No matter what content area you teach, vocabulary is a foundational part. But ever since I began teaching 20 years ago, I have hated vocabulary! The students would check out mentally and go through the motions of copying down definitions and examples, without truly learning or owning the words. Then I would spend so much time creating vocabulary tests and then hours checking and grading them! Over the years, I've found several ways of doing vocabulary that aren't miserable for me or the students. I found these especially helpful when I taught AP Psych, which is a vocabulary-heavy class and test. First I'll share with you the different technology pieces I use to have students practice their vocabulary, and then the strategies I use in class to teach vocabulary. At the end I'll share some free templates and easy resources to save you time! (These links are not paid sponsorships or affiliations, so I get no kickback from you clicking on them. I just use them and like them and wanted to share them!)
Research has stated that student need 7-10 exposures to the words in order to truly learn the word. At first, that sounds incredibly overwhelming! But I've found that giving students a variety of ways to learn the word initially makes those exposure much less daunting. The more ways a student can experience the word, the better. If those ways can be multi-modal, creative, cooperative, and engaging, their brains are even more likely to remember the terms! And psychology has shown that brains also crave novelty... by having several research based practices in your vocabulary toolkit, your students will easily be able to apply them to their own lives and your content area!
Now that I've shared all that with you, I will admit... I still spend too much time writing new tests and grading vocabulary sentences that my students write. But now that I know they are actively participating in the learning of the words and applying them to real communication, I don't mind it as much. My district uses Canvas, so my quizzes are through there. I make a section for matching the word to the definition, and section for multiple choice to fill in a word in a sentence or real life application, and then ask students to use the word in their own sentences (with proper context clues and part of speech usage). Most of the time I give them a timely theme to write about (homecoming, a recent snowstorm, the lunchroom, etc). It's not perfect, but it works for us :)
If you try any of these strategies out in your classroom and love them- let me know! ~ Crista [email protected]
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AuthorA midwest teacher in love with creating awesome opportunities for students to think, communicate, and produce. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/The-Comfortable-Classroom
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