Question 3: Effective vocabulary

Question 1

Define semantics

Answer 1

The rules governing the meanings of words, vocabulary knowledge and the relationship between words (Peel Language Development School, 2021)

Question 2

Give some examples of semantic development strategies

Answer 2

○ Create the environment- if you are teaching shapes for Maths; put pictures, words and students’ related work up around the room.
○ Ask students what they already know and teach them new, related information.
○ Provide definitions and descriptions. This will help them develop their semantic web.
○ Visualise and verbalise.
○ Create opportunities for students to practise these words with other students
and with you.

Question 3

What are the four features of a vocabulary program and according to who?

Answer 3

Cameron & Dempsey (2016)
1. Build and foster word consciousness
2. Teach word-learning strategies
3. Teach individual words
4. Plan for and encourage independent reading

Question 4

Describe the first feature of a vocabulary program according to Cameron and Dempsey (2016) - “Build and foster word consciousness”

Answer 4

• Supporting students to develop an interest and awareness in words and how they work
• Literary devices
• Word classes

Question 5

Describe the second feature of a vocabulary program according to Cameron and Dempsey (2016) - “Teach word-learning strategies”

Answer 5

○ Teacher modelling different ways to work out an unknown word during reading
○ Useful word-learning strategies
* Using the context - using the words around the unknown word(s)
□ Not decoding just using context
* Morphology - looking at word parts
* Affixes - prefixes and suffixes
* Base words and root words
* Consulting a reference

Question 6

Describe the third feature of a vocabulary program according to Cameron and Dempsey (2016) - “Teach individual words”

Answer 6

○ Multiple exposures to useful words in many contexts is necessary to embed a new word in students vocabulary
○ Two types - planned and incidental
○ Which words to teach
* Tier 1 words - basic words that rarely require direct instruction e.g. boy happy run
* Tier 2 words - high frequency words useful long term e.g. specify, attribute, manipulate
* Tier 3 words - low frequency words that occur in specific domains e.g. photosynthesis, fibula
○ How to teach a new word
○ Many ways

Question 7

Describe the fourth feature of a vocabulary program according to Cameron and Dempsey (2016) - “Plan for and encourage independent reading”

Answer 7

○ More variety of vocabulary in books
○ Strong and unequivocal relationship between vocabulary knowledge and reading comprehension

Question 8

Outline how a teacher could in practice, build a strong vocab program

Answer 8

Cameron & Dempsey (2016)
Activities and games to support vocabulary teaching
○ Fridge words
○ Word placed on the home fridge to initiate family conversations
○ Categories
○ Mystery word - like celebrity heads but with a word
○ Stop the bus - scattegories
○ Words of the week
○ Creating visual images to help a student remember a word e.g. draw the word ‘float’ floating in a poor