What Really Matters in Vocabulary: Research-Based Practices Across the Curriculum

How do we increase the number of words students know meanings for—as well as the depth of meanings for those words—as a day-in, day-out, across-the-school-day priority?

This is the focus of well-known author Pat Cunningham’s What Really Matters in Vocabulary, 2/e. In it, teachers see how to make vocabulary come to life in the classroom and across the curriculum while discovering that what really matters is building bigger vocabularies to make all students better readers, including non-native English speakers and children who live in economic poverty.

"This text is very user-friendly and has many practical and ready-to-use strategies and activities. Any elementary classroom teacher could be given this book and use it immediately." – Erica D. McCray, University of Florida, COE

"The ideas presented in this text are FUN! Kids aren't repeating words and definitions or copying for dictionaries. The author gives teachers fun and engaging ways to excite students about words." – Amanda Grotting, Peavine Elementary School, Reno, NV

"The text is very easy to read and students can relate real life situations to every area found in this textbook. If you are teaching Content Area Reading, this would be a great book to use!" — Kimberly Taylor-Gathings, Mississippi University for Women

Patricia M. Cunningham is the author of Beyond Retelling, Classrooms That Work, Schools That Work, Phonics They Use, and the Making Words Series. She is a professor of education at Wake Forest University with over 30 years of experience in various elementary grades as well as in remedial reading. Pat promotes literacy for all children through her workshops and staff development sessions with educators.

“The text presents scholarly, research-based, and practical information on writing instruction in a very user-friendly manner. The authors do a great job of blending theory with praxis.” – Wynnetta Scott-Simmons, Mercer University

‘These authors obviously know what teachers need and what the struggles are in the classroom.  The text is easy to read and user-friendly. The chapters flow nicely, allowing a teacher to focus writing lessons on one area at a time, and eventually building on skills. I found it helpful that the authors included scenarios and suggestions for those students who do not want to write.” – Christie Brown, Clear Spring Elementary, Clear Spring, MD

"This text is very user-friendly and has many practical and ready-to-use strategies and activities. Any elementary classroom teacher could be given this book and use it immediately." — Erica D. McCray, University of Florida, COE

"The ideas presented in this text are FUN! Kids aren't repeating words and definitions or copying from dictionaries. The author gives teachers fun and engaging ways to excite students about words." — Amanda Grotting, Peavine Elementary School, Reno, NV

"The text is very easy to read and students can relate real life situations to every area found in this textbook. If you are teaching Content Area Reading, this would be a great book to use!" – Kimberly Taylor-Gathings, Mississippi University for Women

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Pat Cunningham’s What Really Matters in Vocabulary, 2/e will help teachers increase the number of words students know meanings for–as well as the depth of meanings for those words–as a day-in, day-out, across-the-school-day priority. In it, teachers see how to make vocabulary come to life in the classroom and across the curriculum while discovering that what really matters is building bigger vocabularies to make all students better readers, including non-native English speakers and children who live in economic poverty.

Patricia M. Cunningham is the author of Beyond Retelling, Classrooms That Work, Schools That Work, Phonics They Use, and the Making Words Series. She is a professor of education at Wake Forest University with over 30 years of experience in various elementary grades as well as in remedial reading. Pat promotes literacy for all children through her workshops and staff development sessions with educators.

Preface

The What Really Matters Series

1. Why Vocabulary Matters
2. Reading is What Matters Most
3. Tell Your Students to Talk
4. Writing Builds Expressive Vocabulary
5. Teaching Vocabulary Independence
6. Morpheme Magic
7. Building Vocabulary While You Teach Reading
8. Building Vocabulary While You Teach Math
9. Building Vocabulary While You Teach Science
10. Building Vocabulary While You Teach Social Studies
11. Building Vocabulary While You Teach Art, Music and P. E.
12. Word Wonder