Vocabulary
Video 1
How is the discussion of the word symbol helpful in a small group focused on vocabulary?
The small group that Debbie Deiller is teaching consists of 3rd graders. They are still learning how to identify new vocabulary and the meaning. Some words seem to be hard to them but they discover a tactic to help them understand the meaning of the words. The tactic is to simply read the sentence before and after the word and get to know what the word is talking about. The discussion of the word symbol is helpful in this group because the children understand what a symbol is. They identify the symbol the book is referring to which is the flag. They also understand that the flag is a symbol of their country. This way, the children learn the meaning of the word symbol through something they relate to.
Why do you think Debbie chose to highlight this word?
In the book they are reading, there is the word symbol and cymbal. These words might confuse the students because they have the same pronunciation. Debbie asks the students what they think the cymbal is referring to the book and they say that is a musical instrument. Debbie engages them in further discussion about the cymbal by asking them who uses a cymbal and how it is used. By doing this, the students learn that cymbal and symbol are different words with different meanings. After clarification of the difference between the two words, they are able to continue with the session without confusion.
How do the students’ levels of knowing the word symbol change throughout the lesson?
Their level of understanding goes higher. After understanding the word symbol, the identify the symbol of the United States as the flag and also the person who made it. They are able to flow with the rest of the story after comprehending what a symbol is and identifying it in the book.
Video 2
How were the elements of effective vocabulary instruction presented in this module demonstrated in Angie Zapata’s lessons?
Angie presents the children with a mind bank which is a modelling instruction to help the students remember how they came about to the meaning of the word salutations.
Angie has exposed her students to high quality oral language. The word salutation is a new vocabulary to them and they learn of the meaning. They learn of the word in an enjoyable manner and this will help them retain the vocabulary for longer.
The students are encouraged to learn the meaning of the word independently. They draw clues which helps them arrive to the conclusion that salutation means hello. This way, the students will be able to get the meaning of new vocabulary along the way independently.