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Classroom practices that support
vocabulary and concept development through modeling, supporting and
providing independent practice:
- Provide hands on experiences such as field trips,
class pets and science experiments to support the acquisition of new
vocabulary words and concepts.
- Use questioning and discussion prior to the experience,
support as students talk about their observations, and follow up activities
to reinforce their new learning.
- Provide dramatic play themes such as grocery stores,
hospitals, pet shops and offices to give children meaningful oral
practice with new concepts.
- Read aloud daily to children from a variety of genres.
In addition to introducing new words and concepts, becoming familiar
with the structure of book language is helpful for both reading and
writing.
- Expand vocabulary for writing by activities such
as brainstorming and making a chart of alternatives for frequently
used words such as said or went.
- Provide time for and encourage discussions around
a variety of topics.
- Have children get involved in planning and organizing
for choice time activities, projects, presentations or parties to
give them the chance to communicate about a real task.
- Use new concepts and vocabulary learned to create
authentic writing such as books, plays, pamphlets, letters or posters
to share with others.
- When introducing a new concept, tie it to actions
to model the concept. Use explicit language paired with the demonstrations.
- Have children talk about what they are thinking or
how they solved a problem.
- Use small group sharing times to set the stage for
children to communicate by telling, questioning and answering questions.
- Have children mark a word or concept they don't understand
while reading with a sticky note and share it with their book group
to get help.
- Model and provide practice time in using a dictionary
to look up meanings for new words.
- Use careful book selections and introductions to
help match a reader to a book. The teacher will need to consider what
she knows about her learners as well as the concepts, language structure
and possible unfamiliar vocabulary words in the book.
- Encourage children to retell stories they have heard
read and tell stories of their own.
- Support and extend vocabulary and concept development
with activities which encourage comparing, contrasting or categorizing
such as making Venn diagrams or attribute books.
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