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Academic Vocabulary: Strategies for a Surefire Win
posted by: Melissa | May 01, 2014, 02:24 PM   


Recently, the SAT announced a change that will reverberate through classrooms across the country and in every grade level.  This shift is so fundamental to curriculum that its effect will be felt for years in every single subject area.  What did they change?  Vocabulary.  No longer will the SAT assess vocabulary rooted in literature works of old.  In the future, the SAT will primarily measure what is commonly referred to as “academic” vocabulary.


Academic vocabulary, like its name implies, is vocabulary that is used in academia.  These are terms that may be used while posing questions to students in a class or terms that are specific to a certain subject area.

The new emphasis on these types of words means that teaching them will now have a renewed emphasis in a teacher’s curricula. What are some strategies teachers can use then?  Try the following ideas:

  1. Firstly enforce the use of academic vocabulary in classes, both when completing assignments, and also by using vocab-rich and in-depth texts in class.  Students learn vocabulary best when it is tied to the context that it is normally used in.
  2. Robert Marzano has developed a method to introduce and teach academic vocabulary through a six-step process.  Marzano is known for using research to find the most effective strategies.  His matrix involves defining the terms, using pictures to represent the words, and then reinforcing the terms through a variety of in-class games and activities.
  3. Use word sorts, venn diagrams, and other methods of categorizing words.  These strategies have been proven through research to increase both retention of vocabulary and understanding of their meaning.  The Frayer Model is a classic example of a way to use categorization to increase vocabulary.
  4. Teach common prefixes and suffixes that are used in your subject.  Check out these examples that have been developed for science, math, and history.
Through the use of these four strategies, teachers in any subject can help their student master their academic vocabulary.

 
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