand the written definition, so they can’t fully “get” the term.
3. Kids hate to write.  It makes them grumpy, which makes them less receptive to learning.
4. Kids don’t have to mentally interact with the definitions. So they often don’t.
5. Copying definitions don’t allow kids to construct their own meanings. And a meaning a kid constructs herself is a meaning that lasts.
6. Even if a kid memorizes the written definition (and many don’t), they get a 2-dimensional definition, not a dynamic, elastic, adaptable definition that they can use in different situations and contexts.
7. We live in 2017. We have copy machines (copy limits absolutely acknowledged)! But we can just GIVE the kids the definitions. They don’t NEED to copy them by hand like a European monk before the printing press.

“Okay, okay, Tracy, I get it.”you say to me in my imaginary conversation, “But I don’t know what ELSE to do! Copying vocab helps me get the vocab in the kids’ hands and get around my copy limits and keeps the kids quiet”

True, true, all of it.

But we can do better. Here goes....

Four Strategies for Making Vocabulary “Stick” in the Kids Brains (And Suck Less)

1. VOCABULARY QUICK-WRITES https://teachers.net/lessons/posts/1337.html  

Students should already have journals and the definitions of the vocabulary words should already have been made available to them. This is simply using quick-write entries that incorporate vocabulary words. In most cases only one word would be used for each entry, unless the words are connected in some way. Students simply respond to a question using the vocabulary word. Here is an example:

For the word irritating: "List three things that you consider irritating. Why do these things irritate you?"

2. VOCAB DISCUSSIONS  https://teachers.net/lessons/posts/1337.html

This should be done when first giving out vocabulary words. Vocabulary list should be limited to about 5 words or less as students tend to lose interest after that.

First, explain the "formal" definition of a word, then give several examples of the word in context. After that, provide a question (like the questions for the Vocab Quick Writes) and have the students discuss this in class together, using the word in their discussion. Have them share the highlights of their discussion with the class. This strategy might take more time, but the students thoroughly understand the words afterwards. And it takes less time than copying definitions.

3. WORD SORTS http://www.adlit.org/strategies/21829/

It is incredibly simple to use in the classroom but it can have a huge impact on your kids.

Basically this strategy asks students to organize words or phrases into piles that make sense to them. The strategy is useful as both a pre-and-post reading strategy. During pre-reading, kids use their prior knowledge to organize words and establish a purpose for reading. As an after-reading strategy, students reflect on what they read and process the ideas presented in the text.

There are two types of sorts:

1. Closed word sorts are when the teacher defines the process for  categorizing the words. This requires students to think critically as they look for specific concepts, word structures and definitions. Meaning, the teacher gives the students the categories (examples of categories could include: people, places, things OR 15th, 16th, 17th century OR England, France, Italy)
2. In an open word sort, students determine for themselves how to categorize the words. Because of this, open sorts can prompt divergent and inductive reasoning. Meaning, they have to come up with their own categories. a)      Select 15-20 words that are important to the understanding of the lesson. At this time, the teacher should determine if it will be an open or closed sort.

Copy words onto index cards or print them on slips of paper. Provide enough words for each group of 3-5 students. Pass out words to groups. Based on if this is a pre-reading strategy or after-reading strategy, the teacher should decide how much support to provide.

If the activity is a closed sort, remind students they will need to use the categories provided to them. If it is an open sort, suggest to students that they categorize the words into groups that make sense to them. Remind them that they will need to be able to explain their rationale for the groups they created.

Give students approximately 10 minutes to create their sorts.

As students read the text or discuss it in more detail, allow them to reclassify their words.

Have students to reflect on their sorts and how it increased their understanding before and/or after the reading of the text. Did they make changes? Why or why not?

4. SEMANTIC FEATURE ANALYSIS http://www.adlit.org/strategies/22731/

With a Semantic Feature Analysis chart or grid, one can examine related concepts but make distinctions between them according to particular criteria across which the concepts can be compared.

A set of concepts is listed down the left side (or across the top; it doesn't much matter which) and criteria or features are listed across the top (or down the side). If the concept is associated with the feature or characteristic, the student records a Y or a + (plus-sign) in the grid where that column and row intersect; if the feature is not associated with the concept, an N or - (minus-sign) is placed in the corresponding square on the grid. For instance, consider types of government: democracy, dictatorship, monarchy, oligarchy, theocracy, and republic. What might be the characteristics of governments that might be associated with various types?

Which of these strategies do you already use? Which ones could you try this week? Can you give up the precious silence of copying vocab for engaged chatter? What if it helps them learn the terms better? As always, I love to hear from you! Email me at newmantr@pcsb.org

-Tracy

	FDR	JFK	Nixon	Reagan	Clinton
Democrat	+	+	-	-	+
War Time President	+	-	+	-	-
Congress of Same Party	-/+	+	-	-/+	-/+
Re-Elected	+	-	+	+	+
Served in Congress	-	+	+	-	-
Won Majority of Popular Vote	+	-	-/+	+	-

The Sorting Hat

I love the “Sorting Hat” from Harry Potter. Not only is it kind of charming and cute, but it determines your “house” at Hogwarts, which is sort of like your ... um... coed fraternity? 

But unlike the Sorting Hat scenes in Harry Potter, it’s hard (and a little dangerous) to sort people into one category. People are complicated. We never want to label people with one label (“overachiever”, “struggling student”, “athlete”, “future criminal”, ). 

Some kids could apply all four of the above labels to themselves.

People are complicated. While I might be sorted into a “teacher” category, I might also be sorted into a “Floridian” category, a “coach” category, a “mom” category, a “Lightning Fan” category. A “USF Alum” category. A “hip-hop music fan” category. A “karaoke queen” category. A “those district people” category. 

I think our students could benefit from some serious sorting-hat-type thinking. Maybe instead of sorting people, they can sort words and ideas. 

One of my favorite strategies is “Word Sort” -- also sometimes called “List-Group-Label”

Why would I use this strategy? It’s kind of a Swiss-Army Knife of strategies. It can do a LOT with one tool.

• It has kids deepen their understanding of vocabulary terms
• It has kids assess their own understanding.
• It has kids make multiple connections between terms, (instead of learning them in isolation). It’s like learning vocab in in 3D instead of 2D
• It helps kids create schema in their brains by connecting one idea to another. Schema = longer lasting knowledge.
• It can take 10 minutes or 50. It’s pretty adaptable
• It can be used for 6 terms or 40. Or any number in between.
• It can be used as a pre-reading activity, a mid-reading checkpoint, or a review activity.
• You can use it with one lesson or multiple lessons (or over multiple units) combined.
• It’s active learning (not passive)
• It’s student-centered learning (not teacher-directed)
• It’s collaborative learning

Here’s how you do it.

1. Choose around 10-20 (more or less) different terms or vocabulary words. You can print them in a formatted table or write them on sticky notes or notecards, but they need to have one-term-per-card/sticky note.
2. Put your students in small groups. I find groups of three are best for this activity, but pairs would work, too.
3. As a preview, a metacognition activity, and a formative assessment,  you MAY choose to have your students sort the word-cards or word-stickies into categories of “We know it well”, “We kind-of know it” and “We don't’ know it”.  
4. Have your kids find the meaning of the terms they didn’t know and brush up on the terms they “Kind-of” know.
5. Then, have your students sort the words into new categories. You can give them the categories, but it’s more powerful when the kids come up with their own categories. They might sort them into:
1. people, places, events, things
2. inventions, inventors, ideas
3. Chapter 13, Ch 15, Ch 16
4. Religion, Geography, Culture, History
5. Causes of the Revolution, Events of the Revolution, Effects of the Revolution
6. 1700s, 1800s, 1900s
7. Legislative, Executive Judicial
8. Article 1, Article 2, Article 3, Bill of Rights

6. Have them label each category and explain why each term goes in each category (this is how you check for understanding and make sure they’re not just putting words in categories randomly just to get the task done.) Have them defend where they put their terms!

7. THEN -- and this is the powerful part -- have the kids use the SAME terms but with another set of categories. If earlier they sorted the words by chapter, now maybe they need to sort the terms chronologically. If they earlier sorted the words by causes, events, effects -- maybe now they choose to sort the terms into “Colonists’ Actions” and “British Actions”. 

Let’s try it with a real set of Civics terms from Benchmark 3.3 (Yes, those are ALL the terms in one benchmark)

appellate jurisdiction	declaration of war	immigration	naturalization laws	trade
armed forces	elastic clause	impeach	necessary and proper clause	U.S. Congress
article	enumerated or delegated powers	implied powers	original jurisdiction	U.S. House of Representatives
coining money	executive branch	judicial branch	presidential appointments	U.S. Senate
concurrent powers	foreign relations	legislative branch	regulate	U.S. Supreme Court

What categories could you sort those terms into?

• Executive, judicial, legislative
• powers, checks/balances, parts of government
• Concurrent powers, implied powers, enumerated powers

What else? Can you come up with another set of labels for groups of those words?

I love the Word Sorts. I find it really effectively addresses multiple needs in the classroom, all with one activity. One activity that’s on the fun side. 

Like the Sorting Hat, it’s helpful to look at people -- and words -- from multiple angles. It’s powerful for kids to learn to connect ideas and words. It’s even better when they can do it actively and collaboratively. 

PS -- don’t forget to use your expectations for collaboration! Mine are the Oh Groupwork rules!

1. On task
2. On topic
3. On (in) your seat
4. Only your group members
5. One -level volume

Try it mid-lesson or as a review. And let me know how it goes!  What other categories did you come up with for the list above? As always, I love to hear from you!

-Tracy