Choosing Words
Be very judicious in your selection of words that you are going to focus on. It is easy to fall into the trap of feeling like you are the gatekeeper for all the words that will help your students succeed, but if we are not careful in the choosing of these words, none of them will stick. Better they learn 30 words really, really well than briefly encounter 150 words that pass through their heads, never to return again.
If you are choosing to go the "traditional vocabulary" route (that is, lists of words), keep the lists short (8-10 words in a 5 lesson cycle--one week if you see your kids every day, two if you don't) and think about how you will teach the words, practice the words, and assess the words. If you decide to go the "content/concept" route (see next page), you will accumulate words throughout the unit, semester, or year.
If you are choosing to go the "traditional vocabulary" route (that is, lists of words), keep the lists short (8-10 words in a 5 lesson cycle--one week if you see your kids every day, two if you don't) and think about how you will teach the words, practice the words, and assess the words. If you decide to go the "content/concept" route (see next page), you will accumulate words throughout the unit, semester, or year.