Shownotes
What methods give the most bang for your buck in teaching vocabulary to ELLs?
In this episode, we dive into five actionable strategies tailored for teachers of English language learners to supercharge vocabulary instruction in the classroom. Join us as we explore practical methods for creating a language-rich environment, guiding ELLs through the stages of vocabulary development, and fostering independent learning. From daily conversations to purposeful word selection in read-aloud sessions, discover how to empower your students to not just learn but actively use and retain new words effectively. Whether you're a seasoned educator or just starting your journey with ELLs, this episode equips you with insights and tools to elevate your classroom's language instruction and support your students' vocabulary growth!
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Transcripts
Hey there. And welcome to another episode of the equipping. Ell
Podcast. We are in a vocabulary instruction series. And today I
really want to dive into five tips for easily increasing
vocabulary instruction in your classroom because I really do
believe that with purposeful and intentional planning. You can
really create. A language rich environment where vocabulary, new
vocabulary is being learned and formed in their brains every
single day as they interact with you and with each other and the
materials that you're using. So how can we make this super
manageable, though, and practical? That's what I'm all about here
on the equipping. Lls podcast. Now, before we jump into those five
tips. I want to just walk you through. What is going on in the
brain and how many steps it actually takes in order to develop new
vocabulary when you're working with English language learners.
Okay. So this is the students learning a second language, third
language. Maybe. So what exactly is happening? The first thing is
they're going to hear or see the word for the first time. So when
they hear a new word or see it written down their brain, it's like
their brain's, ears or eyes light up. All right. So this is where
your brain starts to pay attention to this new word. Now, this is
important that. They build those foundational vocabulary words
because they need to be able to begin to identify. As you speak.
Which words they do not know, because until they can identify
through listening or by seeing the word written and saying, hey, I
don't know what that word means. What does this word mean? And
then they can go into the depth. And the process of acquiring that
new vocabulary word. But if they're listening to you and all of
the words they hear, they don't know which is really how a lot of
our newcomers start. I'm sure if you've learned a second language
yourself, you understand that when you're listening to a speaker
and you're early on in your language journey, it sounds like it's
all jumbled words. Altogether. And you're not really identifying
any words that you don't know. This is why rate of speech is
really important when you're working with newcomers and beginners
so that they can really begin to tune their ear. To identify the
words they know, to not even have to translate them, to be able to
listen, understand. And then to get to the point where they can
point out the words and say, I don't know what that word means.
Because once they know and can identify. And their brain starts to
pay attention. And can pick up those words. They don't know that's
where there's language vocabulary journey begins. So the second
step, after they identify a word they don't know is that they work
on understanding what it means. And there's a special part in your
brain that acts like a Detective. And it tries to figure out what
this new word means. It's like solving a little mystery. Every
time you see a new word, it's trying to make connections and. It's
the next step. It tries to pull out things that you already have
in your brain and to connect it to something that you already know
about. So for example, if you learn the word Apple. Your brain
might immediately think of the fruit that you eat, or maybe
immediately think of the color red because you're picturing a red
Apple. So your brain is doing this work as. You are exposed, or
your students are exposed to new vocabulary to try to pull out.
What do they know? Maybe it's something in their native language,
but they're pulling out and trying to connect it. Then our next
step is to remember the word. So our brain has a special storage
room for new words. It's like a treasure chest. All right. It
keeps the word there so that you can find it later when you need
it. And this is really important. The more that you use the word,
the easier it is to remember. All right. That's just part of
language learning. Which is why. Having multiple opportunities to
apply and use the vocabulary they are working on through speaking
and writing. Is so necessary for their development of vocabulary
for them to be able to recall those words that they've been
working on. The next step, then, is to practice saying the word.
So if you try to say this new word, there's a part of your brain
that helps you speak. You can think of it as like a conductor in
an Orchestra. It's making sure that everything sounds just right.
So they're taking in how they heard the speaker pronounce this
word. And now they're trying to apply it themselves. The next
step. Then these are all steps that your brain goes through. When
you are learning new vocabulary, the next step is to learn it
better by using it more.
Like I just briefly. But every time that you use this new word,
your brain gets better at remembering it. So it's like a path in
the Woods that gets clearer and easier to walk on. The more you
use it. This is why it can be really frustrating, but also really
true that if you don't use it, you lose it. I can't even imagine
how many vocabulary words that I wrote definitions down to that I
practiced that I did multiple activities with and then completely
lost them because I was never using those in context in
conversation. And so. They were there for the time that I was
learning them. But afterwards. They are not words I can recall
easily or at all. And that's what's happening with our student. So
even if in the moment they're remembering them or for that week
they're remembering a new word we want them to be applying and
using it so that it becomes very easy for them to recall this
vocabulary word. And then the last step. Is that. Your brain
builds bridges. This is what our brains are meant to do. It's
building tiny bridges to connect all the information about this
new word. The more bridges that you have, the easier it is to
remember and use the word. So this is why there's power in
connecting it to their native language, because now they have a
bridge that's formed between their L one and their L two. And
that's where they're going to recall. Things look easier because
they're going to be able to pull it out and connect it to what
they already knew. But we should constantly be looking at ways
that we can create and help our students brains build those
bridges as they are approaching new vocabulary. We're going to get
into that in just a minute. So I just want to stop and reflect for
a second. And look at this list. When someone learning English,
hears or sees a new word. Their brain goes through all these
steps. From noticing the word to understanding the word to
speaking the word to building those connections and more. And so
let's really make sure that we are pausing and applauding the
efforts that our students are doing, the growth that they're
making when they're applying new book heavy, when they're using
vocabulary in a sentence that they haven't used before. Those are
huge, monumental steps that they're taking to expand their
vocabulary. Word bank and sometimes I think it's hard for us. If
we have grown up speaking English as our first language, we don't
always understand the struggle and how hard it really is to learn
English. And so. I just want to encourage you as you're working
with your students to really. Celebrate the efforts that they're
taking to learn and apply new vocabulary because there's so much
that's happening inside. Their brains. As they are exposed to
daily new words that they are trying to understand. And use
accurately and apply in conversation. It is a lot that we're
asking from our students. That we take the time. Celebrating. All
right, so let's dive into five tips to really increase the
vocabulary in your classroom. And some. Things that if you keep.
These things in mind. Your students will go deeper in vocabulary.
They will expand. In their vocabulary word bank number one. And
I've said this so many times. But I'm going to say it again
because it is where it begins. And that is to have daily
conversations. We want to be moving students from passive
vocabulary. So this is where. They might know it, or have heard
it. To active vocabulary. You want them to be using it in
sentences correctly. We want them to be applying constantly. And
that happens first through conversation. Writing is another form
of output, but that usually takes longer to get to. But to me,
conversations. If you are really observing your classroom
interactions and you're really monitoring how much talk time you
have as a teacher compared to how much talk time your students
have, that's a great first place to begin to see. How could you
give your students more talk time? How can you give them more
intentional opportunities to speak about and use the words that
they have been working on. That is where you're going to see your
students expand and help move those words to the part of their
brain where they can recall and remember much easier. And. Just in
conversations, students are going to naturally be using all
different types of vocabulary. And so that's what's really
important is just giving them that space and daily making that
something that you do in your classroom and that they feel
comfortable speaking with one another. That's where they will
grow. Hands down. It will happen. So if you're not doing that,
start there five to ten minutes a day. Make it happen. Number two.
As the facilitator. Always be thinking of L plus one. L plus one
is your language. Your students language level plus one language
level. So one more language level up. And what do I mean by this?
This means that.
I want to encourage you to increase their vocabulary one language
level through conversations and activities. That means you need to
be aware of what's appropriate expectations for the student who's
a level two. And what can I do that's going to push them and be
using words. And conversation that might just be a little bit
trickier for them or might just be that next level up. This is a
great way to. Help really set higher expectations. To not water
down things to really be thinking about your students language
levels and to think and be pre planned and intentional with the
words that you're using so that you know, you're giving them just
a little bit more. So this does take. The teacher to be actively
aware. And ready for these opportunities. But you can make it fun.
So let me give you an example of what I mean by this. Let's say
that you're working with. Level.
And you have your students talking in partners. And this could be
as natural as you might say to one group, what are you talking
about? And you said, we're talking, but to another group, you
might say, hey, what are you guys conversing about? And then maybe
to another group, you might say. What are you all discussing. So I
took the word talking. And I looked at different words I could
use. That still mean the same thing. But I'm adding in that
additional level. I'm not just keeping it at that language level,
but I'm adding on that next level it's going to push them a little
bit. Think if you are doing this constantly where you're just
upping it a little bit, maybe just one vocabulary word here and
there you're throwing in as you engage with your students. Many of
them are going to start to pick up these new words that you're
challenging them with, and they're going to start to use them as
they hear them being used daily in your classroom. So just imagine
for a minute. How much your students, how many more words they
would acquire in your classroom if you were just switching out
some of the synonyms throughout the day. On normal commands that
you are working with on your students that you're talking to them
about. Just conversations that you're having, and you're just
switching. Out one word here and there and adding in a little bit
more difficulty. You're going to expose them to more and more
words. In an easy and natural way. So that's what I'm talking
about. They're L plus one. Don't be afraid to push them just a
little bit. Number three. Is to assess your students to see what
words your students already know. It doesn't make sense to spend
time explicitly teaching each vocabulary word in a unit if your
students already know some of them, so this doesn't have to look
like a paper and pencil test either. This can be as simple as
doing. A Knowledge Rating scale, either interactively or written
out. I love doing interactive knowledge rating scales. And this is
what it looks like at the beginning of a unit. Maybe we have six
academic words that we're working on. And I will say each word.
I'll have my students get up and then different parts of the room
are designated for different things. One corner would be, I've
never heard this word. I don't know what it is. And the thing is,
you want to make your students feel comfortable to say that
because it's a little bit humbling sometimes to get in front of
your peer and say, I've never heard this word. But that's where
you want them to really reflect and say, you know what. No, I
don't know that word. They would go to one spot in the room.
Another spot in the room would be I've heard this word, but I
don't think I can use it correctly in a sentence or I've heard
this word, but I'm not really sure what it means. And so that's
where some students might go if yeah, I've heard it. But I'm just
not that sure what we want is for them to be reflecting and really
thinking about. Do I know this word? Have I heard it before? Maybe
it's a cognitive. Maybe it's in my native language. And figuring
it out that way. And then the last spot would be, I've heard this
word and I know what it means. Or I've heard this word and I can
use it in a sentence. And so you'd have three different spots
marked in your room. And this can be done in five minutes or less.
You go through each of the words, the students move around. It
helps you have a really good idea of what words your students
already know. And which words? You really should spend more time
explicitly teaching. You could also do this with a paper and
pencil that you give them the words and they rate them with a star
or a question Mark or an exclamation with the same definitions.
You can decide, but this is really helpful because you don't need
to spend time explicitly teaching all those words if maybe 75% of
the class knows three of them. You might just do a small group
with the remaining kids on those three, and then add in three
other words that the students don't know. So this is where we have
to be super intentional. And specific in the words that we are
pulling and using, so that. We can make sure we're spending our
time on the ways that our students need that support. So that's
called a knowledge Rating scale. Use it when you're introducing
new words. It's super helpful and quick and easy to do. All right,
Number four. Studies show that it normally takes a person seven to
20 times of hearing and using a word before being able to commit
it to memory. So do not have your mindset that introducing one
word explicitly teaching at once is all you need to do. So this is
where it's really important. And number four is to teach new
vocabulary, but also be really purposeful in where you put that
vocabulary in the room or in a student's notebook or wherever it
is. Start to create a routine about where can they find those
words after you have worked with them. This is where we can help
push them to be more independent learners is when we have these
types of routines set up. Because then when they're in
conversation or they're writing something and they are trying to
get or they want to try to use that word. But maybe. They can't
remember, but they know where it is in the classroom, or they know
where it is in their notebook. Then they have a tool that they can
quickly and easily be reminded of where to locate it and how to
use it. Or maybe in writing, they just forgot how to write it. And
so they have a tool right there in their notebook. They know right
where to go. Set up a. Routine of how your vocabulary, how you
teach it, and then where it goes. Maybe you have one area in the
classroom that is a vocabulary wordball. Maybe you have a
bulletin. You just post it on the door that have the words you've
been working on, whatever it is, find something that works for you
and stick to it because I promise you your students will then be
able to become more independent when they work on applying these
words, if they know where they can find them for that scaffold for
that aid. Now I know in a small classroom, or if you push in, this
can be hard to have something like a word wall. So here are some
ideas that you can use to make it work for you. First is you could
have each student have a vocabulary notebook that can be organized
in ABC order. So this is something that they'll bring with them
all the time. Or they keep with. You. And then what you can do is
you can print the word with a picture for them, or you can give
them time to write down the word. Draw a picture the definition in
their notebooks of new words that they are coming across and want
to remember. The cool thing about this is it can be really based
on that student and the words that they want to write down or the
words that they were not familiar with. And so it doesn't have to
be. They don't have to fill it with words that. They weren't
important to them, so this can be really intentional with each
student and the words that they need. And then them doing it
themselves. They'll be able to go back and quickly find it.
Another idea is that you could use a pocket chart with note cards
by ABC order. I like doing this when I was in my classroom because
I didn't want to take once I put a whole word roll up. It took up
the whole entire length of the wall. It was up very high. The
students never used it ever. So when I switched it to having a
pocket chart within ABC order, anytime we'd come across a new
word, I would write it on a note card, stick it in that pocket
chart. And so this was awesome, because my students, as they would
be working and writing, they would just walk up to the pocket
chart, didn't even have to say anything. They'd. Find the letter
of the word that they were looking for. They take it back to their
seat and they would use it to help. And then they'd put it back.
So I loved this way of doing a word wall because it was really
interactive and it really helped my students reach that
independence and go and find what they needed us for support. And
then one other idea is that you could use binder rings, and you
could have a basket of words that are organized by topics or nouns
or verbs or adjectives. Some of you I know have a lot of photo
cards and things like that that you could just maybe put together
in different categories. And then put that against somewhere in
the room. So maybe you have all your science words on one ring,
maybe all your social studies words, math words. Having something
like that. It doesn't take a lot of space. But again. It gives
that students a way to take the responsibility of going to locate
the word that they are looking for so that they can easily and
quickly use it either in conversation or in writing.
All right. Number five. Number Five is. To intentionally choose
and plan the words that you are going to highlight when you're
doing a read aloud read aloud are one of the most fantastic ways
for natural vocabulary development to happen. And so the
purposeful thing here is for. You to already look ahead. And
identify if you go back to last week's episode about choosing
words and which vocabulary to choose. But this is just something I
want you to get in the habit of I know sometimes early on in my
teaching. A read aloud was just kind of like a break for me. Like,
here's something I can do for the next 20 minutes that my students
will sit and listen. At the end of the day, but there's so much we
can do with the read aloud if we're super intentional. So if you
do. Anything with a read aloud. Quickly preview it. Pull out two
or three vocabulary words that you were going to stop. Talk about.
Talk about in context. Maybe connect it to the picture. If it's a
picture book and just giving them those words in context is going
to be a huge way for many of your students to begin to develop
deeper meanings and more vocabulary through a simple read aloud.
So incorporate. If you're not doing at least one read aloud a week
in your classroom, in your small groups, find a way to incorporate
a read aloud because that is so extremely helpful for listening
comprehension for vocabulary development. But then take it to the
next step and make sure that you are spending the time it takes.
To preview the text and pull out two to three really awesome
vocabulary words that your students would benefit from. So those
are our five tips to help. You increase. Vocabulary instruction in
your classroom. A lot of them are just routines to get in the
habit of. Where are you putting your vocabulary? How are you pre
planning this? Read aloud. So just be intentional. And I promise
you that your students are going to really gain so many more words
than if we just keep it at their basic level and don't challenge
them.