CIRG 653: Module

7
Samantha Starcher

Key Components
Conversation
Vocabulary
Comprehension

Rich Conversations
Conversations create opportunities for language to be expanded
(Clay, pg. 125).
Conversation is a very important key in developing language and
vocabulary for children.
Children need to be exposed to those everyday conversations to help
them expand their vocabulary bank.
Classroom conversations can be used to introduce children to new
vocabulary that they would not be exposed to in everyday language.

Ways to Incorporate
Conversations
Within the classroom:
Allow a few minutes each day to
just talk with the students.
Group Work put them with
other students to engage in
conversations
Partnering working closely with
a classmate to discuss/converse
about a topic/assignment
Ask open ended questions
students have to construct a
response and provide evidence
to support it. Then have the
students orally provide their
answer.

At home:
Discuss what happened at school
Read stories with them
Play games that involve decision
making and ask the child to talk
about why he/she made that
move

What if a student is struggling conversationally?

If I notice a student
struggling
conversationally, then I
would make an effort to
have one on one
interactions with that child
two or three times a week.

To be proficient readers and

writers, students must build
their vocabularies and learn
strategies for coping with
difficult words. As students
progress through the grades,
a key element in their growth
as readers and writers is

Vocabulary
Students need to be able to attack any word they
come across while reading to expand their
vocabulary.
Instruction needs to be devoted to refining as
well as to introducing vocabulary and concepts.

Selecting Words to be
Learned
A base of 4,000 simple word families account for
approximately 90% of words in most texts.
Words are divided into three groups:
Tier One: everyday, basic familiar words (look,
see) that are learned through speaking and
listening.
Tier Two: high-utility words that generally
appear primarily in print rather than in
conversation (gaze, glance, peer)
Tier Three: technical words drawn from specific
content areas (refraction, astigmatism)

Word Learning Tasks That Lead to Word

Knowledge

Strategies
Exploring Word Histories
Read Alouds

Labeling

Graphic Organizers

Riddles

Implementing Word of the Day

Crossword Puzzles

Thesaurus

Word-Building References

Dramatizing

Word Sorts

Constructing Memorable Events

Determining Shades of Meaning

Comprehension is a constructive,
interactive process involving three
factors the reader, the text, and
the context in which the text is read.
For comprehension to improve, the
interaction among all three factors
must be taken into consideration.
(Gunning, pg. 290).

Comprehension
It enables students to be successful in all subjects.
Students may be able to read words, but if they
cannot understand what is being read then they
are really not reading. It is merely just a bunch of
words without true meaning.
Good readers are those who are both focused and
active along with having the skills needed to
understand and comprehend what is being read.

Strategies
Making connections

Inferencing

Story maps

Retelling

Cause and effect

Following directions

Answering questions

Sequencing

Summarizing

How to Implement Strategies

Step 1: Introducing the Strategy
Explain what it is, why its being taught, how it will benefit students, when and where it might be
used
Step 2: Demonstrating and modeling the strategy
Show how the strategy is put to use. Model the process.
Step 3: Guided Practice
Gradually turn over more responsibility to students.
Step 4: Independent practice and application
Have students apply the strategy to different materials.
Step 5: Assessment and re-teaching
Make sure students are applying it effectively.
Step 6: Ongoing reinforcement and implementation
After a month or two, they should be able to move on to the next strategy.

References
Clay, M. M. (2014). By different paths to
common
outcomes: Literacy learning and
teaching. Auckland, New Zealand: Global
Education Systems, Ltd.
Gunning, T. G. (2016). Creating literacy
instruction for
all students. Boston, MA:
Pearson Education, Inc.