Look carefully at what the teacher is calling vocabulary words. What are you seeing? From the classroom, list the different types of words that fall in to the “vocabulary” category. Label these. If possible, ask to look through her teacher’s edition at the current lesson. What does the textbook company call ‘’vocabulary”. How does the textbook or the materials used say that vocabulary should be taught?
List the vocabulary words into Tier I , Tier II, and Tier III words. Some teachers teach these words orally. Some are introduced using a Read Aloud and others are found when she has “vocabulary time”. Some are taught using pictures so you do not see the words displayed.
I’ve uploaded the pages below if you need to reference them.
See pages 50, 51, 55 in the LETRS Foundations book to help you put words you see being taught into categories.
ALSO- see pages 54, 55 in Module 4: The Mighty Word: Building Vocabulary and Oral Language
Look carefully at words from informational text (science, social studies text). How are they introduced and taught? Which strategies are used and how do children respond to these strategies? Analyze student work samples from work sheets or activities to determine how they are learning vocabulary and content material. Sometimes, science and social studies topics are found in the reading lesson. Look at what was taught earlier this month or what might be coming in the next few weeks.
Look carefully at what the teacher is calling vocabulary words. What are you seeing? If possible, ask to look through her teacher’s edition at the current lesson. What does the textbook company call ‘’vocabulary’’.
How does the textbook say it should be taught? Usually there are strategies associated with vocabulary words. It could be that she is teaching Tier II words via oral language methods/program (very appropriate for K-2) .
She might be teaching science and social studies via reading centers. Standards tell us that K-3 students must read and be read to using informational text. This school is doing Project Based Learning and in Project Based Learning, students learn vocabulary by “doing”. Ask what the focus lesson are and what vocabulary is necessary when students work with project based learning activities.
Look carefully at words from informational text (science, social studies text). How are they introduced and taught? Which strategies are used and how do children respond to these strategies? Analyze student work samples from work sheets or activities to determine how they are learning the content material. Sometimes, science and social studies topics are found in the reading lesson. Look at what was taught earlier this month or what might be coming in the next few weeks.
