So here's an idea for my SLP (that's speech-language pathologist) friends to help with building vocabulary, documenting which vocabulary you've worked on and measuring success:
I went to a conference last year put on by the Bureau of Educational Research. It was called something like: 75 Effective and Useful Strategies to Teach Vocabulary. It was a great conference and I came away with quite a few good ideas.
One of the tips was to have students create personal dictionaries for the year. So with a 3-ring binder and some (26) page dividers many of my students are now creating dictionaries that are highly personalized. So far, the students have been pretty receptive to it (except when I asked them to define 1 word for homework - it was like I had assigned a 20 page eval report from grad school. Saint Rose ladies ...you remember those, right?).
I'm actually pretty excited about this year-long project for my students with weak vocabulary. And, let's face it - most kids with language disorders have some sort of vocabulary weakness. Whether it is defining, categorizing, comparing/contrasting, antonyms, or synonyms, etc - vocabulary knowledge and use for students with language disorders isn't generally a strength (and this statement is made KNOWING that there are ALWAYS exceptions)!
The layout of each page of the dictionary is something like this:
Word: seems pretty self-explanatory ;)
Definition: The word is defined in their OWN WORDS so the student UNDERSTANDS it but they use a dictionary to find the definition. This gives the students another practical skill of knowing how to use reference books. And YES! I make students look up words the old fashioned way unless it's homework because sadly, I know more homes have computers than they do dictionaries. But I still feel it is a valuable tool to know how to use - same with a phone book, encyclopedia, and cookbook. Even though we can access most everything online - there is great value in having skills that allow you to function without technology, too!
Sentence: Students write a sentence about the word that tells me they understand what it means. For example, the word is "ringleader" A not so good sentence would be: "She is the ringleader of the group." Yes, it tells me that you know the ringleader is part of the group but it doesn't tell me HOW the person is part of the group or what it actually means. A better sentence would be: "Casey was always the ringleader when it came to tricking our parents." <---still not a great sentence but better. And this WAS a word two of my students wanted to define because it's in a book we read and they didn't know what it meant. They thought it meant someone was the lead bell ringer. Isn't that a good guess?
Picture: Students draw a picture of their sentence.
Synonyms: Students use their brains and try to think of at least 1-2 synonyms and then they use a THESAURUS if they can't think of anything else to write down. What's cool about this? Well, once your students have defined the original term and come up with a few synonyms they've ACTUALLY learned 3 or 4 words and not just one!
Connection: Students write down WHY they picked that word to define...was it from a story? a homework assignment from other classes? newspaper? at an assembly? This helps later when kids need a reminder to jog their memories,
Each page has enough room for 3 words and all the pieces. The best part is, if you write down on a sheet of paper the different words the students define you will ALWAYS know the new vocabulary they've studied. You can also use this to test them for true understanding and USE of the word.
The best part? My students are REMEMBERING the definitions, and are beginning to use the words they've learned in new ways! And, like I wrote earlier - they really seem to like it. Some students have come to me with words they read in academic books, or in the hallway and are wanting to define them. It's really cool!
I hope some of you are able to do this with your students/clients. I think it could also work with adults who have aphasia, etc. because you completely customize the dictionary to THAT persons needs. None of my students' dictionaries will look the same!
Do YOU have any ideas for working on vocabulary??
Edited to add:
Someone asked which grades I am using this with. I am currently using it with 2nd, 3rd, and 5th graders. However, I really think it could be modified a bit and used with 1-12. The words would just usually be more difficult as grades went up. Also - I am using it with students who have varying cognitive as well as language abilities and they are ALL retaining information. It should be noted that this is not a quick therapy activity at least during teaching the students HOW to do it. But, my students are finally comprehending books they are reading.
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