Last week I brought attention to vocabulary acquisition and the importance of expanding your students’ vocabulary toolbox. But before you start incorporating more vocabulary into your instructional day, I wanted to bring awareness to some common vocabulary myths and misconceptions as you focus on this in your upper elementary classrooms. So in today’s episode, I’m debunking vocabulary myths and highlighting the need for structured vocabulary instruction, along with different ways to embed vocabulary.

Reading and memorization were always the standard ways for teaching vocabulary, but we have since learned those aren’t effective ways to learn new vocabulary words. Instead, incorporating vocabulary in discussions, stories, and explicit instruction will make vocabulary more memorable and meaningful for students. Additionally, I provide examples on how using vocabulary in context creates a deeper understanding of the word. 

In order to expand a student’s vocabulary, it’s more than just exposure while reading texts. It’s actually intentional instruction with application as the end result. By knowing common vocabulary myths and how to teach it effectively, your students will have more vocabulary words in their toolbox and use it in other contexts. Stay tuned to next week’s episode where I dive into strategies and actionable tips for vocabulary!

Show Notes: https://theliteracydive.com/episode146

Resources Mentioned:

• Join The Daily Writing Disguise
• Vocabulary Writing Prompts FREE Sample
• Vocabulary Writing Prompts
• Episode 145, Unpacking the Role of Vocabulary Acquisition

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