How To Cite Building Background Knowledge, Marzano

How To Build Academic Vocabulary Using Marzano'due south 6-Step Process

by Kimberly Tyson, Ph. D.

Vocabulary and its potent relationship to comprehension has been verified over and over over again. Vocabulary plays an important part in learning to read also equally reading to acquire. We too know that increasing vocabulary knowledge plays a large part in overall school success and has a direct impact on comprehension.

Effective vocabulary didactics is a key foundation to helping students acquire a wide and diverse vocabulary. Students demand both direct and indirect instruction in vocabulary and word meanings besides as multiple exposures to words. Information technology is through multiple exposures and repetition that students brainstorm to understand the nuances of words and how to use them when speaking and writing.

Additionally, active engagement helps students take part in the learning process and brainstorm to "own" the words and understand give-and-take meaning in multiple contexts. Independent reading, intentional read alouds, and wide reading all encourage students long-term vocabulary development and growth.

Teachers need a variety of instructional strategies for teaching vocabulary. Unfortunately, in that location remains a gap between what we know are effective strategies and what often takes place in the classroom. In Building Groundwork Knowledge, Bob Marzano laid out a six-stride process for building academic vocabulary. It includes straight didactics, linguistic and nonlinguistic definitions, recording word learning in a notebook or journal, talking about words, and playing with words. Multiple exposures are at the center of the process.

Vocabulary Instructional Strategies: Marzano's 6-Step Procedure

The half dozen-step procedure includes the following steps:

The teacher provides a description, caption, or case of the term.
Linguistic definition – students restate the description, explanation, or example in their own words.
Nonlinguistic definition – students construct a pic, pictograph, symbolic representation, or act out the term.
The teacher extends and refines understanding of the give-and-take by engaging students in activities that assistance them add together to their knowledge of the terms in vocabulary notebooks.
Periodically ask students to discuss the terms with one another.
Involve students in games that enable them to play with the terms and reinforce give-and-take knowledge.

For several years, I've been pedagogy this process to teachers and helping them implement it in their classrooms. I've constitute that when teachers go intentional in regard to vocabulary education, they become more than excited near word learning and observing growth in their students. Soon, teachers get on board with a schoolwide vocabulary improvement endeavor and they begin selecting words with more intention, develop a toolbox of vocabulary strategies, create give-and-take walls to support learning, and observe growth in learning and achievement.

Lessons Learned

Equally a teacher, you tin't teach every word which is why students besides demand to be engaged in independent reading to build their vocabulary. However, for targeted words that are cardinal to mastering content or comprehending text, you should try implementing the six-pace process. Since Marzano'southward six-footstep process has been around a number of years, he reports several "lessons learned." Keep these in mind as you implement the six-step process for building bookish vocabulary:

The process works all-time when y'all don't skip any steps. Don't selection and choose which footstep you "like" best – do all 6 steps.
Students need to generate their ain definition of a term – sometimes I call this a "kid friendly" definition.
Step iii – the nonlinguistic definition – is a powerful and important stride. When students visualize, create a pictogram, or human action out a word, they learn it well and achievement soars.
Games – Step 6 – assist students play with words and internalize discussion meanings in a non-threatening temper.

I find that teachers like to use this summary as they're learning the six-steps process. Use the six-step process as a grade-level team or content-expanse squad and written report back to each other.

Which step did you lot find easiest?

Are at that place whatsoever that y'all're having difficulty with implementing?

Discuss with your teaching partners and work to refine implementation. Check for student learning in both informal and formal means.