All About Words: Increasing Vocabulary in the Common Core Classroom, Pre K-2

by Susan B. Neuman, Tanya S. Wright

Overview

Inaugural title in the Common Core State Standards for Literacy Series, edited by Susan B. Neuman and D. Ray Reutzel.

Vocabulary forms a relentless divide between children who succeed and those who do not. This divide is often between poor children and their privileged counterparts. Without vocabulary knowledge, children cannot interpret text meaningfully or respond in ways that enable them to fully participate in classroom discussions.All About Wordsis a practical guide designed to help early childhood teachers take advantage of the unique opportunity provided by the Common Core State Standards. It offers strategies for planning and presenting vocabulary instruction and for monitoring children’s word learning progress, along with helpful appendices that provide specific guidance on which words to teach. Each chapter includes ideas to support home-school connections, recognizing the important role parents play in children’s vocabulary development. Throughout, the authors encourage readers to examine day-to-day classroom issues, making it an ideal resource for professional development.

Book Features:

• Helpful summary of key CCSS features and how they play out for PreK–2 teachers.


• Accessible reviews of key research.


• Evidence-based, developmentally appropriate teaching strategies.


• Classroom examples demonstrating how strategies look in action.


• “Think About It” sections to help teachers and coaches facilitate discussion.


• Helpful lists of vocabulary words children should be able to use, as well as student texts that support vocabulary growth and development.

Susan B. Neumanis a professor at the University of Michigan and New York University, and has served as the U.S. Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education. Her books includeChanging the Odds for Children at RiskandGiving Our Children a Fighting Chance.Tanya S. Wrightis assistant professor in the Department of Teacher Education at Michigan State University.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780807771884
Publisher:	Teachers College Press
Publication date:	04/26/2013
Series:	Common Core State Standards in Literacy Series
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

Susan B. Neuman is a professor at the University of Michigan and New York University, and has served as the U.S. Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education. Her books include Changing the Odds for Children at Risk and Giving Our Children a Fighting Chance. Tanya S. Wright is an assistant professor in the department of Teacher Education at Michigan State University.

Table of Contents

Foreword Timothy Shanahan vii

Preface ix

1 Why Words Are Important 1

The Age of Common Core State Standards 2

All About Words 5

Common Myths About Oral Vocabulary Development 5

Key Principles for Teaching Oral Vocabulary Development 10

2 Creating a Vocabulary-Rich Environment 18

Organizing Your Vocabulary-Rich Environment 19

The Physical Environment 20

Enriching the Verbal Environment 27

Summary 36

3 Building Children's Vocabulary 37

The Problem 37

A Content-Rich Approach to Vocabulary Instruction 38

A Teaching Sequence 43

A Self-Teaching Approach 60

4 Supporting Content-Rich Vocabulary Instruction Through Book Reading 62

Types of Text 63

Text Sets 69

Applying the Instructional Regime to Text Sets 74

Conclusions 82

5 Grouping for Vocabulary Instruction 83

Organizing Vocabulary Instruction in the Age of Common Core Standards 83

Creating a Comprehensive Vocabulary Program 104

Conclusions 114

6 How Do We Know Children Are Learning? 115

Assessing Vocabulary Development 115

Assessment Activities 117

Evidence of Children's Learning 126

Reducing Vocabulary Disparities Through High-Quality Instruction 132

Appendix A Examples of Text Sets 137

Appendix B Examples of Vocabulary Terms Children Should Know, PreK-Grade 2 149

References 153

Index 157

About the Authors 163

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“Clearly illustrates how teachers can narrow the achievement gap and, at the same time, address the Common Core State Standards in developmentally appropriate ways.”
—Sue Bredekamp, Early Childhood Education Specialist

“Provides both a research-based consideration of the vocabulary teaching problem and lots of practical insights into how to teach.”
—From the Foreword by Timothy Shanahan, University of Illinois at Chicago