Effective Vocabulary Learning and Technology

Marzano in Building Background Knowledge for Academic Achievement (2004) identifies six steps that have been proven to be effective in helping students learn vocabulary terms. He quotes much research for this method.

1. The teacher provides a explanation, description or example of the term. He does not define it.

2. Students restate the explanation of the new term in their own words.

3. Students create a non-linguistic representation of the term such as graphic organizer or pictures. This can be done on paper or electronically.

4. Students periodically do activities that help them to add to their knowledge of the vocabulary terms. Some activities are compare, classify, generate metaphors, generate analogies, revise the initial description or non-linguistic representation. The teacher can present these activities through a Power Point devoted to the term.

5. Periodically students discuss the terms with one another such as issues and questions about the term. Their issues and questions can be done in a program such as Inspiration.

6. Periodically students engage in games that allow them to play with the term in sponge activities like free associate, most other synonyms, and related topics. You can have these available in a PowerPoint to display quickly during any free moments at the end of class.

Students record the term in their notebook which has three columns- description, representation, and insight.

So how do you improve your students’ vocabulary learning through technology?

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Education with Technology Harry G. Tuttle