Strategy Overview

How This Strategy Supports Students' Language Development

The more words students know, the better they will understand new content and texts. At the same time, unknown vocabulary words can get in the way of comprehension — and these words can become an obstacle in completing activities and solving problems. Science teacher Rebekah Farrell writes, "I remember the year there was a question on the Regents that I was so confident my kids would crush, but they didn't — all because of the word 'feather.'  Knowing what a feather was (which they all do in their language) made the difference." 

The good news is that there are many ways to support effective vocabulary instruction for English language learners (ELLs) in the classroom. 

Step-by-Step Instructions

A helpful way to think about vocabulary instruction is STAR:

• Select 
• Teach 
• Apply 
• Review

There are many different kinds of strategies you can use for for these steps. Here's how to get started!

Select Vocabulary

First, it's important to find out what students know about a particular topic. They may already know certain terms in English or their language, and they may bring valuable background knowledge that can support their learning of new words. This information may help guide your instruction.

Once you know what you need to target, identify a group of key vocabulary words you want to teach. Look for words that:

• Support students' understanding of text or content
• Support students' understanding of activities or instructions
• Are likely to appear in other content areas
• Require additional attention, such as words with multiple meanings ("square") and homophones ("eight"/"ate")

In addition, think about how students will be expected to use new words and the settings in which they will find them. For example, will they be using them in lab reports or presentations? Will they be writing essays? The more practice students have using vocabulary in authentic settings and assignments, the more successful they will be in mastering the language they are learning.

This is an area where ELL specialists and content or classroom teachers can work together.

You can also use online tools to help you:

• WordSift
• AIR Word Analyzer (free registration required)
• Supporting ELL Instruction with AI: Ideas for Educators

Teach Vocabulary

When you teach vocabulary, think about what will help students remember the meaning of new words. This might include student-friendly definitions, visuals, translated terms, and sample sentences. Some ideas for introducing new words include the following:

• Present new words on slides that include definitions, labeled visuals, translated terms, and sample sentences. (See examples below.)
• Give students a printed glossary that they can put in their binder.
• Give students a glossary that they need to complete by filling in translated terms, drawings of the object, and sample sentences.
• Ask students to make annotated diagrams (which can include labels in their languages) or sketchnotes, where students make labeled drawings of key concepts and terms.
• Create anchor charts with the class to introduce new concepts and thematic vocabulary.
• Post new vocabulary on a word wall that you can refer to regularly.
• Use the Word-Phrase-Sentence strategy, in which students explore new words or contexts.
• Use text engineering to teach vocabulary in grade-level text with the use of visuals, synoyms, user-friendly definitions, and cognates.

Here are some tools you can use, along with examples:

Vocabulary Tool	Description	Example: Octagon
Student-friendly definitions	A brief definition written in student-friendly language	Octagon: A figure with eight straight sides and eight angles
Visuals	Visuals can include pictures, videos, real objects, and gestures
Multilingual glossaries	Glossaries that present terms and definitions in students' languages	Octágono: una figura geométrica que tiene ocho lados
Cognates	Cognates are words related in two languages	octagon/octágono
Sample sentence	A sentence showing how the word is used	A figure with eight sides is an octagon.
Discussion question + sentence frame	A question that prompts students to use a word with a guided sentence structure	Which common object is an octagon? A __________ is an octagon. A stop sign is an octagon.

Dr. Diane August has developed model slides that incorporate several of these tools below.

Apply Vocabulary

After you introduce new words, it's important for students to get lots of practice with them, including through different language skills such as reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Students need to see and use a word several times to learn it. As ELL expert Areli Schermerhorn explains in the "Accountable Talk" video below, "We need them to not just see it; they need to repeat it, to say it ... (When students) were using the language in their private conversations, that's when you know you got it."

To reinforce vocabulary, ask students to:

• Highlight key words in text
• Listen for the words in a read-aloud or audio recording
• Write sample sentences with the key words
• Use key words in discussion

Review Vocabulary

You can review vocabulary through all kinds of fun activities. Here are just a few:

• Comprehension Checks: Quick, real-time checks on students' understanding 
• Match, Sort, and Order: Activities that focus on matching, organizing, and sequence
• Photo Gallery: A matching activity in which multiple options are possible and students must explain their matches
• Concept Maps: Graphic organizers that allow students to organize key words and concepts
• Picture Word Inductive Model: An activity in which students write sentences using key vocabulary and language structures based on visuals
• Picture Retell: An activity in which students retell a narrative story or key points of an informative text using pictures from the text as a support

Differentiation

• Entering/Emerging Students: Provide a glossary with terms in English and in students' languages. Ask students to draw the meaning of the word or provide visuals.
• Developing/Advanced Students: Ask students to write their own definitions and sample sentences.

Lessons Learned

• Keep vocabulary lists limited to a manageable number of new words.
• Make sure students know where they can go to look up new word meanings. Teach students how to use tools such as glossaries and dictionaries, whether in print or in a digital format. (Many online learning and assessment platforms include glossaries as a tool, as well as the ability to see definitions of words in the text.)
• Ask students which vocabulary strategies support their learning.
• Think about how students will be expected to use the words when planning your instruction.
• Look for ways to make learning hands-on.
• Consider previewing or pre-teaching key vocabulary before a lesson in small groups.
• Use word study, such as looking at prefixes, suffixes, and roots, to further expand students' vocabulary knowledge.

Co-Teaching Considerations

Content or Grade-Level Teacher

• Identify key terms of a lesson that you would like students to learn. Come up with student-friendly definitions as needed.

English Language Development Teacher

• Share different vocabulary activities that your co-teacher can use for different purposes.
• Talk about which kinds of activities will work well for each purpose.

Professional Learning

This Colorín Colorado slide show walks through the Teaching Vocabulary strategy and can be used for turnkey professional development sessions. Please share attribution to Colorín Colorado. 

To get started, you need:

• Teaching Vocabuary Slide Deck: Includes activities, discussion questions, and speaker's notes (also featured below)

To edit this presentation, you can download or copy the slides:

• File > Download (no Google account required)
• File > Make a copy (Google account required)

Resources

• Educating English Learners: A Review of the Latest Research (Dr. Diane August, American Educator)