Marlena Gastineau

CIED 3293
Rr1b CGU Ch. 8 pp 186-207
Using a broader spectrum of vocabulary in your teaching components provides more
opportunity for using different strategies in teaching the word with your students. Use these
opportunities to expose the words as something more than what they are looking at on paper.
Three strategies are given to assist in teaching development of a childs literacy and of a
childs vocabulary. First, using picture books to develop a childs literacy. Picture books assist in
visualizing what is happening. The students are able to make assumptions based on what they are
looking at. This assist with building vocabulary because the children have to explain what they
are looking at and why they feel that is what is happening. Secondly, using alphabet books to
develop a child vocabulary. Alphabet books are considered concept or content books. A concept
alphabet book focuses on teaching the alphabet and the words associated with them. While
content books focus on using content information and vocabulary in an alphabetical sequence.
These two categories of alphabet books both have a broad array of topics and enhance a childs
speaking and listening skills through the alphabetical sequence that these books provide. Lastly,
Using Words, words, words to teach Tier 2 words to children. This particular strategy requires
explicit instruction. This strategy involves having the children pay attention to the pre-selected
words that you want the child to use in oral and written expression. Having a board with the
words and placing check marks by the words that are found encourages the children to find the
words that are missing. I find this strategy interesting because its a blend of explicit instruction
and incidental exposure. While youve chosen the words, the child will work on finding the word
in books, their writing, or in conversations. The exposure is more affective this way because the
child is able to infer the word in their own way.
All three of these strategies allow for creative exposure to a more developed vocabulary
in children. Although there are more strategies that have the same successful approach, I feel that
these three strategies build off one another to allow for better comprehension. The picture books
increase vocabulary knowledge through self-expression, the alphabet books increase vocabulary
though oral and listening skills, and words, words,words, assist in increasing vocabulary
though self-expression, oral and listening skills as well as in exploration of the word.
Question sticky; Have you used words, words, words in your classroom?