I have always been a lover of words and I love finding new ways to incorporate newly acquired words into my daily vocabulary. I really liked how in chapter 6 of
Classroom That Work they encouraged picking out three "Goldilocks" words from a book that would be reading aloud to your class. It would be a great way to keep everyone engaged on the literature and a way to model how to look up words that we do not know in a dictionary. I would like to include the self-monitoring system where the children hold up a certain number of fingers as related to their own understanding. I think that if I was reading my class a book it would be great for them to raise their fingers whenever they hear a word that they do not understand. I realize that this would not be appropriate for every read-aloud as it could be distracting, but I think it would definitely work for some book that present a higher level vocabulary.
I really like this activity for new words that I found on Pinterest!
In addition, if my class was engaging in a book club activity I would like for them to identify their personal three "Goldilocks" words and compare them with the rest of the class. I think that this would be a great way for me to gage the whole class' involvement and understanding of the vocabulary being presented in the novel/book.
- Do you remember an specific experiences with vocabulary?
- How appropriate is it for students to copy definitions from a dictionary, and/or how did you feel about having to do it when you were growing up?
I definitely remember copying definitions out of the back of the book growing up, and I still do it in some of my classes today! I personally memorize by writing, so this can help, but I don't think that this type of learning on its own is adequate. I think that in order to truly understand and comprehend a word, young kids need to attach personal meaning, which can't be done through copying.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, I think copying definitions from a dictionary can discourage students on really interpreting a word for what it means. By this, I mean that students may use a dictionary as an "easy way out", and may not fully grasp the word's definition, and be able to apply it to other situations. I remember copying definitions from the dictionary, and i absolutely hated it! I feel that it was better for me to just use context clues to find what the word meant, then using the dictionary for reference if I was lost.
ReplyDeleteI love the Pinterest activity that you found- so creative! Looking back on my time in elementary school, I remember copying definitions from the dictionary and that was our way of introducing new vocabulary. I remember thinking that all of the copying was a waste of time because I was never required to apply my newfound definition to anything in class. I don't think it's an appropriate use of time and that there are more conducive ways to expanding a child's vocabulary.
ReplyDeleteI remember having to copy definitions from the dictionary as well. While I think it is a good way for students to be introduced to the words, I do think the students should have to apply the definitions. An effective way of doing that would be the students creating sentences with their words or a story. It would be cool to have a group of four or five and the students use the vocabulary words to make a story together. I don't know if that makes sense right here, I'm trying to explain it as it comes out of my head!
ReplyDeleteI remember having to write the definitions of vocabulary words and looking back on it I don't really think it helped my vocabulary skills all that much because I wasn't constantly using them in sentences or seeing the word numerous times. I was simply just writing down words that I did not understand.
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