Because of the increasing demands that today's society places on language, there is an increasing need for vocabulary building. The opening of new fields, industries, and media and the vocabularies of specialized fields have all contributed to making increased word knowledge a necessity. New words have been coined to describe developments in new…

Begins a four-part series dealing with practical suggestions for improving the vocabularies of high school students. (Author/RB)

Discusses techniques for teaching meaning vocabulary and describes the advantages of one commercially produced vocabulary program. (DD)

If we held words half as dear as did our linguistic forebears, our speech and writing would be sharpened and our minds opened to new and splendid vistas. (Editor)

Describes two methods used in a college developmental reading class (which heighten awareness of what lies behind a word and encourage active involvement with language) to foster the skills necessary to become independent word learners. (SR)

Discusses three major differences between the vocabulary of reading lessons and content area lessons. Discusses the implications these differences make in instruction. (MG)

Suggests six instructional procedures (concepts and novelty exercises pertaining to word pairs) for vocabulary development, designed to capitalize on intraword redundancy (determining possible word meaning by paying attention to familiar roots and affixes within the unknown word). (SR)

Describes the Said Web, an instructional strategy that encourages students to examine clusters of words and the words' linkages to one another so that vocabulary study does not occur as lists of isolated words, but rather as meaningful groups. Outlines eight instructional steps for the Said Web, which can be used with young children and modified…

A METHOD OF VOCABULARY STUDY USED AS A TOOL RATHER THAN AS A COMPLETE VOCABULARY PROGRAM HELPS STUDENTS INVESTIGATE ANY WORD AND HELPS CLARIFY KEY OR DIFFICULT WORDS IN AN ASSIGNMENT. THE SEMANTIC LEVELS OF DEFINITION-MAKING ARE EXPLAINED AND ILLUSTRATED BY THE TEACHER'S ASKING THE STUDENTS WHAT CLASS OF THINGS A CERTAIN WORD STANDS FOR AND HOW…

This resource booklet, intended for teachers, contains practical suggestions for promoting vocabulary enhancement in the classroom. The booklet lists and explains a number of common and less common vocabulary-building strategies and techniques, including Vocabulary Self-Collection Strategy, Color Shock, Clusters, ABC Books, Anagrams, Word Banks,…

Method involves use of context clues, dictionary work, and a point incentive system. (SP)

The magic square technique is a useful and enjoyable method for helping social studies students at all levels to learn new vocabulary. (RM)

Presents a model of the hierarchy or gradations of a student's knowledge of things and the words that signify them, ordering these variations in terms of difficulty. Offers strategies for matching vocabulary instruction to student's prior knowledge, promoting natural growth in meaning vocabulary, lifelong vocabulary learning, and teaching specific…

Describes Word Storm, an activity that juxtaposes the use of vocabulary words in context with the students' speculation about each word's functional application. (SR)

Examines several points supporting the argument for increased emphasis on vocabulary, including: the consequences of an increased emphasis on phonics; limited school promotion of vocabulary development; the sequential nature of vocabulary acquisition; and defining an essential vocabulary for high school graduates. Emphasizes the need for a more…