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Strategies for Content Area Literacy

Why teach vocabulary?

Vocabulary instruction in every content area classroom is essential, even in the upper grades. Teaching new vocabulary should not be left up to the English teacher alone; while the English teacher helps students develop a strong foundation of reading and writing skills, exposure to text occurs in every classroom. Teachers must help their students learn to navigate and manipulate the complex academic vocabulary used in their own content-area classrooms. Using specific strategies to enhance understanding -- rather than just providing a word list -- will ensure that students can use content area related vocabulary with confidence.

When students do not understand the vocabulary that an author is using, they cannot fully understand what they are reading. Good vocabulary instruction emphasizes words that students see frequently, key words that help students understand the concepts being studied, and difficult words (idiomatic words, words with more than one meaning, etc.). By providing vocabulary instruction, teachers aid students by:

• activating a student's schema (or prior knowledge);
  
• defining words in multiple contexts;
  
• helping them locate and see context clues;
  
• teaching them how to use a dictionary and/or glossary;
  
• providing activities that encourage deep processing (such as using vocabulary words in their writing);
  
• giving them multiple exposures to the same vocabulary words in a variety of ways;
  
• helping them understand the structure of words, for example prefixes, root words, and suffixes;
  
• and showing how words are related to one another.
  

DOs and DON'Ts for Vocabulary Instruction

When teaching vocabulary:

• DO create a welcoming and safe classroom environment where students can easily approach you for help with words that leave them confused;
  
• DO teach students how the textbook(s) used in your classroom are laid out. Through pre-reading activities, introduce them to boldfaced words and the glossary (if any is provided);
  
• DO provide multiple ways for students to practice new words that provide maximum exposure to meaning and usage. Have students create and use flashcards, organize words into graphic organizers, create motions to go with the words, develop lists of related words, draw pictures related to each word's meaning, etc.;
  
• DON'T use "busywork" activities (such as word searches) that use up instructional time but teach little;
  
• DO require students to use new vocabulary words in their speaking and writing;
  
• DO display key content area terms (or focus vocabulary) in the classroom where students can see them daily;
  
• DON'T be afraid to use advanced vocabulary when speaking with students;
  
• DO be a lifelong learner and practice vocabulary strategies yourself. If you're "bored" with English, try learning new words in another language that one of your students speaks. Make sure to share your personal strategies and struggles with your students.
  

Sources and Resources

The following Internet resources may be helpful in developing content area literacy strategies for your own classroom:

• Literacy Matters: Teaching Vocabulary
  
• Word Walls (description)
  
• The Clarifying Routine: Elaborating Vocabulary Instruction
  
• Vocabulary Graphic Organizers