Synopses & Reviews
We've learned a lot in recent years about the important role vocabulary plays in making meaning, yet many teachers still struggle with vocabulary instruction that goes beyond weekly word lists. Effective vocabulary instruction is particularly vital in the content areas, where the specialized language used by insiders often creates a barrier to understanding for those new to the subjects. In Inside Words, Janet Allen merges recent research and key content-area teaching strategies to show teachers how to help students understand the academic vocabulary found in textbooks, tests, articles, and other informational texts.
Each instructional tool is listed alphabetically along with its purpose: building background knowledge; teaching words that are critical to comprehension; providing support during reading and writing; developing a conceptual framework; and assessing students' understanding of words and concepts.
Inside Words builds on Janet's previous books Words, Words, Words and Tools for Teaching Content Literacy, to provide a much-needed middle and secondary school resource for teaching vocabulary, not only in the language arts, but in all of the content areas.
Synopsis
Vocabulary instruction is critical in any classroom, yet how do teachers go beyond weekly word lists and empower their students to make meaning from these words? In Inside Words: Tools for Teaching Academic Vocabulary, Grades 4-12, author Janet Allen merges research and content-area teaching strategies to help teachers show students how to understand the academic vocabulary found in textbooks and build comprehension of these texts.
Each of Allen's vocabulary tools are designed to help students learn and use academic vocabulary:
- Building background knowledge
- Teaching words critical to comprehension
- Providing support during reading and writing
- Developing a conceptual framework for themes, topics, and units of study
- Assessing students' understandings of words and concepts
Inside Words provides a much-needed middle and secondary school resource for teaching vocabulary, not only in the language arts, but in all of the content areas.